Safety Rules - Craftsman 3One 917.372823 Owner's Manual

SAFETY RULES
Safe Operation Practices for Walk-Behind Mowers _
IMPORTANT: THIS CUTTING MACHINE IS CAPABLE OF AMPUTATING HANDS AND FEET AND THROWING OBJECTS.,
FAILURE TO OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS COULD RESULT iN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
SAFETY STANDARDS REQUIRE OPERATOR PRESENCE CONTROLS TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF INJURY. YOUR UNiT IS
EQUIPPED WITH SUCH CONTROLS, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DEFEAT THE FUNCTION OF THE OPERATOR PRESENCE
CONTROLS UNIZJERANY CIRCUMSTANCES..
TRAINING:
, Read this operator's manual carefully.. Become familiar with
the controls and know how to operate your mower properly
Learn how to quickly stop mower.
,, Do not allow children to use your mower, Never allow adults
to use mower without proper instructions..
,, Keep the area of operation clear of atl persons, especially
small children and pets.
• Use mower only as the manufacturer intended and as de-
scribed in this manual..
• Do not operate mower if it has been dropped or damaged in
any manner,. Always have damage repaired before using
your mower_
. Do not use accessory attachments thatare not recommended
by the manufacturer, Use of such attachments may be
hazardous_
• The blade turnswhenthe engine is running.
PREPARATION:
• Always thoroughly check the area to be mowed and clear it of
all stones, sticks, wires, bones, and other foreign objects.
These objects will be thrown by the blade and can cause
severe injury..
• Always wear safety glasses or eye shields when starting and
while using your mower.
- Dress properly_ Do not operate mower when barefoot or
wearing open sandals. Wear only solid shoes with good
traction when mowing.
• Check fuel tank before starting engine. Do not fill gas tank
indoors, when the engine is running orwhen the engine is hot.
Allow the engine to cool for several minutes before filling the
gas tank,. Clean off any spilled gasoline before starting the
engine.
• Always make wheel height adjustments before starting your
mower. Never attempt to do thiswhile the engine is running
° Mow only in daylight or good artificial light
OPERATION:
= Keep youreyes and mind on your mower and the area being
cut° Do not let other interests distract you.
• Do not mow wet or slippery grass Never run while operating
your mower. Always be sure of your footing - keep a firm hold
on the handles and walk.
• Do not put hands or feet near or' under rotating pads. Keep
clear of the discharge opening at all times.
,, Always stop the engine whenever you leave or are not using
your mower, or before crossing driveways, walks, roads, and
any gravel-covered areas.
° Never direct discharge of matedal toward bystanders nor
allow anyone near the mower while you are operating it
° Before cleaning, inspecting,or repairing your mower, stop the
engine and make absolutely sure the blade and all moving
parts have stopped. Then disconnect the spark ptugwire and
keep it away from the spark plug to prevent accidental
starting.,
e
• Do notcontinue to run your mower if you hit a foreign object°
Follow the procedure outiined above, then repair any dam-
age before restarting and operating you mower
,, Do not change the governor settings or overspeed the
engine. Engine damage or persona_ injury may result.
. Do not operate your mower if it vibrates abnormatfy Exces-
sive vibration is an indication of damage; stop the engine,
safely check for the cause of vibration and repair as required.
Do not run the engine indoors.. Exhaust fumes are danger-
ous,
Never cut grass by pulling the mower towards you. Mow
across the face of slopes, never up and down or you might
Ioseyourfooling. Do not mow excessively steep sEopes Use
caution when operating the mower on uneven terrain orwhen
changing directions - maintain good footing
,' Never operate your mower without proper guards, plates,
grass catcher or other safety devices in place,
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE:
• Check the blade and the engine mounting bolts.often to be
sure they are tightened properly,
- Check all bolts, nuts and screws at frequent intervals for
proper tightness to be sure mower is in safe working condi-
tion.
,, Keep alt safety devices in place and working_
,, To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of grass, leaves
or excessive grease and oil
o Check grass catcher often for deterioration and wear and
replace worn bags Use only replacement bags that are
recommended by and comply with specifications of the
manufacturer of your mower.
• Always keep a sharp blade on your mower,.
,* Allow engine to coo{ before storing in any enclosure
• Never store mower with fuel in the tank inside a building
where fumes may reach an open flame or an ignition source
such as a hot water heater, space heater, clothes dryer, etc.
I _ Look for this symbol to point out im- !
portant safety precautions. It means J
CAUTIONI!! BECOME ALERT!!! YOUR i
,.vo o ........................ ,j
CAUTION: Always disconnect spark
plug wire and place wire where it can,,
not contact spark plug in order to pre-
vent accidental starting when setting
up, transporting, adjusting or making
repa=rs.
& WARNING &
The engine exhaust from this product con-
tains chemicals known to the State of Califor-
nia to cause cancer, birth defects, or other
reproductive harm.
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