Safe Operation Practices - MTD Series 520 Operator's Manual

2
Safe
Operation
Practices
WARNING
This symbol points
out important safety
instructions which, if
not followed, could
endanger the personal
safety and/or property
of yourself and others.
Read and follow all
instructions in this man-
ual before attempting to
operate this machine.
Failure to comply with
these instructions may
result in personal injury.
When you see this
symbol.
HEED ITS WARNING
Your
Responsibility
Restrict the use
of this power machine
to persons who read,
understand
and follow the warnings
and instructions
in this manual
and on the machine.
WARNING: Engine Exhaust, some of its constituents, and certain vehicle compo-
nents contain or emit chemicals known to State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
DANGER: This machine was built to be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this
manual. As with any type of power equipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can
result in serious injury. This 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.
Children
Tragic accidents can occur if operator is not alert to presence
of children. Children are often attracted to power equipment
such as lawn edgers. They do not understand the dangers.
Never assume that children will remain where you last saw
them.
1. Keep children out of the mowing area and under watchful
care of a responsible adult other than the operator.
2. Be alert and turn lawn edger off if a child enters the area.
3. Before and while moving backwards, look behind and down
for small children.
4. Use extreme care when approaching blind corners,
doorways, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure
your vision of a child who may run into the lawn edger.
5. Keep children away from hot or running engines. They can
suffer burns from a hot muffler.
6. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate an
edger. Children 14 years old and over should read and
understand operation instructions and safety rules in this
manual and should be trained and supervised by a parent.
Operation
Safe Handling Of Gasoline:
1. To avoid personal injury or property damage use
extreme care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely
flammable and the vapors are explosive. Serious personal
injury can occur when gasoline is spilled on yourself or
your clothes which can ignite.
2. Wash your skin and change clothes immediately.
3. Use only an approved gasoline container.
4. Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck or trailer
bed with a plastic liner. Always place containers on the
ground away from your vehicle before filling.
5. Remove gas-powered equipment from the truck or
trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is not possible,
then refuel such equipment on a trailer with a portable
container, rather than from a gasoline dispenser nozzle.
6. Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or
container opening at all times until fueling is complete. Do
not use a nozzle lock-open device.
7. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources
of ignition.
8. Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors
will accumulate in the area.
9. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while engine is hot or
running. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before
refueling.
10. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than ½ inch
below bottom of filler neck to provide for fuel expansion.
11. Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.
12. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and equipment. Move
unit to another area. Wait 5 minutes before starting engine.
13. Never store the machine or fuel container near an open
flame, spark or pilot light as on a water heater, space heater,
furnace, clothes dryer or other gas appliances.
14. To reduce fire hazard, keep lawn edger free of grass,
leaves, or other debris build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spillage
and remove any fuel soaked debris.
15. Allow a lawn edger to cool at least 5 minutes before storing.
General Operation:
1. Read this operator's manual carefully in its entirety before
attempting to assemble this machine. Read, understand,
and follow all instructions on the machine and in the
manual(s) before operation. Be completely familiar with
the controls and the proper use of this machine before
operating it. Keep this manual in a safe place for future and
regular reference and for ordering replacement parts.
2. This machine is a precision piece of power equipment, not a
plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all times.
Your unit has been designed to perform one job: to mow
grass. Do not use it for any other purpose.
3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operate this
machine. Children 14 years old and over should read and
understand the instructions in this manual and should
be trained and supervised by a parent. Only responsible
individuals who are familiar with these rules of safe opera-
tion should be allowed to use this machine.
4. To help avoid blade contact or a thrown object injury, stay in
operator zone behind handles and keep children, bystand-
ers, helpers and pets at least 75 feet from lawn edger while
it is in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters area.
5. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is to be
used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys and other
foreign objects which could be tripped over or picked up
and thrown by the blade. Thrown objects can cause serious
personal injury.
6. Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during opera-
tion and while performing an adjustment or repair to protect
your eyes. Thrown objects which ricochet can cause serious
injury to the eyes.
7. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting
slacks and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms and
legs and steel-toed shoes are recommended. Never operate
this machine in bare feet, sandals, slippery or light weight
(e.g. canvas) shoes.
8. Never attempt to make any adjustments while the engine
is running, except where specifically recommended in the
operator's manual.
4