Safe Operation Practices - Cub Cadet 182 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: When using electric lawnmowers, basic safety precautions should
always be followed to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and personal injury.
These basic precautions include the following:
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 mower and mowing
activity. 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 mower 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 mower.
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 a power
mower. 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.
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. Don't force lawn mower - it will do the job better and safer
at the rate for which it was designed.
4. 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.
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. Plan your mowing pattern to avoid
discharge of material toward roads, sidewalks, bystanders
and the like. Also, avoid discharging material against a wall
or obstruction which may cause discharged material to
ricochet back toward the operator.
6. 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 mower while it is
in operation. Stop machine if anyone enters area.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Do not put hands or feet near rotating parts or under cutting
deck. Contact with blade can amputate hands and feet.
10. A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade
contact or thrown object injuries.
11. Many injuries occur as a result of the mower being pulled
over the foot during a fall caused by slipping or tripping. Do
not hold on to the mower if you are falling; release the handle
immediately.
12. Never pull the mower back toward you while you are walking.
If you must back the mower away from a wall or obstruction
first look down and behind to avoid tripping and then follow
these steps:
a. Step back from mower to fully extend your arms.
b. Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.
c. Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way toward
you.
d. Repeat these steps as needed.
13. Do not operate the mower while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs.
14. Stay alert - Watch what you are doing. Use common sense.
Do not operate lawn mower when you are tired.
15. The motor/blade control handle is a safety device. Never
attempt to bypass its operation. Doing so makes the safety
device inoperative and may result in personal injury through
contact with the rotating blade. The motor/blade control
handle must operate easily in both directions and automati-
cally return to the disengaged position when released.
16. Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be sure of
your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal
injury. If you feel you are losing your footing, release the
motor/blade control handle immediately and the blade will
stop rotating within three seconds.
17. Mow only in daylight or good artificial light. Walk, never run.
18. Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or roads.
19. If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the
engine and check immediately for the cause. Vibration is
generally a warning of trouble.
20. Shut the motor off and wait until the blade comes to a
complete stop before removing the grass catcher or unclog-
ging the chute. The cutting blade continues to rotate for a few
seconds after the motor is shut off. Never place any part of
the body in the blade area until you are sure the blade has
stopped rotating.
4