General Safety Rules; Work Area Safety; Lawn Mower Safety Warnings - Ryobi RLM4617ME Original Instructions Manual

Thank you for buying a Ryobi lawn mower.
Your new lawn mower has been engineered and
manufactured to Ryobi's high standard for dependability,
ease of operation, and operator safety. Properly cared for,
it will give you years of rugged, trouble-free performance.
WARNING
Do not attempt to operate the product until you have
read thoroughly and understood completely all
instructions, and safety rules contained in this manual.
Failure to comply may result in accidents involving fi re
or serious personal injury. Save this operator's manual
and review frequently for continuing safe operation and
for instructing others who may use this product.

GENERAL SAFETY RULES

■ The product is capable of amputating hands and feet,
and may cause object to be thrown. Failure to observe
all safety instructions could result in serious injury or
death.
■ Never allow children or people with reduced physical,
sensory, and mental capabilities or unfamiliar with the
instructions to use the product. Local regulations may
restrict the age of the operator. Children should be
adequately supervised to ensure they don't play with
the product.
■ Ensure before each use that all controls and safety
devices function correctly. Do not use the product if
the "off" switch does not stop the engine.
■ Stay alert, watch what you are doing, and use common
sense when operating the product. Do not operate the
product while tired or under the influence of drugs,
alcohol, or medication. A lapse in concentration while
operating the product may result in serious personal
injury.
■ Wear heavy long trousers, long sleeves, slip-resistant
footwear, and gloves. Do not wear loose fitting
clothing, short trousers, sandals, or go barefoot.
■ Wear ear protection and safety glasses at all times
while operating the product. Use face mask if operation
is dusty.
■ Use of hearing protection reduces the ability to hear
warnings (shouts or alarms). The operator must pay
extra attention to what is going on in the working area.
■ Operating similar products nearby increases both
the risk of hearing injury and the potential for other
persons to enter your working area.
■ Always be sure of your footing, especially on slopes.
Keep firm footing and balance. Do not overreach.
Overreaching can result in loss of balance.
■ Walk, never run.
■ Mow across the face of slopes, never up and down.
Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on
slopes.
■ Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches, excessively steep
slopes, or embankments. Poor footing could cause a
slip and fall accident.
■ Plan your mowing pattern to avoid discharge of
materials toward roads, public pavements, and
bystanders. Also, avoid discharging materials against
a wall or obstruction, which may cause the material to
ricochet back toward the operator.

WORK AREA SAFETY

■ Keep all bystanders, children, and pets at least 15 m
away from the work area. If anyone enters this area,
stop the product.
■ Do not operate in poor lighting. The operator requires
a clear view of the work area to identify potential
hazards.
■ Do not operate the product in explosive atmospheres,
such as in the presence of flammable liquids, gases or
dust. The product creates sparks which may ignite the
dust or fumes.
■ Objects struck by the lawn mower blade can cause
severe injuries to persons. Thoroughly inspect the
area where the product is to be used and remove
all rocks, sticks, metal, wire, bones, toys, and other
foreign objects.
■ Do not operate the product in wet grass or in the rain.
■ Keep in mind that the operator is responsible for
accidents or hazards occurring to other people or their
property.
■ Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to
the presence of children. Children are often attracted
to the product and the mowing activity. Never assume
that children will remain where you last saw them.
■ Keep children out of the mowing area and under the
watchful care of a responsible adult other than the
operator.
■ Use extra care when approaching blind corners,
shrubs, trees, or other objects that may block your
view.
■ Keep the work area clean. Cluttered or dark areas
invite accidents.

LAWN MOWER SAFETY WARNINGS

■ Before using, always inspect the product to ensure
that blades, blade bolts, and cutter assembly are not
worn or damaged.
■ Replace worn or damaged blades and bolts in sets to
preserve balance.
■ Check all nuts, bolts, and screws at frequent intervals
for proper tightness to be sure the equipment is in safe
working condition.
■ Check the grass catcher frequently for wear , holes or
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