General Safety Precautions - Bolens HT-20 Manual

G E N E R A L S A F E T Y P R E C A U T I O N S
A
Preventing accidents is the responsibility of
every equipment operator. The following
C A U T I O N general safety precautions m u s t be fully
understood and followed by every operator of this tractor
and its attachments. Review them frequently and N E V E R
T A K E C H A N C E S . BE C A R E F U L B E F O R E , D U R I N G
A N D R I G H T A F T E R U S E O F A N Y P O W E R E D
E Q U I P M E N T . A C C I D E N T S C A N B E P R E V E N T E D .
T Study your manual. K n o w your tractor before oper-
ating it. Take time to operate the unit in the safest
manner.
2. Study all attachment manuals thoroughly before using
attachments with tractor. By doing so you will be aware
of both the tractor and attachment capabilities when used
as a unit, and also the safest manner in which to operate
them.
3. Always follow manufacturer's operational suggestions.
4. Do not fill gasoline tank while engine is running or hot.
Add gas (using funnel) only outdoors and when engine is
cool. K E E P S M O K E R S A N D F L A M E S A W A Y F R O M
U N I T W H I L E F U E L I N G . This will help eliminate the
possibility of fire and/or explosion from spilled gasoline or
fumes.
5. Refuel tractor from the Left side, the side on which
the fuel tank is mounted. This is safer and more
convenient than reaching over engine with fuel can.
6. Store fuel in approved container out of reach of
children. Do not store fuel in the house. Gasoline is
highly flammable and the fumes highly explosive.
7. Never wear loose clothing when operating unit. Loose
clothing can get caught in moving parts and cause severe
injuries.
8. Mount vehicle, engage foot brake and put P.T.O. lever in
O F F position prior to starling engine. Starter will not
operate unless foot brake is engaged and P.T.O. lever is in
O F F position.
9. Do not mount or leave vehicle while it is in motion or
in actual operation, nor leave vehicle unattended while
engine is running. Injury to the operator or a tractor
run-away could occur.
10. Always shut off engine, remove key, and lock brake in
P A R K whenever vehicle is to be left unattended. Also,
lower all attachments to the ground and place P.T.O. lever
in O F F position to prevent injury to bystanders.
11. Never operate tractor with mower, snow caster, or
any other attachment having moving parts, when any
child or another person is in travel path or discharge area.
C h i l d r e n m u s t n o t h e a l l o w e d i n o r n e a r w o r / ? i n g areas
w h e n e q u i p m e n t is b e i n g u s e d . Items or objects such as
wire, stones, small toys and etc. can be ejected at high
velocity out of the discharge chute. Clear work area of all
objects which might be picked up and thrown.
12. Always look back to be certain no one
is in the way before using reverse. This will
avoid the possibility of running over any C A U T I O N
children, other persons or pets who might be in the area in
back of the vehicle.
13. Children shall not be allowed to operate vehicle at
any time. The average child is not capable of coping with
the intricacies of operating a power tool.
14. Do not allow adults to operate vehicle without
proper instructions including all safety instructions. In
doing so, you will be sure they know how to operate unit
properly and also are aware of all the safety precautions.
15. Attachments must be lowered to the ground when
storing tractor. This will prevent the attachment from
being dropped accidently and causing injury. Place P.T.O.
lever in O F F position.
16. Do not tow vehicle. Damage to the vehicle could
occur.
17. Use care when pulling heavy loads. Use only the
approved draw bar hitch. Limit loads to those which you
can safely handle.
18. Do not carry passengers. The passenger could fall off
the vehicle and be injured.
19. Keep tractor and attachments free of excess grease
and o i l . The unit will operate cooler, be easier to
maintain, and safer to operate.
20. Engine must be stopped, and P.T.O. disengaged when
cleaning, servicing, adjusting, repairing, or installing at-
tachments on tractor. This is necessary to avoid possible
injury from moving parts.
21. Always disconnect negative (-) battery cable from
battery before doing any work on the electrical system.
Reconnect it L A S T when work is done. This is to prevent
accidental burns and shorting of electrical system.
22. Before starting unit check to be sure a l l guards and
safety devices are in place and in working condition. This
will help assure you against possible injury.
23. Do not drive this unit on a public thoroughfare at
any time. The operator is risking injury from passing
vehicles. Most local ordinances prohibit operating a unit
such as this on a public thoroughfare.
24. Do not drive too close to a creek or ditch; also be
alert for holes and other hazards. If you would drive into
any of the above you could lose control of the unit.
25. Be careful on slopes, reduce speed and avoid sharp
turns to prevent tipping or loss of control. Do not stop
or start suddenly when going uphill or downhill.
26. Do not start or operate vehicle in an inside area,
unless it is adequately ventilated. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide fumes, which are very poisonous.
27. Do not operate attachments when transporting
vehicle.