Rules For Safe Operation - Craftsman 917.255813 Owner's Manual

RULES FOR SAFE
1. Know the controls and how to stop quickly. READ THIS 23.
OPERATOR'S MANUAL and instructions furnished
with attachments,
2. Do not allow children to operate the machine. Do not
allow adults to operate it without proper instruction,
3, Do not carry passengers, Do not mow when children and
others are around, 24
4, Always wear substantial footwear Do not wear loose fitting 25,
clothing that could get caught in moving parts.
5, Keep your eyes and, mind on your tractor, mower and the
area being cut, Don't let other interests distract you. 26
6_ Do not attempt to operate your tractor or mower when
not in the drivers seat.
7., Always get on or off your tractor from the operators left
hand side.
8. Clear the work area of objects (wire, rocks, etc) which
might be picked up and thrown.
9, Disengage all attachment clutches before attempting to
start the engine.
10o Disengage power to attachments and stop the engine be- 27.
fore leaving the operator s position.
11. Disengage power to mower, stop the engine and disconnect
spark plug'wire(s) from spar,k plug(s) before cleaning, mak. 28°
ing an adjustment or repairs, 29.
12, Disengage power to attachments when transporting or not
in use.
13, Take all possible precautions when leaving the vehicle un- 30,
attended, Disengage the power-take-off, lower the attach-
merits, shift into neutral, set the parking brake, stop the
engine and remove the key_ 31,
14o Do not stop or start suddenly when going uphill or down.,
hill. Mow up and down the face of slopes (not greater than
15°); never across the face. Refer to page 47., 32°
15, Reduce speed on slopes and make turns gradually to pre-
vent tipping or loss of control Exercise extreme caution
when changing direction on slopes,
16. While going up or down slopes, place Gear Shift Control 33.
Lever in 1st gear position to negotiate the slope without
stopping°
17. Never mow in wet or slippery grass, when traction is un-
sure or at a speed which could cause a skid. 34°
18, Stay alert for holes in the terrain and other hidden hazards,
Keep away from drop-offs= 35°
19. Do not drive too close to creeks, ditches and public high-
ways.,
20, Exercise special care when mowing around fixed objects
in order to prevent the blades from striking them. Never
deliberately run tractor or mower into or over any foreign 36.
object.
21. Never shift gears until tractor comes to a stop. 37.
22° Never place hands or feet under the mower, in discharge
chute or near any moving parts while tractor or mower are
rurming, Always keep clear of discharge chute. 38.
OPERATgG
Use care when pulling loads or using heavy equipmenL
a. Use only approved drawbar hitch points.
b, Limit loads to those you can safely control,
c. Do not turn sharply. Use care when backing,
do Use counterweight or wheel weights when suggested in
the owner s manual.
Watch out for traffic when crossing or near roadways.
When using any attachments, never direct discharge of
material toward bystanders nor allow anyone near the ve-
hicle while in operation.,
Handle gasoline with care _ it is highly flammable
a, Use approved gasoline containers
b, Never remove the fuel cap of the fuel tank or add gas-
oline to a running or hot engine or an engine that has
not been aflowed to coo_ for severa_ minutes after run-
ning. Never fill the tank indoors, always clean up spilled
gasoline
c. Open doors if the engine is run in the garage - exhaust
fumes are dangerous, Do not run the engine indoors.
Keep the vehicle and attachments in good operating con-
dition, and keep safety devices in place and working,.
Keep all nuts, bolts and screws tight to be sure the equip,.
ment is in safe working condition,,
Never store the equipment with gasoline in the tank inside
a building where fumes may reach an open flame or spark,
Allow the engine to cool before storing in any enclosure.
To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of grass, leaves
or excessive grease. Do not clean product while engine is
running,
Except for adjustment; DO NOT operate Engine if air
cleaner or cover directly over carburetor air intake is re-.
moved. Removal of such part could create a fire hazard,,
Do not operate without a muffler or tamper with the
exhaust system. Damaged mufflers or spark arresters could
create a fire hazard, Inspect periodically and replace if
necessary.
The vehicle and attachments should be stopped and in-
spected for damage after striking a foreign object and the
damage should be repaired before restarting and operating
the equipment.
Do not change the engine governor settings or overspeed
the engine; severe damage or injury may result.
When using the vehicle with mower, proceed as follows:
a. Mow only in daylight or in good artificial light
b_ Shut the engine off when unclogging chute°
c. Check the blade mounting bolts for proper tightness at
frequent intervals.
Do not operate the mower without the deflector shield in
place,
Disengage power to mower before backing up, Do not mow
in reverse unless absolutely necessary and then only after
careful observation of the entire area behind the mower.
Under normal usage the grass catcher bag material is subject
to deterioration and wear. It should be checked frequently
for bag replacement° Replacement bags should be checked
to ensure compliance with the original manufacturerts
recommendations or specifications
LOOK FOR THIS SYMBOL TO POINT OUT IMPORTANT SAF ETY
PRECAUTIONS. IT MEANS - ATTENTION! BECOME ALERT!
YOUR SAFETY IS INVOLVED,
WARNING
This unit is equipped with an internal combustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved forest-covered, brush
covered or grass-covered land unless the enginefs exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state
laws (if any), If a spark arrester is used, it should be maintained in effective working order by the operator.
tn the State of California the above is required by law (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code)Ott_er states may
have similar laws, Federal laws apply on federal lands, See your Authorized Service Center for spark arrester screen part number
10009 ! M.,
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