Safe Operation; General Operation; Slope Operation - Yard-Man 247.371060 Owner's Manual

SECTION 3: IMPORTANT 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 MANUAL BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE YOUR LAWN
MOWER. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY. WHEN
YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL, HEED ITS WARNING.
DANGER: Your lawn mower 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 lawn mower is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to
observe the following safety instructions could result in serious injury or death.
1, GENERAL OPERATION
• Read this owner's guide 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.
• Your rotary mower 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.
• Never allow children under 14 years old to operate a
power mower. Children 14 years old and over should
only operate mower under close parental supervision.
Only responsible individuals who are familiar with
these rules of safe operation should be allowed to
use your mower.
• Keep the area of operation clear of all persons,
particularly small children and pets. Stop engine
when they are in the vicinity of your mower to help
prevent blade contact or thrown object injury.
Although the area of operation should be completely
cleared of foreign objects, an object may have been
overlooked and could be accidentally thrown by the
mower in any direction and cause serious personal
injury to the operator or any others allowed in the
area.
• 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 picked
up and thrown by the mower in any direction and
cause serious personal injury to the operator or any
others allowed in the area, Plan your mowing pattern
to avo)d discharge of materiat toward roads,
sidewalks, bystanders and the like. To help avoid a
thrown objects in ury, keep children, bystanders and
helpers at least 75 feet from the mower wh e it is in
operation.
• Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles during
operation or while performing an adjustment or repair,
to protect eyes from foreign objects that may be
thrown from the machine in any direction.
• 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. Do not wear loose fitting clothes or
jewelry. They can be caught in moving pads. Never
operate a unit in bare feet, sandals, or sneakers.
• Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating pads.
Keep clear of discharge opening at all times as the
rotating blade can cause injury.
• Many =njuries occur when the mower is pulled over
the foot during a fall. Do not hang on to the mower if
you are falling; release the handle immediately.
• Never pull the mower toward you while you are
walking. If you must back the mower away from a wall
or obstruction first look down and behind, and then
follow these steps:
a. Step back from the 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.
• Do not operate the mower while under the influence
of alcohol or drugs.
• Disengage the self-propelled mechanism or ddve
clutch on units so equipped before starting the
engine.
• The 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
blade control handle must operate easily in both
directions and automatically return to the disengaged
position when released.
• Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be
sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious
personal injury. Keep a firm hold on the handle and
walk, never run. Mow only in daylight or in good
art_icial light.
• Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or
roads.
• If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally,
stop the engine and check immediately for the cause.
Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.
• Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to
a complete stop before removing the grass catcher or
unclogging the chute. The cutting blade continues to
rotate for a few seconds after the engine is shut off.
Never place any part of the body in the blade area
until you are sure the blade has stopped rotating.
• Never operate mower without proper guards, grass
catcher, plates or other safety protective devices in
place.
• Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a
burn. Do not touch.
• Only use accessories approved for this machine by
the manufacturer. Read, understand, and follow all
instructions provided with the approved accessory.
• If situations occur which are not covered in this
manual, use care and good judgment. Contact your
dealer for assistance.
• Do not adjust throttle control with the engine running.
2. SLOPE OPERATION
For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this
manual to measure slopes before operating this unit on a
sloped or hilly area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees
as shown on the slope gauge, do not operate this mower,
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