FAMILY

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S A F E
FAMILY
Lawn Mower Safety
Keeping your home hazard-free
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Lawn Mower Safety
S A F E

• First, read your owners manual.
• Buy a mower that has a "kill switch" built into
  the handle, so that when you release the handle,
  the engine stops and the mower stops moving.
• Dont tape or clamp the handle so that you can
  run with mower without holding it. To use a
  riding mower, kids ought to be at least 16 years
  old. For regular, walking mowers, kids should be
  at least 12 years old.
• Wear strong shoes or boots, not flip-flops or
  sneakers.
• Pick up rocks, sticks, pinecones, and toys before
  mowing, even if you are using a mower that
  collects the clippings automatically.

FAMILY
For more safety resources, visit
safetycenter.navy.mil
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Lawn Mower Safety
S A F E

• Wear goggles or safety glasses, and wear hearing
  protection. Once you get used to protecting your
  hearing, you'll be amazed at how annoyingly noisy
  a mower is when you aren't wearing anything.
• Start the mower in a safe area, away from
  children and other people. Don't mow when other
  people are nearby.
• Put gas in your edger and mower outside, and do
  it before you start. Avoid running out of gas so
  that you are faced with filling a mower with a
  hot engine. If you need to add gasoline to a
  mower youve been using, let it cool for at least
  20 minutes.

FAMILY
For more safety resources, visit
safetycenter.navy.mil
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Lawn Mower Safety
S A F E

• Turn off the mower and wait for the blade to stop
  spinning before you empty the grass catcher,
  unclog something from the blade or from under the
  mower, or push the mower across rocks or gravel.
• Riding mowers aren't meant to carry passengers.
• Before you start, make sure the cutting blade is
  sharp and not damaged.
• Make sure the grass is dry. Wet or damp grass
  clogs the blade and discharge chute.
• When cutting hills or slopes, cut across the
  slope and not up and down the slope.

FAMILY
For more safety resources, visit
safetycenter.navy.mil