On average, accidents involving lawnmowers cause 90 deaths per year.
The best way to avoid lawn mower accidents and injuries is to practice lawn mower safety. But how can you practice lawn mowing safety?
Lawn mower safety involves knowing and maintaining your lawn mower, taking precautions before cutting your lawn, and keeping an eye on children while you’re mowing. For more details on each of these, read these 5 tips on how to mow the lawn.
Lawn Mower Safety 101: Read the Manual
The first step in lawn mower safety is reading your manual. The manual contains all of the ins and outs of your machine, including information about how to operate it safely.
If, like many people, you’ve thrown away your manual before browsing, not to worry. All you need is the model number of the machine, and you can look for the manual online.
Regular Maintenance
Something you’ll quickly notice in most lawn mower manuals is the mention of maintenance. Like any tool with an engine and lots of moving parts, your lawn mower requires regular servicing to ensure it’s working efficiently and safely.
Before using your lawn mower for the first time this season, have it serviced. If you’re not comfortable doing that on your own, bring it to professionals.
Tidy the Lawn
The blades of the lawn mower are among its most dangerous parts. They spin at very high speeds, and if they catch something as you’re mowing, they can spit those objects out at equally as high speeds.
One of our best lawn mower safety tips, then, is to tidy the lawn before you start mowing. Pick up rocks, woodchips, sticks, and small toys to avoid them being picked up by the blades.
And if that sounds like simply too much work each time you’re mowing the lawn, consider hiring a professional to do all your mowing work for you. Heartland Lawn Care has a weekly mowing service that may be right for you.
Safe Clothing
Another of our most important lawn mowing safety rules has to do with what you’re wearing while you mow. Above all, you should never mow your lawn in bare feet or even sandals. Always wear proper footwear to protect your feet from the blades and any thrown objects.
We also recommend wearing long pants to protect your legs as well as hearing and eye protection. All of these protect you from flying debris. And, it should go without saying, but never put your hands or feet near the blades while the machine is in operation.
Watch for Children
If a lawn mower is dangerous for an adult to use, it’s even more dangerous for children. This is why, if you have small children in your household or neighborhood, you must take extra caution.
Never allow anybody under 12 years old to operate the lawn mower. In fact, it’s best to keep children inside while you’re mowing. And never leave the machine running while you’re not around to watch.
Home and Home Improvement
Practicing lawn mower safety reduces the potential risk posed by these machines. To safely operate a lawn mower, read the instructions and keep up with regular maintenance. You should also be wearing the right clothing while mowing, watching out for children, and cleaning the lawn before ever getting started.