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3SECTION 2 — IMPORTANT SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
27. Use only accessories and attachments
approved for this machine by the
machine manufacturer. Read,
understand and follow all instructions
provided with the approved accessory
or attachment.
28. Data indicates that operators, age 60
years and above, are involved in a large
percentage of riding mower-related
injuries. These operators should evaluate
their ability to operate the riding mower
safely enough to protect themselves and
others from serious injury.
29. If situations occur which are not covered
in this manual, use care and good
judgment. Contact your customer
service representative for assistance.
Slope Operation
Slopes are a major factor related to loss of
control and tip-over accidents which can result
in severe injury or death. All slopes require
extra caution. If you cannot back up the slope
or if you feel uneasy on it, do not mow it.
For your safety, use the slope gauge included
as part of this manual to measure slopes before
operating this machine on a sloped or hilly
area. If the slope is greater than 15 degrees as
shown on the slope gauge, do not operate this
machine on that area or serious injury could
result.
Do:
1. Mow up and down slopes, not across.
Exercise extreme caution when
changing direction on slopes.
2. Watch for holes, ruts, bumps, rocks, or
other hidden objects. Uneven terrain
could overturn the machine. Tall grass can
hide obstacles.
3. Use slow speed. Choose a low enough
speed setting so that you will not have
to stop or shift while on the slope. Tires
may lose traction on slopes even though
the brakes are functioning properly.
Always keep machine in gear when
going down slopes to take advantage of
engine braking action.
4. Follow the manufacturer’s
recommendations for wheel weights or
counterweights to improve stability.
5. Use extra care with grass catchers or
other attachments. These can change
the stability of the machine.
6. Keep all movement on the slopes slow
and gradual. Do not make sudden
changes in speed or direction. Rapid
engagement or braking could cause the
front of the machine to lift and rapidly
flip over backwards which could cause
serious injury.
7. Avoid starting or stopping on a slope. If
tires lose traction, disengage the blade(s)
and proceed slowly straight down the
slope.
Do Not:
1. Do not turn on slopes unless necessary;
then, turn slowly and gradually downhill,
if possible.
2. Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches
or embankments. The mower could
suddenly turn over if a wheel is over the
edge of a cliff, ditch, or if an edge caves
in.
3. Do not try to stabilize the machine by
putting your foot on the ground.
4. Do not use a grass catcher on steep
slopes.
5. Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced
traction could cause sliding.
6. Do not shift to neutral and coast
downhill. Over-speeding may cause the
operator to lose control of the machine
resulting in serious injury or death.
7. Do not tow heavy pull behind
attachments (e.g. loaded dump cart,
lawn roller, etc.) on slopes greater than
5 degrees. When going down hill, the
extra weight tends to push the tractor
and may cause you to loose control
(e.g. tractor may speed up, braking and
steering ability are reduced, attachment
may jack-knife and cause tractor to
overturn).
Children
1. Tragic accidents can occur if the
operator is not alert to the presence of
children. Children are often attracted to
the machine and the mowing activity.
They do not understand the dangers.
Never assume that children will remain
where you last saw them.
a. Keep children out of the mowing
area and in watchful care of a
responsible adult other than the
operator.
b. Be alert and turn machine off if a
child enters the area.
c. Before and while backing, look
behind and down for small
children.
d. Never carry children, even with
the blade(s) shut off. They may
fall off and be seriously injured
or interfere with safe machine
operation.
e. Use extreme care when
approaching blind corners,
doorways, shrubs, trees or other
objects that may block your
vision of a child who may run into
the path of the machine.
f. To avoid back-over accidents,
always disengage the cutting
blade(s) before shifting into
Reverse. If equipped, the
“Reverse Caution Mode” should
not be used when children or
others are around.
g. Keep children away from hot or
running engines. They can suffer
burns from a hot muffler.
h. Remove key when machine is
unattended to prevent
unauthorized operation.
2. Never allow children under 14 years of
age to operate this machine. Children 14
and over should read and understand
the instructions and safe operation
practices in this manual and on the
machine and should be trained and
supervised by an adult.
Towing
1. Tow only with a machine that has a hitch
designed for towing. Do not attach
towed equipment except at the hitch
point.
2. Follow the manufacturer’s
recommendation for weight limits for
towed equipment and towing on slopes.
3. Never allow children or others in or on
towed equipment.
4. On slopes, the weight of the towed
equipment may cause loss of traction
and loss of control.
5. Always use extra caution when towing
with a machine capable of making tight
turns (e.g. “zero-turn” ride-on mower).
Make wide turns to avoid jack-knifing.
6. Travel slowly and allow extra distance
to stop.
7. Do not shift to neutral and coast
downhill.
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