Polk Township Vol. Fire Dept.

Lawn and Garden Safety

With the warmer summer weather finally here, our outdoor chores turn to the lawn and garden. We haul out the riding mower, push mower, weedeater, tiller, trimmer and other power equipment. We check it over and give it a tune-up. Now it's time for a safety tune-up. It only takes one careless mishap to turn an everyday chore into a tragic preventable accident.

Let's Start Out Right

It's been a long time since you parked your power equipment for the winter season. Please take the time to review your owners manual. It will refresh your memory on all the controls and maintenance tips. Do a visual inspection. Make sure that all of the guards are in still in place. Tighten loose belts and covers. Check for loose wheels. Check power cords. Inspect gas line hoses. Replace any worn or broken parts. If you can't do the repair work yourself, take it to a qualified repair shop.

Remember the Basics

Remember the basic safety guidelines that are so easy to forget or disregard. It's only common sense.

Handle Gas And Oil With Care

Fill up your gas tank before you start when the engine is cool.
Don't spill when you fill.
Fill in a well ventilated area.
Use a funnel when filling engine oil.
Only use approved gasoline containers.
NEVER smoke around gasoline!

Proper dress: Dress appropriately. Wear long pants, and a long-sleeve shirt to avoid injury from thrown objects, rocks or sticks. Wear eye protection; safety glasses or goggles are inexpensive. Don't wear anything that could get caught in moving parts like jewelry or loose fitting clothes. Wear sturdy shoes, preferably with non-slip soles. Gloves can also protect your hands while cleaning or sharpening blades. Hearing protection can also be important.

Make clean sweep: Make a clean sweep of your work area. Pick up any rocks, sticks, trash, golf balls, or toys. Any small item can be thrown by a mower and cause injury or damage.

Watch out for kids and pets: Make sure kids and pets are out of the work area. Turn off the equipment if they enter the area. When backing up, look down and behind you. Remember kids are quick and curious. All to often we hear: "...but I just saw them a few seconds earlier...I don't know what happened...I should have been more careful..."

No children: Riding mowers are built for one passenger. Never allow children to ride as a passenger when you're mowing. Children should not operate a mower. They don't have the strength and maturity.

Turn it off: If you get the mower plugged, turn it off and then get off. Never leave a mower running unattended. Never work on any equipment while it is running.

Mow, don't race: Remember that a riding mower is designed for hard work, not speed. Even if the mower deck has been removed it's still not a racer. If you feel the need for speed get off the mower!

Tiller Safety

It all applies here too: Remember that all the safety tips mentioned above apply for tillers also: gas handling, proper dress and keeping children away are all very important .

Check for large objects: Remove any large stones, tree trunks or large roots from the area before you start. They can easily catch in the tines and cause the tiller to jump or upset.

Turn it off: If the tines get bound up with grass or weeds, turn the tiller off before you untangle it.

Lawn and garden work is enjoyable and good exercise.
But make it safe as well.

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John D. Einhorn