Not many people know about the dangers that may possibly occur when mowing the lawn. The majority of people believe that mowing a lawn is a relatively easy and safe task. As will be explained, there are many potential injuries and damages that can happen to you and your surroundings when mowing the lawn, including trips, falls, lawn damages etc. Below are 4 key steps you should take in order to reduce the impact of these hazards.
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By this, we mean that all you need to do is follow basic principles regarding safe clothing when mowing the lawn. For example, wearing close-fitting clothing will reduce the chance of injury by entanglement.
There are many other safety tips that you should follow, including wearing long trousers to protect your legs from any flying debris that may get kicked about after coming into direct contact with the lawnmower, such as sticks and other sharp objects. Although, it should be noted that you should try and avoid this particular hazard beforehand by walking about on your lawn and clearing any debris off it before mowing. When picking up the debris, we also suggest wearing good quality protective gloves, to avoid any contact with sharp objects and reduce the damage to your hands. We have a range of different gloves available on our website from different brands, including Oregon and Stihl.
We would also recommend that you wear ‘non-slip boots’ as this will protect your feet and also reduce the likelihood of slip and fall injuries. Furthermore, a face shield or safety glasses will protect your face and/or eyes from flying debris and avoiding potential eye injuries.
Also, using ear defenders will protect and reduce your exposure to the loud noise that is emitted and therefore minimize any hearing damage.
Inspect Equipment Before and After Use
Make sure that you always inspect your lawnmower before and after you have used it. Again, it’s essential that you wear protective clothing while doing this to avoid personal injury. Furthermore, make sure the lawnmower is turned off and isn’t hot before inspection.
One thing that you should check is the belts and to see whether they have become loose, worn or have any cracks. If they are left in a similar state as has been previously stated, then you are running the risk of the lawnmower overheating and this will likely result in significant damage to the mower and/or yourself. It is also important that you make sure the blades are tightly secured and in their correct position before mowing.
You should also inspect the fluids inside your lawnmower to make sure the recommended level of liquid is inside. Also, we would advise checking for any spillages; otherwise they will become an instant fire hazard. Furthermore, if the levels are below the recommended amount could lead to significant engine damage or in the worst case scenario, a complete engine breakdown.
Practicing Safety when Refuelling
Another critical part of the process that requires high levels of safety precautions is refuelling. Before starting the process, it is paramount that the engine is turned off on your mower and that it has had the relevant time to cool down beforehand.
When pouring fuel into the tank, don’t do this at a high temperature at this will pose a significant fire hazard and could even cause the engine explosion. Likewise, to prevent static from sparking and igniting when refuelling, make sure to touch the fuel nozzle to the lawnmower before removing the fuel cap. This will help offset any static charge.
Make sure you store the petrol in an approved fuel container and make sure it is stored out of direct sunlight in a well ventilated area. Also, use a funnel when, while maintaining the same amount of contact between the funnel and the fuel tank in order to prevent the generation of static electricity or spillages. However, if any spillages occur, then wipe them away immediately before starting the engine.
Safe Driving/Walking
Finally, it is important to make sure you are not being reckless in terms of controlling the lawnmower, whether that is in terms of driving or walking alongside it.
Only ever mow up and down faces of slopes to prevent rollover. Never mow across the face of a slope as it will lean the lawnmower over to one side. Furthermore, be careful not to make any sudden or sharp turns with your mower as it could take off too quickly and get beyond your control. Likewise, a slip and fall while mowing in an uphill or downhill direction could cause the mower to rollover and back onto you.