MTD 030 thru 062 - Manual (Page 2)

IMPORTANT
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
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THIS SYMBOL POINTS OUT IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WHICH, IF NOT FOLLOWED, COULD ENDANGER THE PERSONAL
SAFETY AND/OR PROPERTY OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS. READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL BEFORE
ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE YOUR LAWN MOWER. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN PERSONAL
INJURY. WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL— ^ HEED ITS WARNING.
Your lawn mower was built o be operated according to the rules for safe operation in this manual As with
DANPFR' power equipmert, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious injury.
uHnucn. mower is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe the fol­
lowing safety instructions cojid result in serious injury or death.
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I. GENERAL OPERATION
1. Read this owner’s guide carefully in its entirety befo e attempt­
ing to assemble this machine. Read, understand, an h follow all
instructions on the machine and in the manual(s) be ore opera­
tion. Be completely familiar with the controls and the proper use
of this machine before operating it. Keep this manu i\ in a safe
place tor future and regular reference and for order! ig replace­
ment parts.
2. Your rotary mower is a precision piece of power equ pment, not
a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution a all times.
Your unit has been designed to perform one job: to now grass.
Do not use it for any other purpose.
3. Never allow children under 14 years old to opera e a power
mower. Children 14 years old and over should only operate
mower under close parental supervision. Only responsible indi­
viduals who are familiar with these rules of safe operation
should be allowed to use your mower.
4. Keep the area of operation clear of all persons, narticularly
small children and pets. Stop engine when they are i i the vicin­
ity of your mower to help prevent blade contact or thrown
object injury. Although the area of operation shou J be com­
pletely cleared of foreign objects, an object may have been
overlooked and could be accidentally thrown by thi mower in
any direction and cause serious personal injury to the operator
or any others allowed in the area.
5. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is ;o be used.
Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys and otier foreign
objects which could be picked up and thrown by th i mower in
any direction and cause serious personal injury to the operator
or any others allowed in the area. Plan your mowin( pattern to
avoid discharge of material toward roads, sidewalk;, bystand­
ers and the like. To help avoid a thrown objects iijury, keep
children, animals, bystanders and helpers at least 7
j feet from
the mower while it is in operation.
6. Always wear safety glasses with side shields or safi ty goggles
during operation or while performing an adjustment n repair, to
protect eyes from foreign objects that may be throv n from the
machine in any direction.
7. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fiUing slacks
and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms ard legs and
steel-toed shoes are recommended. Do not wear I )ose fitting
clothes or jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts. Never
operate a unit in bare feet, sandals, or sneakers.
8. Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating parts Keep clear
of discharge opening at all times as the rotating blad' i can cause
injury.
9. Many injuries occur as a result of the mower being aulled over
the foot during a fall. Do not hang on to the mowe' if you are
falling; release the handle immediately.
10. Never pull the mower toward you while you are wal dng. If you
must back the mower away from a wall or obstructic n first look
down and behind, and then follow these steps:
a. Step back from the mower to fully extend your arms.
b. Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.
c. Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way toward
you.
d. Repeat these steps as needed.
II. Do not operate the mower while under the influenci of alcohol
or drugs.
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Disengage the self-propelled mechanism or drive clutch on
units so equipped before starting the engine.
The blade control handle is a safety device. Never attempt to
bypass its operation. Doing so makes the safety device inopera­
tive and may result in personal injury through contact with the
rotating blade. The blade control handle must operate easily in
both directions and automatically return to the disengaged posi­
tion when released.
Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be sure of your
footing. A slip and fall can cause serious personal injury. Keep a
firm hold on the handle and walk, never run. Mow only in day­
light or in good artificial light.
Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or roads.
If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop the
engine and check immediately for the cause. Vibration is gener­
ally a warning of trouble.
Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to a complete
stop before removing the grass catcher or unclogging the
chute. The cutting blade continues to rotate for a few seconds
after the engine is shut off. Never place any part of the body in
the blade area until you are sure the blade has stopped rotating.
Never operate mower without proper guards, grass catcher,
plates or other safety protective devices in place.
Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do not
touch.
Only use accessories approved for this machine by the manu­
facturer. Read, understand, and follow all instructions provided
with the approved accessory.
If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, use
care and good judgment. Contact your dealer for assistance.
II. SLOPE OPERATION
, For your safety, use the slope gauge included as part of this manual
to measure slopes before operating this unit on a sloped or hilly
area. If the slope is greater than 15°. as shown on the slope gauge,
do not operate this unit on that area or serious injury could result.
DO:
• Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down. Exercise
extreme caution when changing direction on slopes.
• Watch for holes, ruts, hidden objects, or bumps. Tall grass can
hide obstacles.
• Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause serious
personal injury.
DO NOT:
• Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments. The opera­
tor could loose footing or balance.
• Do not mow slopes greater than 15° as shown on the slope
gauge.
• Do not mow on wet grass. Reduced footing could cause slipping.
III. CHILDREN
' Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence
of children. Children are often attracted to the mower and the mow­
ing activity. Never assume that children will remain where you last
saw them.
1. Keep children out of the mowing area and under the watchful
care of a responsible adult other than the operator.
2. Be alert and turn mower off it a child enters the area.