MTD 070 Thru 088 - Manual (Page 2)

IMPORTANT
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES
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THIS SYMBOL POINTS OUT IMPORTANT SAFETY NSTRUCTIONS 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— ^ HE ED ITS WARNING.
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Your lawn mower was I uilt to be operated according to the rules tor safe operation in this manual. As
DANGER: with any type of power i quipment, carelessness or error on the part of the operator can result in serious
injury. This iawn mower is capable of amputating hands and feet and throwing objects. Failure to observe
the following safety insti actions could result in serious injury or death.
Al. GENERAL OPERATION
Read this owner’s guide carefully in its entirety bef rre attempt­
ing to assemble this machine. Read, understand, aid follow all
instructions on the machine and in the manual(s) b ifore opera­
tion. Be completely familiar with the controls anc the proper
use of this machine before operating it. Keep this manual in a
safe place for future and regular reference and or ordering
replacement parts.
2. Your rotary mower is a precision piece of power equipment,
not a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme c; ution at all
times. Your unit has been designed to perform one job: to
mow grass. Do not use it for any other purpose.
3. Never allow children under 14 years old to operite a power
mower. Children 14 years old and over should i niy operate
mower under close parental supervision. Only respinsible indi­
viduals who are familiar with these rules of sale operation
should be allowed to use your mower.
4. Keep the area of operation clear of all persons, particularly
small children and pets. Stop engine when ther are in the
vicinity of your mower to help prevent blade conta it or thrown
object injury. Although the area of operation sho ild be com­
pletely cleared of foreign objects, an object ma' have been
overlooked and could be accidentally thrown by t le 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 equipmmt is to be
used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, to; s and other
foreign objects which could be picked up and th own by the
mower in any direction and cause serious persoial injury to
the operator or any others allowed in the area. Pla i your mow­
ing pattern to avoid discharge of material toward roads, side­
walks, bystanders and the like. To help avoid a thiown objects
injury, keep children, bystanders and helpers at east 75 feet
from the mower while it is in operation.
Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles duri ig operation
or while performing an adjustment or repair, to irotect eyes
from foreign objects that may be thrown from thi machine in
any direction.
Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close- itting slacks
and shirts. Shirts and pants that cover the arms; nd legs and
steel-toed shoes are recommended. Do not wear loose 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 rotati ig blade can
cause injury.
9. Many injuries occur as a result of the mower bein i pulled over
the foot during a tall. Do not hang on to the mower if you are
falling; release the handle immediately.
10. Never pull the mower toward you while you are w ilking. If you
must back the mower away from a wall or obs ruction first
look down and behind, and then follow these steps:
a. Step back from the mower to fully extend your; rms.
b. Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing
c. Pull the mower back slowly, no more than hat way toward
you.
d. Repeat these steps as needed.
11. Do not operate the mower while under the influen :e of alcohol
or drugs.
12. Disengage the self-propelled mechanism or dri ^e clutch on
units so equipped before starting the engine.
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The blade control handle is a safety device. Never attempt to
bypass its operation. Doing so makes the safety device inoper­
ative 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
position 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
daylight 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 gen­
erally a warning of trouble.
Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to a com­
plete 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 rotat­
ing.
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.
Jl. 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 pres­
ence of children. Children are often attracted to the mower and the
mowing 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 if a child enters the area.
3. Before and while moving backwards, look behind and down for
small children.
4. Never allow children under age 14 to operate the mower.