With warmer weather urging people to put away snow throwers and bring out lawnmowers, string trimmers and other lawn and garden equipment, OPEI wants to remind consumers that equipment care, maintenance and safety is a year round activity. To operate machines safely, it’s important that equipment operators understand safety procedures and set expectations with others who use this equipment or are nearby. To help jog the memory of everyone, OPEI has a few key tips for safe operation of mowers, chain saws, trimmers and edgers, generators and other outdoor power equipment for lawn and landscape management.
Safety and Maintenance Tips:
• Alert nearby people of work to be done. Confirm the locations of pets and children, and ask that they be kept out of the area and supervised.
• Read the operator’s manual to understand the controls of your equipment. Know how to stop the machine quickly. Do not remove or disable guards or safety devices.
• Regularly inspect your equipment. Check for loose belts and missing or damaged parts. Drain and responsibly dispose of old oil and put in fresh oil before starting equipment that has been in long-time storage. Install clean air filters so your engine and equipment will run optimally.
• Have your mower’s cutting blades sharpened so it will operate more efficiently, cutting your lawn cleaner and making it healthier.
• Know your terrain. When operating on slopes, select the appropriate machine. Keep away from drop-offs and other hazards (like water). Uneven terrain could overturn the machine.
• Clear the area being managed. Remove debris, wires, branches, nails, rocks or metal that may become projectiles if thrown by mower blades and other equipment.
• Observe safe fueling procedures. Fill your gasoline tank only when the engine is cool. If you need to refuel before completing a job, turn off the machine and allow the engine to cool. Never light a match or smoke around gasoline.
• Do not use gas with more than 10% ethanol (E10) in your mower. Some stations may offer 15% ethanol (E15) gas or other fuel blends, but this higher ethanol fuel is dangerous—and is in fact illegal—to use in your mower or in any small engine equipment.
• When putting away last season’s equipment, clean it and be sure to drain and responsibly dispose of fuel. Don’t leave fuel sitting in the tank for more than 30 days. Untreated gasoline (without a fuel stabilizer) left in the system will deteriorate, which may cause starting or running problems and, in some cases, damage to the fuel system.