How Safe are you and your Lawn Mower?

Each summer it is very common to see emergency room visitors that were injured while operating a lawn mower. It has been reported that 20,000-30,000 lawn mower injuries occur each year. Most victims are the operators themselves, but often children and other innocent bystanders are hurt from rocks and other objects that flew from the mower's blades. Understanding the safety hazards related to mowing lawns is very beneficial in avoiding accidents.

Before you ever crank your lawn mower, you should read the owner's manual from front to back. Most people prefer to
just learn as they use the device, but it can save you much pain in the long run if you will just sit down and read the book.

Select mowers with many built-in safety features. Purchase brands that come with a kill feature that turns off the engine when a certain action is performed. For push mowers, this would be when the user lets go of the handle. Most riding mowers shut off when someone removes their backside from the seat.

Many lawn mower related accidents affect children. Kids should be taught the lawn mower is not a toy, and can be dangerous. Do not let a small child mow the lawn, even if it is for his/her allowance. Also, avoid allowing a child to ride with you while operating a sit on lawn mower.

Keep everyone, children and adults, a safe distance away from the mower when it is in use. If you are alone with your children, hire a babysitter before mowing. Some injuries occur when stones and other objects fly from the blades and hit someone. For this reason, it is also important to remove as many objects from the lawn as you can before beginning to mow.

Appropriate clothing and shoes should be worn while mowing a lawn. Wear cool cotton clothes to prevent heat exhaustion, especially during the hot and humid summertime. Also, closed toed shoes can help you avoid losing a toe. Never try to mow with sandals or bare feet, even if you are operating a sit on mower.

Lawn mowers can be very dangerous devices, but when used properly, the risk of injury is greatly decreased. In most cases, using common sense will keep you and anyone else from getting hurt.