Every year lawn mowers cause injury to users. Electric mowers are potentially dangerous merely because they use electricity, but petrol and ordinary push models can also cause injury. However, you can easily reduce the chance of accidents and injury when mowing the lawn by taking a few simple precautions.
General Safety Guidelines
Research has shown that the main danger from lawn mowers is, unsurprisingly, to your feet. Whether you are using a petrol, electric or a simple push model, it is vital to wear suitable footwear. Sandals and flimsy trainers do not protect your feet sufficiently and you should wear sturdy boots, preferably with steel toe-caps.
However, there are other dangers to lawn mower users – mainly from objects thrown up by the blades - but also from objects that jam the blades, causing the mower to veer out of control. So, before you start to cut the grass you should check the lawn for stones, sticks, children’s toys, dogs’ bones – anything that can cause damage to the mower blades or can become airborne. Because it is so easy to miss small objects hidden in the grass, it is good practice to wear protective goggles.
You should also avoid cutting the grass during poor weather conditions. You ought not to use an electric mower in the rain, for obvious reasons. Moreover, wet conditions can make the grass slippery and poor light may hide further hazards. Steep slopes pose their own dangers and you should always make sure that you mow across the slope so that you reduce the risk of falling and injuring yourself under the blades.
Electric Mowers
By far the most accidents and injuries are caused by electric mowers, mainly through carelessness – either by not checking the condition of the cable before use, or by cutting through it, giving the user a potentially fatal electric shock. When you decide to buy any Trueshopping mower, you can be assured that you are purchasing from a reputable retailer. However, you should follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to the letter. With an electric mower, like the
Draper rotary or
hover mower, make sure that you check the connections, plug and cable before each use. You should also make sure that the mower has a residual current device (RCD) fitted, or it is connected to the mains supply via an RCD, which will cut off the electricity instantly to protect you if the cable is cut or damaged. You can keep yourself safe with our Draper 25 metre 230v AC four socket
garden cable reel with RCD adaptor. Or you could opt for the
Trueshopping Electric Cordless Lawn Mower, which eliminates the hazards associated with trailing cables.
Many users attend hospital each year with injuries to their hands. If you suspect the mower blades are clogged or damaged, switch the machine off (disconnect an electric mower from the mains) and wait for the blades to stop rotating before you try to investigate.
Other Issues
Many children attend hospital each year as a result of injuries caused by lawn mowers, so you should make your own children, especially those under the age of 13, very much aware of their dangers. Ride-on mowers are particularly attractive to young children and have been the cause of horrific injuries. You should not allow children to ride on mowers as passengers. If you have to leave the mower unattended, switch off the engine and take the key with you.
If you have a petrol mower like our Draper Expert 3.5hp 460mm with a Briggs & Stratton engine, there are strict laws regarding the storage of the fuel, which must be kept in a container of an approved type, in a secure location outside the living area. You should make sure that you fill the machine outdoors, using a funnel to prevent spillages and keeping any sort of ignition source (including smoking materials) away from the mower and the fuel supply.
Remember that many potential problems can be avoided by making sure that you clean your mower after use, store it safely and keep it well maintained.
