Each year, approximately 75,000 people are injured seriously enough by lawnmowers to require emergency room medical treatment. Only a small percentage of the injuries are caused by mechanical failure. Most are the result of human error. 

Become familiar with your mower. Read the owner’s manual before the first time the mower is needed. Note all safety and operating instructions. Learn the controls well enough to act instantly in an emergency and to stop the machine quickly.

Proper clothing is essential to protect your body from harm. Always wear non-slip shoes instead of tennis shoes or sandals. Steel-toe safety footwear offers the most protection against the blade. Long pants help protect your legs from objects that may be thrown from under the mower. Hearing protection is also needed to prevent hearing loss caused by exposure to the high noise levels.

Children and power equipment do not mix. Kids are quick and a mower left running and unattended can be fascinating to a child. Never leave a mower running unattended for any length of time. If the mower has an electric start, the key should never be left in the switch.

Always start the mower outdoors. Never operate the mower where carbon monoxide can collect, such as in a closed garage, storage shed or basement.

Once you have the machine gassed up and ready to go, police the area to be sure it is free of tree limbs, rocks, wires and other debris.

The main source of danger is the blade. In order to perform its task efficiently, the blade must be sharp and travel at a high speed. It can cause serious injury if a hand or foot is allowed to get under the mower while the engine is running. Never attempt to unclog or work on a lawnmower while the engine is running.

Any time it is necessary to reach under the mower, disconnect the sparkplug wire to insure that the engine cannot start for any reason. It does take a little extra time, but not as long as it does to recover from a serious injury.