News Taffy

The smell of freshly cut grass is an intrinsic part of my earliest summer memories. As a teen, I hated raking the yard after my father cut it but now I find a certain satisfaction in mowing neat stripes across the lawn. For many, mowing the yard is like any other chore, just something that has to be done and therefore, something that is taken for granted.

But each year, around 200,000 individuals will suffer some sort of injury from a lawn mower, many of those serious such as severed toes or fingers. Many of those injured are children. With a little care and information, lawn mowing doesn’t have to be dangerous. Here are some tips for keeping everyone safe and your yard from becoming a jungle.

First, remember that a lawn mower is a powerful machine with a sharp, moving blade and that they get pretty hot during use. Read the manufacturer’s instructions when using a new mower for the first time. Keep young children and pets in the house when someone is mowing and NEVER take a child riding on a lawn mower. Most lawn mower accidents occur when the operator is distracted.

At the start of summer, or after the last use in fall, have your lawn mower serviced and the blades sharpened so that it is in good working order. When you are going to mow, wear sturdy shoes, not sandals or heaven forbid, go barefoot. Also wear sunglasses or other protective eyewear.

Before starting the mower, add gas if necessary, not after it has become hot from use or worse, while running. Go around the yard and pick up any toys, sticks, rocks or trash so they don’t become projectiles. Don’t try to mow in the dark.

Use the kind of mower that stops when you let go of the handle. A loose mower running across the lawn is only funny in the movies. Do not pull the lawn mower backwards or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary. Watch out for your feet and look behind yourself first.

If you have a riding lawn mower, mow up and down steep slopes, not sideways, to avoid rollovers. If you have push mower, mow across the slope so the mower doesn’t roll back onto you.

Turn the mower off and wait for the blades to come to a complete stop if you must take off a bag, check clogged blades or cross gravel. Many parts of a mower can become very hot while in use so be careful where you touch it. Do not put the mower away until it has cooled completely and you have cleaned off any debris and clippings with a broom. A hot mower stored in a shed or garage can start a fire as has happened here in Jonesboro.

Many parents are eager to palm off an unpleasant chore to their children but a child should be at least 12 before operating a push mower or 16 before using a riding lawn mower. Make sure he or she knows and follows these safety rules. With a little care, you can have a beautiful lawn and stay safe.