THE ACCIDENT: A maintenance crewmem-
ber is mowing a lawn, but after a couple of rows,
the grass bag fi lls up. He releases the drive-
clutch lever and fl ywheel brake lever to stop
the engine. With his left hand, he removes the
bag and places his right hand into the discharge
opening to remove clumps of grass that have
built up. As he does that, the mower blades are
still turning, and they strike his hand. He sus-
tains lacerations to his index and ring fi nger, and
his middle fi nger is amputated to the fi rst joint.
His coworker sees the accident and drives him to
a nearby medical facility where he is treated for
his injuries.
THE BOTTOM LINE: The crewmember
should have blocked the metal rotary blades
on the mower after disengaging the engine to
prevent inadvertent movement of the blades. If
a mower becomes clogged, the operator should
turn off the engine and disconnect the spark
plug wire before trying to clear debris from the
discharge chute. Here are additional mower
safety tips to prevent similar accidents.
s Don't put hands or feet under running mowers.
s Inspect the mower before beginning work
each day. Check for loose or damaged belts,
accumulated grass or grease, bent blades and
fl uid leaks.
s Ensure the operator-presence control is work-
ing properly. It should shut off automatically
when the handle is released on a walk-behind
or if you leave the seat on a ride-on mower.
s Don't mow with hands and/or feet off of the
equipment.
s Never use a mower without all of the shields
and guards in place.
s Inspect the area, and remove any debris before
mowing.
s Don't dismount from a running machine.
s If using a walk-behind, always push the
mower – never pull – to keep it from running
over your feet.
For more Safety Watch articles, visit
totallandscapecare.com/safetywatch.
A P R I L 2 014 To t a l L a n d s c a p e C a r e . c o m 21
Avoid
Moving Parts
BY LAUREN HEARTSILL DOWDLE
Unclogging mower clippings
results in fi nger amputation
ILLUSTRATION BY DON LOMAX
