SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/356087
12 SportsTurf | August 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com Facility & Operations | By Suzanne E. Henry S ports turf managers, coaches and athletic support organizations use outdoor power equip- ment regularly. You might use lawn mowers on your fields, a string trimmer to keep vegetation in check, a chain saw to clear downed trees, a genera- tor to power on-site electrical needs by the field, or a utility type vehicle (UTV) to haul debris and trash. But did you know that the gas you put in your car or truck may no longer be safe for use in your outdoor power equipment or small engines? If you said no, you are not alone. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans say they assume that any gas sold at the gas station is safe for all of their cars, as well as boats, mowers, chain saws, snowmobiles, generators and other engine products, according to a survey by Harris Interactive with the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) in 2013. As higher ethanol blended fuels become more common in the marketplace, it is increasingly important for consumers to know what types of fuel can be used in outdoor power equipment. New fuel blends containing greater than ten percent ethanol—such as E15, E30 and E85—are becoming available at gas stations throughout the country and may be lower in price than other blends. Fuel containing greater than 10 percent ethanol can be harmful and cause damage to small engines. In fact, it's illegal to use more than 10 percent ethanol gasoline blends in outdoor power equipment. To help educate consumers on proper fueling, OPEI, an international trade association representing 100 small engine, utility vehicle and outdoor power equipment manufacturers and suppliers, created the "Look Before You Pump" campaign to mitigate the risk of consumers inadvertently misfueling equipment investments. Known by its emblematic prominent, red warning hand symbol indicating "OK" for 10 percent ethanol and "No" for mid-level ethanol blends (such as E15, E30, E85), the campaign is spreading nationwide and now appears in major retailer outlets and among independent equipment dealers. Fueling your outdoor power equipment properly and main- taining it well can ensure your equipment is reliable and lasts longer. It's also important to use outdoor power equipment safely, so you and the people around you are not hurt. Here are some tips to help. Drain gasoline from the tank and replace it before starting equipment that has been sitting for a while. Gasoline that is untreated and left sitting in a fuel tank for more than 30 days can deteriorate and destabilize. This can cause problems when you want to start or run your equipment. Before starting any equip- ment that has been sitting for a while, be sure to drain the old fuel from the tank. You may want to use a fuel stabilizer. Turn off the fuel valve. After you are finished with using your equipment, switch the fuel valve off until it's time to use the equipment again. Avoid using greater-than-10 percent ethanol gasoline blends in any outdoor power equipment or small engine. Never use greater-than-10 percent ethanol gasoline blends, which are now commonly available at gas stations throughout the coun- try and may be lower in price than other blends. It is illegal to use PrOTecT yOur OuTdOOr POwer equiPmenT wiTh PrOPer Fueling & SaFeTy Editor's note: This article was written by Suzanne E. Henry, President, Four Leaf Public Relations LLC, which works with the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. Fuel containing greater than 10 per- cent ethanol can be harmful and cause damage to small engines. In fact, it's illegal to use more than 10 percent ethanol gasoline blends in outdoor power equipment.