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Snowblower Safety

Snow season is coming; stay safe with these reminders from Toro.

Courtesy Toro

| October 28, 2011

The INT 1632 Snowblower from Toro in action.
courtesy Toro Co.
courtesy Toro Co.

Bloomington, Minnesota — This snow season, trade in that old shovel for the convenience and efficiency of a Toro® snowblower. Whichever Toro model you choose, be sure to operate it safely. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates each year there are approximately 5,700 hospital emergency room-related injuries associated with snowblowers. The Toro Co. wants you and your family to be safe during the upcoming snow season and offers the following snowblower safety reminders:

● Read and understand your operator’s manual before operating the snowblower.

● For gasoline units, add fuel to the tank (outdoors) before starting the machine. Do not add gasoline to a running or hot engine, and never leave the machine running in an enclosed area.

● If you have an electric snowblower, use an outdoor power cord and an outlet with ground-fault-circuit interruption protection. Know where your power cord is at all times, and be sure to replace worn or damaged cords.

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● Inspect the area where the snowblower will be used, and remove any objects that might be picked up and thrown by the snowblower.

● Keep children and pets far away.

● Stay behind the handles. Keep your face, hands, feet and any other parts of your body or clothing away from moving / rotating parts on the machine. Before leaving the operating position, stop the engine and wait for all moving parts to stop.

● If the unit becomes clogged, turn off the engine on a gas machine or unplug the motor on an electric model. Wait for all moving parts to stop and then use a snow cleanout tool – never use hands or feet – to remove the clog. Never place your hands or feet near the auger/impeller or in the discharge chute.

● Do not touch the engine while it is running or soon after it has stopped because the engine may be hot enough to cause a burn.

● Before adjusting, cleaning, inspecting, troubleshooting, or repairing the machine, stop the engine, remove the key, and wait for all moving parts to stop. For gasoline units, disconnect the spark plug wire (if accessible) and keep it away from the spark plug to prevent someone from accidentally starting the engine.

● Perform only those maintenance instructions described in the operating manual. If major repairs are needed, contact your Toro authorized service dealer.

● Leave all safety features intact. If a shield, safety device, or decal is damaged, illegible, or lost, repair or replace it.

Look for Toro’s line of snowblowers at your local authorized Toro dealer and Amazon.com. Select models can be purchased at The Home Depot® stores. For more information, contact Toro toll free at 866-336-5205 or visit the Toro website. Need help deciding which snowblower is right for you? Click to check out Toro’s online snowblower selector.

The Toro Co. is a worldwide provider of turf and landscape maintenance equipment, and precision irrigation systems. With sales of nearly $1.7 billion in fiscal 2010, Toro’s global presence extends to more than 80 countries through its reputation of world-class service, innovation and turf expertise. Since 1914, the company has built a tradition of excellence around a number of strong brands to help customers care for golf courses, sports fields, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties, and agricultural fields. More information is available at the website.

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