Stay safe while clearing snow this winter by following this guide to snow blower safety.
This snow season, trade in that old shovel for the convenience and efficiency of a snow blower. Whichever 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 snow blowers. The Toro Co. wants you and your family to be safe during the upcoming snow season and offers the following snow blower safety reminders:
Read and understand your operator’s manual before operating the snow blower.
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 snow blower, 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.
Inspect the area where the snow blower 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 authorized service dealer.
Leave all safety features intact. If a shield, safety device, or decal is damaged, illegible, or lost, repair or replace it.
