How Not to Lose Your Hand, Fingers or Toes: The Top 9 Most Common Mistakes People Make When Mowing the Lawn
by www.SixWise.com

The heart of summer is here. Are you taking your lawn mowing for granted?

Each year, lawn mowers injure nearly 75,000 Americans, including 10,000 children. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a very significant number of these injuries result in partial or complete amputations of hands, feet, fingers and toes.

A major part of the problem is that, like driving, mowing the lawn is such a common activity that most people don't think twice about mower safety.

The good news is you can virtually eliminate the risks by following these nine simple steps below (the opposite actions of these steps happen to be nine of the most common mistakes that cost people their body parts):

• Before you mow, clear the yard of rocks, sticks, glass, toys and any other objects the mower might fling.

• Fill the gas tank before mowing. NEVER pour fuel into a hot mower.

Dress for Safe Mowing Success Do wear heavy-duty shoes with non-slip soles instead Don't mow in sandals or bare feet Do wear long pants to protect your legs Don't mow in short Do wear form-fitting clothing Don't wear loose-clothing that could get caught in machinery Do wear eye and hearing protection when mowing

• Clear all people and animals out of the area before mowing. Objects being flung by the mower and hitting others can result in severe injuries, and are far too common.

• Don't mow wet lawn, as it can clog the chute of your mower and also greatly increases your chances of slipping.

• If the chute clogs, shut off the mower and wait for the blades to stop turning before proceeding to clean.

• Never use your fingers to remove grass or debris from the lawn mower blades or the chute. Use a long stick or other tool instead.

• Never leave a running mower unattended.

• Never let children use lawnmower equipment. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that children not operate a lawn mower until they are 16 years old.

• If you have slopes or hills and a riding mower, always mow up and down the slope to greatly reduce the chances of tipping over.

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