Safety
Proper Safety Preparation Before Yard Work Begins Reduces Risk of Injury
By
May 6, 2008 - 8:53:55 AM

- The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute outlines important safety measures before turning on your mower or edger this summer -

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - ALEXANDRIA, Va., -- A recent Consumer Reports poll on lawn care shows that consumers are not taking all the proper precautions before mowing their lawn, according to The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI). In observance of June's National Safety Month, OPEI is issuing a list of top safety measures every consumer should make before turning on the lawnmower or edger or trimmer to avoid unintentional injury. OPEI has championed safe use of outdoor power equipment for more than 40 years and regularly provides numerous safety resources for consumers, governments and other interested parties.

According to an April Consumer Reports poll, 79 percent of respondents don't wear hearing protection with their mowers, 44 percent listen to music while mowing and 12 percent stated that they drink beer while mowing.

According to the OPEI, before you even turn on equipment, consumers should:

1. Know how to operate the equipment. Read the operator's manual before using any power equipment. Know where the controls are and what they do. Follow safety instructions.
2. Handle gas carefully. Fill up before you start and when the engine is
cold.
3. Dress properly for yard work, wearing substantial shoes, long pants
and close-fitting clothes.
4. Clear up the area before you mow. Always remove stones, sticks and
other objects from the area so that objects won't fly up and hit
anyone. The most common injuries are from debris flying up.
5. Wear eye protection to prevent injury from projectiles.
6. Wear hearing protection to prevent potentially damaging sounds from
reaching your ears without eliminating the sounds you'll NEED to hear.
7. Don't let music distract you from hearing potentially important calls
or seeing important hazards.
8. Clear the area of people and pets. Keep children preferably indoors
under adult supervision.
9. Always start up the mower outdoors.
10. Do not use alcohol, other controlled substances or medicines that
impair judgment when using outdoor power equipment.

For a wide range of consumer safety tips for outdoor power equipment, visit http://www.opei.org/consumer/index.asp

For more information on OPEI visit http://www.opei.org/.

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