Forget sharks, alligators and bears, a greater danger is sitting in your garage right now, just waiting for your call.
Opening Day of the 2024 lawn mowing season is here, and if you listen closely, you can hear the sweet sound of mowers firing up and back into action for the season.
But with the return of the mowing season comes the return of very real danger. Lawnmower safety and alertness to danger is a must for all lawnmowers this season and always.
For as lawn and gardening resource Lawn Starter notes and Newsweek reports, lawnmowers actually cause more deaths than alligators and bear attacks. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System – an ER visit tracker for consumer products – determined more people visited America’s emergency rooms for lawnmower-related injuries than for those caused by wild animal encounters.
Given how often we use them, you even have a higher chance of dying in a lawnmower accident than you due being bitten and killed by a venomous spider.
When operated carelessly or recklessly, lawnmowers, the Dayton Daily News’ Eric Hoehn notes, lawn mowers can cause a variety of harm.
“The lawn mower is one of the most dangerous tools around the home.” Hoehn writes.
Indeed. ResearchGate reports each year, lawn mower accidents cause 80,000 injuries in the U.S., including 70 fatalities. Give up your childhood fears about being struck by lightning. More than twice as many people are killed by lawn mowers (90 each year) than lightning.
The injuries range from minor to serious: burns, deep cuts, loss of fingers and toes, and broken bones. Over 9,000 of the people injured are younger than 18.
Lawn mower accidents have sent over 3 million people to hospital emergency rooms over the last 10 years.The average cost of lawn mower injuries in the U.S. is $37,000 per patient.
“Lawn mower injuries are a serious issue that can have devastating consequences for children,” Gitnux.com’s Jannik Linder writes.
A Powerful and Potentially Dangerous Machine
Lawn mower safety begins with knowing what you’re cutting your lawn with. This is not a butter knife or harmless kids machine.
“The first rule of lawn mower safety is to respect that you are dealing with a powerful and potentially dangerous machine that may weigh as much as you do,” Today’s Homeowner’s Scott Westerlund notes. “Sharp blades, heavy weights, and moving parts are what give lawn mowers and other lawn maintenance tools their propensity to cause injury or damage.”
Rules of Safe Lawn Mowing
Here are the straight Safety Rules of Lawn Mowing that are must follows to ensure a safe mowing season for you and your family.
- Children younger than 12 should not operate push-style lawn mowers. It is recommended no one younger than 16 operate a riding mower.
- Never let a second person ride or jump on a mower while it’s running.
- Ensure your push mower stops the blade when the control handle is released. Riding mowers should stop when the rider leaves the seat.
- Always wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes. Do not mow in sandals or with bare feet.
- Wear long pants to protect your legs from projectiles.
- Before mowing, scan the lawn to remove toys, hoses, tools and large rocks — they could become projectiles.
Lawn Mower Safety Begins Before Engine Pull
However, lawn mower safety begins before we even power up our mower.
- Check Your Mower: Make sure your mower is ready for work. Check fuel/oil and battery levels.
- Remove Debris: Lawn mowing is a dirty job. Use a long-handled item to inspect your mower’s blade and remove any objects or debris that may be stuck to the mower.
- Don’t Alter Safety Shields: They are here for the most important reason: Your safety. Never alter safety shields or safety features on your mower. If you notice they are missing or broken, replace them before using your mower.
- Give Your Mower A Preseason Tune-Up: Mower work rust is a real thing. A professional tune-up gets your blades, spark plugs and other essential parts ready for the new season and sharply decreases the chances of something going wrong.
- Read Your Manual: We know it’s not as intriguing as the sports pages or the latest Instagram craze, but reading your mower’s operating manual is essential to know how to properly and safely interact and use all parts of your mower. It will make your mower last longer and possibly save you from an accident.
- Walk the Yard: Before you even pull your mower out, walk your yard and remove any rocks, sticks, sporting goods or toys that could transform into flying debris. Also, clear your lawn of all small children before going to work.
Put Mowing Numbers in Your Favor
Statista reports nearly 229 million Americans own some type of lawn or garden equipment. That means almost 229 million Americans are potentially at risk if they are unsure of how to operate that equipment safely.
Make this lawn mowing season a green, gorgeous, and most of all, safe one for you and your family.
