Every year hundreds of thousands of injuries occur due to lawn mower accidents. A surprising percentage of these injuries occur to children. As you begin getting into your spring and summer lawn-care routine, keep these safety tips in mind:

• Send children and pets indoors before mowing the lawn.
• Pick up any objects, such as toys, bottles, sticks, rocks, etc. before mowing.
• Wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt while mowing to protect your skin from objects that get kicked up by the mower. Don’t wear loose clothing or jewelry.
• Wear eye protection and hearing protection while mowing.
• Do not allow anyone to ride on mowers!
• Fill gas tanks before operating. Never refill a hot engine. Store gasoline in appropriate, labeled containers and away from heat sources.
• Do not mow when the grass is wet.
• Push mowers across a slope. Operate a riding mower up and down slopes.
• Before performing maintenance on a mower, be sure to remove the spark plug.

This information is provided as a service to you by Compliance Consultants, Inc.