Bolens 116-312-000 - Manual (Page 3)

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WARNING
To reduce the potential for any injury, comply with the following safety instructions. Failure to comply
with the instructions may result in personal injury.
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES FOR WALK-BEHIND MOWERS
TRAINING
1. Read this owner’s manual carefully in its entirety
before attempting to assemble or operate this ma­
chine. Be completely familiar with the controls and
the proper use of this machine before operating it.
Keep this manual in a safe place for future and
regular reference and for ordering replacement
parts.
2. Your rotary mower is a precision piece of power
equipment, not a plaything. Therefore, exercise ex­
treme caution at all times.
3. Never allow children to operate a power mower.
Only persons well acquainted with these rules of
safe operation should be allowed to use your
mower.
4. No one should operate this unit while intoxicated or
while taking medication that impairs the senses or
reactions.
5. Keep the area of operation clear of all persons, par­
ticularly small children and pets. Stop engine when
they are in the vicinity of your mower. Although the
area of operation should be completely cleared of
foreign objects, an object may have been over­
looked and could be accidently thrown by the
mower in any direction and cause serious personal
^ injury to the operator or any others allowed in the
area.
PREPARATION
1. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equipment is
to be used. Remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones
and other foreign objects which could be picked up
and thrown by the mower in any direction and cause
serious personal injury to the operator or any others
allowed in the area.
2. Do not operate equipment when barefoot or wearing
open sandals. Always wear substantial footwear.
3. Do not wear loose fitting clothing that could get
caught on the mower.
4. Check the fuel before starting the engine. Gasoline
is an extremely flammable fuel. Do not fill the
gasoline tank indoors, while the engine is running,
or while the engine is still hot. Replace gasoline cap
securely and wipe off any spilled gasoline before
starting the engine as it may cause a fire or explo­
sion.
5. Disengage the self-propelled mechanism or drive
clutch on units so equipped before starting the
engine.
6. The blade control handle is a safety device. Never
attempt to bypass its operation. Doing so makes the
safety device inoperative and may result in personal
injury through contact with the rotating blade. The
blade control handle must operate easily in both
directions.
7. Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height ad-
justment while the engine is running.
8. Mow only in daylight or in good artificial light.
9. Never operate the equipment in wet grass. Always
be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause
serious personal injury. Keep a firm hold on the
handle and walk, never run.
10. Always wear safety glasses or eye shields during
operation or while performing an adjustment or
repair, to protect eyes from foreign objects that may
be thrown from the machine in any direction.
OPERATION
1. Do not change the engine governor settings or over­
speed the engine. Excessive engine speeds are
dangerous.
2. Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating
parts. Keep clear of the discharge opening at ail
times as the rotating blade can cause injury.
3. Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or
roads.
4. After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, re­
move the wire from the spark plug, and thoroughly
inspect the mower for any damage. Repair the dam­
age before restarting and operating the mower.
5. If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally,
stop the engine and check immediately for the
cause. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble.
6. Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes
to a complete stop before removing the grass
catcher or unclogging the chute. The cutting blade
continues to rotate for a few seconds after the
engine is shut off. Never place any part of the body
in the blade area until you are sure the blade has
stopped rotating.
7. Before cleaning, repairing or inspecting, make cer­
tain the blade and all moving parts have stopped.
Disconnect the spark plug wire, and keep the wire
away from the spark plug to prevent accidental
starting.
8. Do not run the engine indoors.
9. Mow across the face of slopes, never up-and-down.
Exercise extreme caution when changing direction
on slopes. Do not mow excessively steep slopes.
Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can
cause serious personal injury.
10. Always disconnect electric mowers (line operated)
before cleaning, repairing or adjusting.
11. Never operate mower without proper guards, plates
or other safety protective devices in place.
12. DO NOT OPERATE this mower with the chute door
open, unless the complete grass catcher is properly
mounted on the mower.
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE
1. Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at fre­
quent intervals for proper tightness.
2. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the
equipment is in safe working condition.
3. Never store the equipment with gasoline in the tank
inside of a building where fumes may reach an open
flame or spark. Allow the engine to cool before stor­
ing in any enclosure.
4. To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of grass,
leaves, or excessive grease.
5. Check the grass catcher bag frequently for wear or
deterioration. For safety protection, replace only
with new bag meeting original equipment specifica­
tions.