Snow blower Safety
DO NOT
Do not operate a unit during or after the use of
medication, drugs or alcohol. Safe operation
requires your complete and unimpaired
attention at all times
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Each year, hundreds of people suffer
maiming or amputations of their
fingers or hands due to the improper
handling of snow blowers.
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Do snow blowers eliminate risk for
injury due to snow removal?
• Snow blowers were designed to replace or minimize shoveling and
to make snow removal easier. Snow blowers have various degrees
of effectiveness depending on their design and price.
• If you use a snow blower it is important to recognize that this
machine doesn't make snow removal either effortless or risk-free.
Nevertheless, while not as strenuous as manual shoveling (using a
snow blower remains physical labor that is done in the snow and
cold.
• Snowblowers can indeed make snow removal more efficient
particularly where there is a large area to clean. However, snow
blowers do not eliminate manual snow shoveling completely.
Sometimes a snowfall is too light and sweeping away snow with a
brush or shovel is sometimes easier and faster then firing up a
machine. Snow blowers also cannot remove the build-up of ice
under the snow.
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Injury Causes
• Snow clogging the exit chute of the machine
• Not noticing that the impeller blades are still
rotating even though the machine is off
• Operator attempts to clean the clogged exit
chute with hands
• Hands connect with the rotating blades,
resulting in severe injury
• Snowblowers are safe if used properly.
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Hazard Assessment Please
• Read and understand your operator’s manual before
operating the snowblower.
• ● For gasoline units, add fuel to the tank (outdoors) before
starting the machine. Do not add gasoline to a running or
hot engine, and never leave the machine running in an
enclosed area.
• ● If you have an electric snowblower, use an outdoor
power cord and an outlet with ground-fault-circuit
interruption protection. Know where your power cord is at
all times, and be sure to replace worn or damaged cords.
• ● Inspect the area where the snowblower will be used, and
remove any objects that might be picked up and thrown by
the snowblower.
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Operate snow blowers safely
Snow blowers range from self-propelled to units mounted on tractors.
• Inexperience causes accidents. Review the operator's manual before use. The
manual can help you understand how the machine works and how to operate it
safely.
• Coming in contact with the turning blades inside the discharge chute is the
most common cause of snow blower injuries.
• Accidents occur most often when the discharge chute clogs with wet, heavy
snow. You can't see the whirling blades down in the chute because snow
covers the blades. If you use your hand or a stick to remove the clog, the blades
could strike the stick or your hand. In either case, injury can occur.
• Stop the engine before cleaning foreign objects or snow from the equipment.
Do not insert your hand to clear it while the engine is running; turn it off and
then clear it using a broom handle, stick, etc. Never leave the snow blower
running unattended.
• Never put you hand in the discharge chute.
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Snow blower safety (cont.)
• Shut off equipment before making repairs or mechanical adjustments.
Always shut off the engine and remove the spark plug wire to prevent
injuries.
• Clear the area of any debris before you begin snow removal. some
machines can send snow flying 30 feet and small, solid objects, such as
stones or ice, up to 75 feet. Direct snow away from people.
• Do not exceed the snow blower's capacity
• Clear snow up and down the face of slopes, not across the face.
• Handle gasoline with care. Keep in mind these basic tips for handling
flammable materials:
– Use an approved fuel container for storage.
– Don't remove the fuel cap or add gasoline to a running or hot engine.
– Only fill the fuel tank outdoors.
– Wipe up any spilled gasoline.
– Keep both the snow blower and fuel away from open flames and sparks.
• Clean off excess slush and lubricate the drive train prior to storage.
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Snow blower trouble spots
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Think running engine, moving parts
• Stay behind the handles. Keep your face, hands, feet and any other
parts of your body or clothing away from moving / rotating parts on
the machine. Before leaving the operating position, stop the engine
and wait for all moving parts to stop.
• If the unit becomes clogged, turn off the engine on a gas machine
or unplug the motor on an electric model. Wait for all moving parts
to stop and then use a snow cleanout tool – never use hands or feet
– to remove the clog. Never place your hands or feet near the
auger/impeller or in the discharge chute.
• Do not touch the engine while it is running or soon after it has
stopped because the engine may be hot enough to cause a burn.
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Yes
• DO
• Always allow unit and engine to adjust to outdoor temperatures before
clearing snow.
• Stay alert for any unexpected hazard.
• Always be aware of traffic and pedestrians when operating along streets,
curbs, or sidewalks.
• Always be sure of your footing, especially when operating in reverse or
leaving the operator's position. Walk, never run, during operation.
• Avoid uneven and rough terrain. Be extra cautious while operating near
drop-offs, ditches, or embankments. Units can suddenly turn over if a
wheel is over the edge of a cliff or ditch, or if an edge caves in.
• Use extreme caution on gravel surfaces. Adjust runners so a scraper blade
does not contact gravel.
• Keep all movement on slopes slow and gradual.
• Use a slow speed to avoid stops or shifts on slopes.
• Avoid starting or stopping on a slope.
• Slow down and turn corners slowly.
• Always look down and behind before and while backing.
• Disengage attachment drive when traveling from one work area to
another.
• Run the unit a few minutes after clearing snow to prevent freeze-up of
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attachment.
Nooooooooooo!
• DO NOT
• Do not operate unless proper guards, plates or other protective devices
are in place and working properly.
• Do not operate on steep slopes.
• Do not clear snow across the face of slopes.
• Do not make sudden changes in speed or direction.
• Do not park units on a slope unless absolutely necessary. When parking on
a slope always block the wheels.
• Do not overload the machine capacity by attempting to clear snow at too
fast a rate.
• Do not operate in reverse unless absolutely necessary. Always back up
slowly.
• Do not direct discharge toward persons.
• Do not leave a running unit unattended. Always shut off engine and
remove the key before leaving a unit.
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Safety is Never Ever an Option
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