It is thought that around 20,000 children are hurt each year in accidents with lawnmowers at home in the US. These are with powered lawnmowers, (either an electric or a petrol lawnmower) so you need to take extra care in using these machines in your garden during the lawnmowing season – which is also the time of year when children will want to be playing outside.
Whilst most accidents with a petrol lawnmower seem to be associated with ride on mowers, they occur with petrol and electric walk behind models too. The following tips are intended to be helpful in preventing similar injuries from happening in your own family.
Ensure that your lawn is clear of any obstacles such as children’s toys, stones, twigs and any other debris before you start mowing. Both Cylinder Mowers and Rotary Mowers can throw these into the air like small missiles and cause serious injury, especially to eyes.
There are guidelines in place regarding the age at which children can operate a mower. These are that children under sixteen should not use a ride on mower or lawn tractor and that children under twelve years should not use any lawnmower under any circumstances. Children do enjoy helping in the garden and lawnmowers have a great fascination so although they may not like not being allowed to do the mowing, keeping them safe is far more important.
If you have a ride on mower, do not give in to your child if he or she wants to sit with you while you mow the lawn. The most serious injuries happen to small children who fall from ride on machines. The child could be run over completely and lose a hand or a limb or suffer other injuries that will scar them for life.
Make sure that children are well away from the area where you are mowing. If young children are in the garden when you are working, never assume that they are still where you last saw them. If you can, try to arrange for another adult to supervise them whilst you are mowing or ensure that they and your pets are safely indoors.
It is now possible to buy powered mowers which have a handle which stops the machine as soon as you let go of it. This is a great safety feature as the mower stops moving straight away. Never drive a lawnmower in reverse unless it is unavoidable. In these circumstances, look behind you, look all around you and then look again before moving the machine as it is very easy to overlook a small child who is standing close behind the mower.
Whether you have a petrol lawnmower or an electric one, having a powered mower saves so much time in our busy lives that most of us could not manage without one. However, they are so appealing to children and that is very dangerous, but I hope that the hints I have given here will help to ensure your child’s safety this summer.
Whatever you need to know about a petrol lawnmower, www.thepetrollawnmowerguide.com has the best advice on a ride on mower, cylinder mower or rotary mower so you can choose which one is best for you.
Tags: family, garden, gardening, Home, lawn mower, lawn mower safety, lawnmower, petrol lawnmower