As we all know (and most of us have learned the "hard way"), safety is very important when you are using any sort of tool - - - whether it is a hand tool or a power tool. Gas powered edgers are no exception! Here are a few safety suggestions for you to consider using when you are operating your edger.
1. Wear safety goggles or glasses when using your edger. Help protect your eyes! A spinning edger blade will occasionally kick up a small rock, stick, or clod of dirt that somehow finds its way past the edger's debris deflector.
Mclane Mowers
2. Whenever you stop your edger, be sure and disengage your edger's cutter blade. Start doing this and very quickly it will become an automatic habit for you - - - (Stop the mower/Disengage the cutter blade). The reason for doing this is simply that a spinning metal cutter blade can cause serious harm to you, your child, your neighbor, your pet, etc if they should accidentally bump into it. If your present edger does not allow you to disengage its cutter blade, you need to get a different edger.
3. If you are going to leave your edger unattended, turn off the edger's engine. The sound of a running engine attracts kids! Enough said!
4. If you are going to put your hands anywhere near the cutter blade area, turn off your edger's engine. Fingers are no match against a metal blade! (I personally learned this the hard way when I cut off the very tip of one of my fingers while adjusting the grass bag on a rotary mower.)
5. Do not try to lubricate your edger with a grease gun or perform any other sort of maintenance on your edger unless you have turned off your edger.
6. Make sure all of your edger's safety shields (examples: the blade guard, the debris deflector, the belt/pulley guards) are undamaged and in place before you start to use your edger.
7. If you have been using your edger, the edger's muffler will be very hot. Wait until the muffler cools off before you try and touch it.
8. Slow down when using your edger on rough ground. Slowing down will increase the amount of control you have over the edger.
9. Periodically during the mowing season, check the nuts and screws on your edger to make sure they are tight, especially the nut that holds on the cutter blade and the nuts and bolts that hold on the blade guard and belt/pulley guards.
10. Keep alert when using your edger. Watch out for cars, trucks, kids, pets, neighbors, etc. It is very easy when you are edging to become focused solely on doing a great job. Try and maintain a dual attentiveness - - - a focus on your edging but also an awareness of what's going around you too.
Have a safe mowing season!!!
Safety Suggestions When Using Your Gas Powered Edger