Safety Tips To Remember When Mowing The Lawn

Mowing the lawn is a chore anyone with a yard needs to do regularly. It isn’t always the easiest or most enjoyable task, but it’s crucial to keep your yard looking great year-round. While it’s relatively easy to operate most lawn mowers, these machines are potentially dangerous, which is why you must know how to stay safe when mowing the lawn.

Before you mow your lawn, inspect your yard and remove debris and objects to avoid running them over. Check the weather and ensure the grass isn’t wet. Wear protective footwear, pants, earplugs, and eyewear when mowing. Maintain your mower regularly, and wait for it to cool down before adding more fuel. Be extra careful when cutting grass on slopes, and never operate your mower near pets or young children.

Lawn mowers have sharp blades that move rapidly and are close to your body. This chore might seem easy and casual, but it requires attention to detail and safety. As you prepare for another long gardening and landscaping season, take the time to review the important lawn-mowing safety tips listed below.

Important Safety Tips To Remember When Mowing Your Lawn

1. Remove Objects And Debris From Your Lawn

Before you reach for your lawnmower, there are several tasks to perform to ensure you stay safe. Take a walk in your yard and pick up any loose objects. Tree branches, toys, and trash can find their way into your lawn, and you might not see them when you’re mowing. If you run over any of them, your mower can spit them out rapidly, potentially injuring you or damaging your property. You can also seriously damage your machine and dull the lawn mower blade when mowing over anything that isn’t grass.

2. Never Mow Backward

One of the cardinal safety rules when using a push mower is to never mow backward. Always push the mower forward whenever possible. When you reverse the mower, you are essentially shifting the momentum of this sharp and dangerous machine towards you, instead of away from you. By moving forward, you have far fewer safety concerns and are less likely to strain a muscle, or worse, slip and risk seriously injuring yourself under the mower.

3. Maintain And Inspect Your Equipment

Before you start your mower, inspect it for damage. Check for any leaks or loose wires. Ensure there are no clumps of grass or debris under the deck of the mower. Maintain your mower regularly. Keep the blades sharp and perform seasonal, detailed maintenance on the machine. A mower that is regularly maintained is far less likely to malfunction and will help improve the way your lawn looks.

4. Wear Protective Shoes And Pants

Since peak mowing season coincides with the heat of the summer months, it can be tempting to mow your lawn in shorts and flip-flops. Resist this temptation. When operating any sharp, potentially hazardous machinery, always wear protective clothing, including when mowing the lawn. Wear close-toed shoes with a good grip, and long pants, like jeans or work pants. Covering your body protects you from the elements and helps keep your skin safe in case a projectile flies out of the mower.

5. Never Mow Around Kids Or Pets

Whenever you plan to mow your lawn, keep pets or small children away. While older kids and adults understand how dangerous lawn mowers are, pets and young kids do not. It's best to keep them safe and indoors before you start up your mower.

6. Check The Weather Beforehand

Mowing your lawn isn’t a chore you can do in all kinds of weather. It’s dangerous to mow your lawn when it’s raining, after it’s rained, or if rain is likely. Water and lawn mowing don’t mix, which is why you should always check the forecast before you mow. Take a moment to walk around your yard to check that the ground isn’t overly saturated. You never want to mow when the grass is still wet or when there are puddles or mud.

7. Wear Sun Protection

For those with larger lawns, mowing can take more than an hour. It only takes a fraction of that time to experience sun damage on your skin. Whenever you mow, protect yourself from the sun. Apply SPF, wear full-coverage, breathable clothing, and consider a wide-brimmed hat. Protecting your skin can help prevent severe, unpleasant sunburn, especially when you mow on a sunny day.

8. Avoid Mowing On Hot Afternoons

Mowing your lawn earlier or later in the day is often much safer and more comfortable than doing so in the middle of the day. Avoid mowing when it’s oppressively hot and when the sun is particularly strong. This can lead to heat-related illness, dehydration, and fatigue. Instead, choose a time when it’s cooler, like in the late morning and early evening before the sun sets.

9. Be Mindful Of Potential Stinging And Biting Pests

It’s always important to know what creatures might be hiding in your yard. While many insects and animals are harmless, some can inflict physical pain. Some wasps live underground, and bees may have hives in low-hanging trees. Fire ants and other insects can bite and hurt you. Snakes, centipedes, and scorpions are also present in some regions and should be avoided. Knowing the potential living hazards in your yard can help you prepare and remain cautious as you mow.

10. Be Careful When Mowing On Slopes

Mowing slopes and hilly areas is more risky than doing so on flat terrain. Whenever you mow a hill or slope, do it from side to side, as this reduces the amount of incline. Use a push mower rather than a riding mower on slopes, as you can tip over in a riding mower. Ensure the grass is dry, and wear shoes with good traction.

11. Understand Safety Features On Your Mower

Most modern lawn mowers have added safety features, from kill switches to alerts. When you get a new mower, take the time to understand how the safety features work. Utilizing these features in an emergency significantly reduces your risk of injury.

12. Take Breaks When Mowing Large Areas

Mowing your lawn can be exhausting work, even if you’re in great physical condition. If you have a large lawn and use a push mower, remember to take breaks. Continously mowing for an hour or longer can cause fatigue, heat-related illness, and dehydration. Taking scheduled breaks helps keep your body strong and may even make the overall experience more enjoyable.

13. Let The Mower Cool Off Before Refueling

If the lawn mower runs out of gas while you’re using it, allow it time to cool. You never want to add combustible fuel when it's piping hot. If you run out of gas, put your mower in the shade, take a water break, relax, and then refuel the machine. 

14. Stay Focused And Avoid Potential Distractions

You might enjoy listening to music and your favorite podcasts while you do your chores, but it’s never a good idea to be distracted when you’re operating sharp and heavy machinery. Do your best to focus on the task at hand while mowing the lawn. Staying present while performing this task will help keep you safe and have you making fewer mistakes.

15. Protect Your Ears And Eyes

In addition to wearing the right footwear and pants, protect your eyes and ears while mowing. Lawn mowers are loud, and they can damage your ears over time. Earplugs to protect your ears. Wear sunglasses or work glasses of some kind when mowing, as debris can fly into your eyes if they aren’t protected.

Wrapping Up Safety Tips To Remember When Mowing The Lawn

Mowing your lawn is a chore you need to take seriously, just as you should any time you operate potentially dangerous machinery. Before you mow your lawn, pick up all debris and objects in your yard to avoid mowing over them, and ensure your lawn isn’t too wet to mow. Keep your animals and young children inside when you cut the grass, and wear clothes that protect your skin. Avoid mowing when it’s oppressively hot, and wear sun protection. Take breaks to avoid heat-related ilnesses, never mow backward, and be extra careful when mowing hills and slopes.

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• Prepare Your Lawn Mower For Spring (Lawn Mower Maintenance Checklist)