LEAF BLOWER A Training Manual in the Proper Use of Leaf Blowers Echo, Inc.
Page 2 Table of contents Page Introduction 3 The origin of the leaf blower 4 Leaf blower use 4 How serious is the leaf blower problem 4 Leaf blower concerns 5 Leaf blower ordinances 6 Leaf blower improvements 7 Guidelines for proper leaf blower use 8 Guideline #1…Be considerate 9 Guideline #2…Observe noise ordinances 10 Guideline #3…Run at part throttle 10 Guideline #4…Use only one blower at a time 10 Guideline #5…Minimize dust 11 Guideline #6…Never deliberately blow dust 12 G
Page 3 Introduction: A great deal is being said about leaf blowers these days and much of it is negative. That is, a vocal few have done everything they can to control and in some cases ban the leaf blower. The stated reason is noise! Landscapers respond that they would not be able to remain in the lawn care business without a leaf blower, because it would take too long to do their final cleanup. Thus, profits would be severely impacted.
Page 4 The origin of the leaf blower: The leaf blower has been around for more than 35 years. The original blower was designed to spread fertilizers and pesticides over grain fields and fruit trees. A container was mounted above a centrifugal fan as the source for the chemicals that would be disbursed evenly over the area. Versions of this product are still in use today. Echo’s name for this device was and is the “Duster-Mister”.
Page 5 However, factual information was not available at the time to conclude one way or the other if leaf blowers are detrimental to the environment or hazardous to anyone’s health. Since then, there have been reputable studies that prove leaf blowers to be benign. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District commissioned Dennis Fitz of the University of California at Riverside to study the potential for leaf blowers to generate dust.
Page 6 Also, care should be given as to where debris is blown. It is imperative that the operator be courteous and conscientious. Complaining on the basis of noise alone has not resulted in the kind of support needed to result in blower ban legislation as anti-blower activists had hoped. They had to expand their argument from a mere noise complaint, which is only a harmless irritation, to a potential health hazard. The result is their focusing on engine exhaust emission and the generation of dust.
Page 7 If the ordinance is volume or sound magnitude limiting, sound meter readings turn out to be unreliable when taken by an untrained individual, which leads to disputes. Catching violators usually depends on receiving complaints and by the time the police arrive, the violator is nowhere to be found. And then there is priority.
Page 8 Blowers pictured below are 65dB(A): PB-200 PB-230LN PB-260L PB-460LN Echo offers many sound reduced blowers: MODEL PB-200 PB-210 PB-230L PB-260L PB-403 PB-410 dB(A) 65 65 65 65 71 72 MODEL PB-460LN PB-610 PB-620 PB-651 PB-751 dB(A) 65 72 72 74 74 Note: Not only has the sound level been reduced by more than half, but also the sound quality of leaf blowers has been improved. On many new designs, the high-pitched whine or siren effect has been virtually eliminated.
Page 9 Guideline #1. Always be considerate of bystanders and adjoining property. Debris should never be blown in the direction of people. No one wants to be pelted by particles of sand and debris. It can take one’s breath away. It is almost a certainty that there will be a complaint. People have been known to become hostile. Some see it as a type of assault and have even called the police.
Page 10 Guideline #2 Know and observe your local noise ordinances. Sometimes, there are local ordinances in place to limit blower use to certain hours of the day and days of the week. As an operator, you should be aware of these times and make sure you do not violate them. Even if there are no designated hours for blower use, common sense should prevail. Do not create a problem by using leaf blowers late in the day or very early before people are normally up and about.
Page 11 Guideline # 5 Minimize dust during normal cleanup operations. There is a logical, yet incorrect conclusion that leaf blowers generate vast amounts of dust. Of course, they can, but when used properly, they contribute very little to the particulate matter in the air. It is all in the way one holds the nozzle and the amount of air generated. To begin with, one should ensure that whatever dust is created should not be allowed to travel toward any nearby person or neighboring property.
Page 12 Guideline #6 Never deliberately use a leaf blower to move dusty materials. On occasion, the leaf blower is used to clean extremely dusty materials. A leaf blower, any blower, is not the proper machine for this job. It must be understood that there are occasions when the leaf blower is simply the wrong tool.
Page 13 Using a Quiet Echo Leaf Blower In a Thoughtful and Courteous Way Will Put an End to Leaf Blower Complaints Echo Incorporated 400 Oakwood Road Lake Zurich, IL 60047-1564 1-847-540-8400 No part of this publication may be reproduced for any reason (other than personal and private use) by any means without written permission from Echo Incorporated. ©2006 Echo, Inc. All rights reserved.
