Operator's Manual

•Operatethemachineonlyingoodvisibilitytoavoid
holesorhiddenhazards.
•Avoidmowingonwetgrass.Reducedtraction
couldcausethemachinetoslide.
•Keepyourhandsandfeetawayfromthecutting
units.
•Lookbehindanddownbeforebackinguptobe
sureofaclearpath.
•Usecarewhenapproachingblindcorners,shrubs,
trees,orotherobjectsthatmayobscureyour
vision.
•Stopthecuttingunitswheneveryouarenot
mowing.
•Slowdownandusecautionwhenmakingturns
andcrossingroadsandsidewalkswiththe
machine.Alwaysyieldtheright-of-way.
•Operatetheengineonlyinwell-ventilatedareas.
Exhaustgasescontaincarbonmonoxide,which
islethalifinhaled.
•Donotleavearunningmachineunattended.
•Beforeyouleavetheoperator’sposition,dothe
following:
–Parkthemachineonalevelsurface.
–Disengagethecuttingunit(s)andlowerthe
attachments.
–Engagetheparkingbrake.
–Shutofftheengineandremovethekey(if
equipped).
–Waitforallmovementtostop.
•Operatethemachineonlyingoodvisibilityand
appropriateweatherconditions.Donotoperate
themachinewhenthereistheriskoflightning.
RolloverProtectionSystem
(ROPS)Safety
•DonotremovetheROPSfromthemachine.
•Ensurethattheseatbeltisattachedandthatyou
canreleaseitquicklyinanemergency.
•Checkcarefullyforoverheadobstructionsanddo
notcontactthem.
•KeeptheROPSinsafeoperatingconditionby
thoroughlyinspectingitperiodicallyfordamage
andkeepingallthemountingfastenerstight.
•ReplaceadamagedROPS.Donotrepairoralter
it.
MachineswithaFoldableRollBar
•Alwaysusetheseatbeltwiththerollbarinthe
raisedposition.
•TheROPSisanintegralsafetydevice.Keepa
foldingrollbarintheraisedandlockedposition,
andusetheseatbeltwhenoperatingthemachine
withtherollbarintheraisedposition.
•Lowerafoldingrollbartemporarilyonlywhen
necessary.Donotweartheseatbeltwhenthe
rollbarisfoldeddown.
•Beawarethatthereisnorolloverprotectionwhen
afoldedrollbarisinthedownposition.
•Checktheareathatyouwillbemowingandnever
folddownafoldingrollbarinareaswherethere
areslopes,drop-offs,orwater.
SlopeSafety
•Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedtolossofcontrol
androlloveraccidents,whichcanresultinsevere
injuryordeath.Theoperatorisresponsiblefor
safeslopeoperation.Operatingthemachineon
anysloperequiresextracaution.
•Evaluatethesiteconditionstodetermineifthe
slopeissafeformachineoperation,including
surveyingthesite.Alwaysusecommonsense
andgoodjudgmentwhenperformingthissurvey.
•Reviewtheslopeinstructionslistedbelowfor
operatingthemachineonslopesandreviewthe
conditionsinwhichyouwilloperatethemachine
todeterminewhetheryoucanoperateitinthe
conditionsonthatdayandatthatsite.Changes
intheterraincanresultinachangeinslope
operationforthemachine.
•Avoidstarting,stopping,orturningthemachineon
slopes.Avoidmakingsuddenchangesinspeedor
direction.Maketurnsslowlyandgradually.
•Donotoperateamachineunderanyconditions
wheretraction,steering,orstabilityisinquestion.
•Removeormarkobstructionssuchasditches,
holes,ruts,bumps,rocks,orotherhiddenhazards.
Tallgrasscanhideobstructions.Uneventerrain
couldoverturnthemachine.
•Beawarethatoperatingthemachineonwet
grass,acrossslopes,ordownhillmaycausethe
machinetolosetraction.Lossoftractiontothe
drivewheelsmayresultinslidingandalossof
brakingandsteering.
•Useextremecautionwhenoperatingthemachine
neardropoffs,ditches,embankments,water
hazardsorotherhazards.Themachinecould
suddenlyrolloverifawheelgoesovertheedge
ortheedgecavesin.Establishasafetyarea
betweenthemachineandanyhazard.
•Identifyhazardsatthebaseoftheslope.
Iftherearehazards,mowtheslopewitha
pedestrian-controlledmachine.
•Ifpossible,keepthecuttingunit(s)loweredtothe
groundwhileoperatingonslopes.Raisingthe
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