Operator's Manual

SlopeSafety
•Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedtolossofcontrol
androlloveraccidents,whichcanresultinsevere
injuryordeath.Youareresponsibleforsafeslope
operation.Operatingthemachineonanyslope
requiresextracaution.
•Evaluatethesiteconditionstodetermineifthe
slopeissafeformachineoperation,including
surveyingthesite.Alwaysusecommonsense
andgoodjudgmentwhenperformingthissurvey.
•Reviewtheslopeinstructionslistedbelowfor
operatingthemachineonslopesandtodetermine
whetheryoucanoperatethemachineinthe
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
neardrop-offs,ditches,embankments,water
hazards,orotherhazards.Themachinecould
suddenlyrolloverifawheelgoesovertheedge
ortheedgecavesin.Establishasafetyarea
betweenthemachineandanyhazard.
•Identifyhazardsatthebaseoftheslope.
Iftherearehazards,mowtheslopewitha
pedestrian-controlledmachine.
•Ifpossible,keepthecuttingunit(s)loweredtothe
groundwhileoperatingonslopes.Raisingthe
cuttingunit(s)whileoperatingonslopescancause
themachinetobecomeunstable.
•Useextremecautionwithgrass-collectionsystems
orotherattachments.Thesecanchangethe
stabilityofthemachineandcausealossofcontrol.
OperatingtheParking
Brake
Alwaysengagetheparkingbrakewhenyoustopthe
machineorleaveitunattended.
EngagingtheParkingBrake
WARNING
Theparkingbrakemaynotholdthemachine
parkedonaslopeandcouldcausepersonal
injuryorpropertydamage.
Donotparkthemachineonslopesunlessthe
wheelsarechockedorblocked.
g027914
Figure21
ReleasingtheParkingBrake
g027915
Figure22
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