Operation Safety Of Lawn Mower

Lawn Mower - Safety For Children

Lawn mowers really have the potential to do great harm to the body. Nearly 75,000 Americans are seriously injured in lawn mower accidents each year. About 10,000 of these injuries involve children. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that children not operate a lawn mower until they are 16 years old. Injuries are most serious during summer season. Children’s Hospital sees the devastating effects lawn mower injuries can have on children and their parents - reconstructive surgery, long hospital stays and permanent disfigurement and disability.


Children should never ride as a passenger on a lawn mower. It may seem like fun for kids to co-pilot the riding mower with mom and dad. However, as riding mowers are not designed for two persons, children on riding mowers have the potential to fall and be run over by the mower, resulting in serious injury or amputation of the extremities. In most accidents parents admit their ignorance of the dangers involving child on riding mower. Some are not even aware that having a child in the yard while they’re cutting the lawn was dangerous.

Lawn Mower - Safety For Adults

Adults operating lawn mowers are just as much at risk for injuries as their children. Adult should wear protective gear including pants, steel-toed boots, goggles and ear protection, excluding portable music players. Make sure all debris (rocks, sticks and toys) are removed from the yard before you begin mowing. Loose objects can project out of the lawn mower and cause serious injury. On slopes or steep hills, riding mowers have the potential to tip or roll over, which can result in serious injury.


With more than 22 percent of lawn mower injuries involving the hand, fingers or wrist, it is only safe to make sure that the engine is off and mower blade completely stopped rotating before attempting to remove debris from the mower or make adjustments to it.