AlanB
Elite Member
So thought I would share last weeks mower safety incident with you guys. It kind of exemplifies in my mind how several things can all go wrong and the coincidences can pile up rapidly to turn something minor into something major in a hurry.
My wife has a Lawncare, Landscaping business. 18 + years of doing it.
This parcel the tenant is supposed to pick up debris. Powerline folks had worked on the pole about 2 months back and dropped a big rats nest of aluminum wire at the base of the pole. Hanna had worked around it for a while hoping the Tenant would do their obligation and clean up, but finally go frustrated so while running back to the truck on the Lazer Z mower, with blades off, she picks up bundle of wire and put's it on the foot rest deck. (flat spot behind your feet) She is going along back to the truck and something vibrates, the wire bounces and goes towards the front at the same time a loop of the wire somehow coils over the blade engagement pull switch, wire pulls towards the front of the mower pulling out (turning on) blades then ripping blade switch off of mower (with blades engaged) then the other end of the wire snags now running blade and whips rats nest of aluminum wire out from behind SWMBO feet. An end lashed the back of her leg just above the boot and took some skin with it as well as a pretty deep bruise.
All in all she got extremely lucky as had her string of luck continued it could have hooked around her leg and really done serious damage before she could have gotten it to shut down.
As it was it is a $25 switch and some pain and discomfort for a bit as a reminder of how quick things can go astray.
Be safe.
My wife has a Lawncare, Landscaping business. 18 + years of doing it.
This parcel the tenant is supposed to pick up debris. Powerline folks had worked on the pole about 2 months back and dropped a big rats nest of aluminum wire at the base of the pole. Hanna had worked around it for a while hoping the Tenant would do their obligation and clean up, but finally go frustrated so while running back to the truck on the Lazer Z mower, with blades off, she picks up bundle of wire and put's it on the foot rest deck. (flat spot behind your feet) She is going along back to the truck and something vibrates, the wire bounces and goes towards the front at the same time a loop of the wire somehow coils over the blade engagement pull switch, wire pulls towards the front of the mower pulling out (turning on) blades then ripping blade switch off of mower (with blades engaged) then the other end of the wire snags now running blade and whips rats nest of aluminum wire out from behind SWMBO feet. An end lashed the back of her leg just above the boot and took some skin with it as well as a pretty deep bruise.
All in all she got extremely lucky as had her string of luck continued it could have hooked around her leg and really done serious damage before she could have gotten it to shut down.
As it was it is a $25 switch and some pain and discomfort for a bit as a reminder of how quick things can go astray.
Be safe.
