A Surgeon’s PSA for Lawn Mower Safety

August 24, 2017

10 comments

By: Junichi Tamai, MD

Lawn Mowing Safety Tips

While the number of lawn mower accidents that happen are relatively small, the severity of the injuries are often catastrophic. The good news is that the majority of them can be prevented with a few safety measures. Here are some tips to help keep your loved ones safe:

When Is My Child Old Enough To Mow The Lawn?

Push Mower: Age 12 or older
Riding Mower: Age 16 or older

Before teaching your child to mow the lawn, it is important to spend time reviewing the following safety tips.

Before Mowing The Lawn:

Pick up objects from lawn, such as stones and toys, to prevent injuries from flying objects
Kids under the age of 15 should never be in the yard when someone else is mowing
Neither children nor adults should ride as a passenger on a riding mower

While Mowing:

Wear hard-soled shoes (no sandals or sneakers), hearing and eye protection
Do not mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary, and look behind you when you do
Turn off mower and wait for blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel paths

Even though a lot of lawn mowers come with safety features, improper use could result in injuries. Be sure to read the safe procedures outlined in your operators manual.

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Topics:

Safety and Prevention

About the Author: Junichi Tamai, MD

Junichi Tamai, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon at Cincinnati Children’s. His clinical interests include Legg-Calve-Perthes, pediatric and adolescent hip disorders including hip dysplasia; pediatric foot disorders including clubfeet; and pediatric fractures and trauma.

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Comments

Jean Harrington May 28, 17:38
Great, timely PSA post!
Karla Johnson May 29, 15:32
Thank you Dr. Tamai. It always breaks my heart to see these little ones with such horrible injuries!!
Smith Eddison June 07, 03:43
Nice post on lawn mower safety.Thanks for sharing it...
Cindee weber April 21, 18:14
Thank you for sharing this information. Our grandson is almost 13, wants to help us. We walk with him when using our self propelled lawn mower. It has all the safety features, but I'm still cautious. Must stop pulling mower backwards. Don't want him to be doing that and fall. Thank you again. Cindee Volunteer at Liberty.
Samantha Eddington May 02, 13:02
While I appreciate the PSA, I would err on the side of caution with using words such as "careless" and "preventable". My daughter was backed over by a mower a little over a year ago. While I do realize this to be a horrible accident, using the word careless does not apply. Only people whom have not lived these tragedies use such words. "Preventable". Can all accidents be prevented? I never see this term used in regards to so many other accidents that happen. Yes, we can decrease the number of accidents with these PSA's for sure. But why not do some for seat belts, sharp knives, or other things that you KNOW how to do safely, but still have these accidents. I am a nurse. My husband is an excellent father. We are not "careless".
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Virginia Davis June 24, 16:32
Thanks for the information. A few years ago, I met a guy who had lost a finger as child because he hadn't been safe around a lawn mower. I agree that children and pets should not be nearby when someone is using outdoor power equipment. Your tip about clearing the area to be mowed is also really great as well. I've mowed over sticks without noticing and gotten scratches on my legs as a result.
Rex July 01, 12:19
A friend of mine was killed because there was no shut off when the person left the seat. He was on a hill and hit a yellow jacket nest. He jumped off and the mower rolled on top of him blade first. If there had been a shut off on the seat back then he would still be alive today. Make sure when you buy a new mower it has all the safety features. Never disable any of them!
John Brooks August 24, 21:29
Your PSA is appreciated. I have read similar PSA's spanning decades. Sadly they have not had much of an impact. So, for the last 4 years I have been posting stories about lawn mower and similar machinery accidents on Facebook. I run a page called "Lawn Mower Accident Support and Prevention." Additionally I help guide families who've experienced an "LMA" to a closed support group of 400 families who are recovering from one. Members in the group are from the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, South Africa, and Australia. They cover different generations and some have lost children in one of these accidents. The group is a tremendous resource of insight and hope for new LMA families. Having observed that awareness campaigns, medical studies, manufacturers literature and safety features have never been effective at slowing the accident trend, I invented a wireless safety device that automatically shuts off potentially dangerous equipment when an unobserved bystander, child, or pet gets too close. It can be affixed to virtually any power equipment aftermarket. I believe this is the future for having a true ability to teach children about the dangers around them without catastrophic injury risk. I hope to not read another PSA in a decade. It's about time this problem was solved for the sake of all children and families who have and will experience it.
Tom Robertson December 16, 09:02
Great article! I hear stories every week from our team as they are doing for our clients about the lack of attention some have for safety while mowing. When I hear them talk about kids 7/8 years old "playing" with the riding mowers by driving them around the yard I can just imagine how someone's world could be turned upside down. Sometimes being the cool parent isn't cool!