HedgeTrimmerSafety
ACLPToolandSafetyWorkshop
Fourmainareasofconcernregardingsafetywhenusinghedgetrimmers:
I.
Personalprotection
II.
Equipmentsafety
III.
StartupandOperation
IV.
TransportationandStorage
Overview:
Themostcommoncausesforanaccidentwhenusingpowerequipmentis
carelessnessornotfollowingrecommendedsafetypractices.
Dangerzone:Allotherhumansand/oranimalsshouldnotbewithinthedanger
zoneatanytimeanoperatorisworking.Withstandardhedgetrimmers,thedanger
zoneis15feet(4.5‐5meters)diameteraroundtheworkingarea.Forlongershaft
trimmers,thedangerzoneis50feet(15meters)diameteraroundtheworkingarea.
Theoperatorshouldalwaysbeingoodphysicalandmentalhealth.
 Donotoperateanyequipmentormachinerywhenundertheinfluenceof
alcohol,medicationoranysubstancesthatcanimpairvision,dexterity
and/orjudgment.
 Alwaysreadthesafetyandoperator’smanualsbeforeoperatinganypieceof
equipment.
 Alwaysshuttheengineoffwhendoneorwhenmovingfromoneareato
another.Donotcarryarunningtrimmeroveranydistances.Thetrimmer
shouldbeabletobestoppedimmediatelybyusingthestopswitch.Aunit
withamalfunctioningstopswitchmustnotbeusedagainuntilitisrepaired.
Labeltheunitasbrokenandhaveitrepaired.
I.Personalprotection
A.Clothesshouldbetrimfitting;donotwearlooseclothing.
1.Jacketsshouldbezippedorsnapped
2.Shirtsshouldbetuckedintopants.
3.Longpants
B.Sturdyshoeswithnon‐skidsoles
C.Sturdyworkgloveswillnotprovidecutthroughprotectionfrommoving
bladesbutwillhelptoimprovegrip,reducestressfromvibration,
andprovideprotectionfromcutsandscratches.
D.Wearprotectivecoveringsforlonghair.
E.AlwaysweareyeprotectionthatmeetscurrentANSI(AmericanNational
StandardsInstitute).Z87.1shouldbestampedorprintedsomewhere
ontheprotectiveeyewear.Prescriptionglassesmayandshouldbe
wornundersafetyglasses,notinplaceofsafetyglasses.
F.Flipdownsafetyshieldsmaybewornoverprotectiveeyewearbutnotin
placeofprotectiveeyewear.Flipdownfaceshieldsare
recommended:
1.Forover‐headoperations.
2.Extremelyclosequarters.
3.Wherebranchesmayswingbackandhityouintheface.
G.Disposabledustmasks.
H.OSHA(OccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration)requireshearing
protectionformorethantwohoursofoperation.Hearingdamagecan
bereducedbyuseofeitherheadset‐typeprotectorsorearplugs.
I.Reynaud’sSyndrome–injobsinvolvingvibration,operatorsmaysuffer
fromvibrationwhitefinger.Continuouslong‐termvibrationmay
causelossofbloodflowtothefingertips.
J.CarpalTunnelSyndrome–pressurebuildupinthewristmaypresson
nerves.Theninetendonsthatrunthroughthecarpaltunnelfrom
yourwristintoyourhandmaybecomeswollen.Swollen
tenosynoviumisaconditionthatoccurswhenyouuseyourhandsover
andoverinthesameway.Repetitivestressandstraincausesyour
tendonstoswell,puttingexcessivepressureonthemediannerve.
That’swhat’scausingthetinglingandnumbnessinyourthumb,index
andmiddlefingers.
K.ToavoidReynaud’sSyndromeandCarpalTunnelSyndrome,keepwrists
straightduringoperation.Takebreaksatleastevery45minutes.
Exerciseandstretchhandsandwrists.Reducespeedandforceof
equipment.Ifproblemoccurs,goseeadoctor.
II.EquipmentSafety.
A.Basichedgetrimmer/clippercomponents:
1.Rearhandlewithignitionswitch
2.Throttletriggerandlockout
3.Fronthandleandguard
4.Enginehousing
5.Chokelever
6.Purgepump
7.Mufflercover
8.Fuelcap 9.Sparkplugs
10.Blades
B.Neveroperatemachinerywithoutprotectiveguardsinplace.
C.Alwaysweargloves.
D.Usepropertoolswhenchangingblades.
E.Alwaysinspectbladesbeforeeachuse.
F.Makecertainfastenersareproperlytightened.
G.Donotattempttocutwithlooseorovertightenedblades.
H.Donotcutwithdamaged,dullblades.
I.Donotoperateaunitindisrepairorwithdamagedormissingparts.
J.Fuel:
1.Checkforfuelleaksbeforestartingtheunit.
2.Thefueltankcapshouldbetightenedsecurely.
3.Sparkarresterscreenshouldbeingoodcondition
4.Donotoperatewithalooseordefectivemuffler.
5.Whenaddingfuel,alwaysfollowoperator’smanual.Wipeupany
spilledfuelimmediately.
6.Addfuelonlyoutdoors,neverindoors.
7.Useonlyapprovedsafetycontainerforfuelsupply.
8.Neverusealternativeorunapprovedfuel.
a.Gasolinewithhighethanolcontentwillcausesevereengine
damage,poorperformanceandvoidyourenginewarranty.
9.Afteruse,loosenfuelcapslowly.Fuelinthetankmaybeunder
pressurebecausefuelvaporshaveexpanded.
10.Afterfillingtank,moveatleast10feetawayfromrefuelingsite
beforestartingengine.
11.Donotsmokeorbringsparksorflamenearthefuelsupplies.
12.Neverrefuelwhentheengineishot.
13.Neveraddfueltoarunningengine.
III.StartupandOperatingSafety
A. Inspecttheworkareaandsurroundings.Removeanywire,metalobjects,
powerlinesfencing,orfencepoststhatmaycreateahazard.Checkthe
groundsurfaceforobstaclesandtriphazards.
B. Checkandprepareforanyuneventerrain.
C. Neverstarttheengineindoorsorinanareawithpoorventilation.Engine
exhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,acolorless,poisonousgasthatcan
causeonetoloseconsciousnessandkilloneinminutesifbreathedin.
D. Operateunitoutdoorsonlyinplentyoffreshair.
E. Keepexhaustdirectedawayfromyouatalltimes.Avoidfumesand
preventburns.
F. Donotoperatenearwires,telephonecablesorotherhazards.
G. Startingprocedures:
1. Neverstartunitwhenholdingupabovetheground.Alwaysuse
goodsupport.
2. Layunitdownonclearsurface.
3. Setcontrolsforstarting.
4. Holdfirmly.
5. Makecertainbladesareclear.
6. Readandfollowoperator’smanual!
7. Warmupunitasinstructed.
8. Ifbladesmoveatidle,donotuseunit.
9. Ifthebladeangleneedstobechangedoradjusted,theunitmust
beturnedoffandlayingontheground.
10. Bladesshouldnotbedropped.
H.Operation:
1.Neveroperatetheunitwithonlyonehand.
2.Keepbothhandsonthehandles.
3.Turnunitoffbeforeremovingcutmaterial.
4.Neverhaveanotherpersonholdmaterialwhileoperatorcutsit.
5.Makecertainengineisoffbeforeclearingabladejam.
6.Nevergripbladesoredges.
7.Ifyouloseyourgrip,lettheunitdroptothegroundandstepaway.
8.Makecertainbladesstopbeforesettingunitdown.
9.Standfirmlyinplacewithbothfeetontheground.
10.Lookforhazards.
11.Takeextracautionaroundunevenareas.I.e.steps,walkways,
edging,andcurbs.
12.Donotoverreach.
13.Donotworkfromanoffgroundposition.Workingfromaladder
isextremelydangerous.
14.Nevercuttowardsyourself.Alwayscutawayfromyourself.
15.Donottrytocutbranchesthataretoothickortoobigfortheunit.
Ifnoteasytocut,useotherequipment.
16.Neveruseunitasahammer,level,crowbar,oraxe.
17.Ifshakingorvibrationstarts,stopusingunitimmediatelyand
turnoff.
18.Nevercutplantmaterialmorethansixinchesinlength.
19.Neversetarunningunitdown.Alwaysshuttheengineofffirst.
20.Keepbladeteethandexhaustawayfromyourbody.
IV.TransportationandStorage
A. Placeignitioninoffposition.
B. Drainallfuelcompletely.
C. Startengineanduseupanyremainingfuel.
D. Neverstoreunitwithfuelinthetank.
E. Alwaysdisconnectandremovesparkplugwireawayfromsparkplug
beforeyouworkonunitorleaveitunattended.
F. Storage:
1. Storeindry,dustfreelocation.
2. Alwaysstoreoutofthereachofchildren.
3. Donotstorewherefuelfumescanaccumulateorreachanopen
flameorspark.
Summary:Safetyalwaysbeginswiththeoperator.
 Alwaysuseextremecarewhenmixingordrainingfuel.
 Alwayswearrecommendedsafetygear.
 Keepbystandersaway.
 Beawareofhazards.