The Importance of Reading the Owner's Manual (Feat. Lawnboy Mower)

The first thing I do after buying any product is to read the owner’s manual. Even if I am already familiar with the kind of product, reading the manual provides me with very important and new information about it.
In this post, I’d like to emphasize the importance of reading the owner’s manual whatever the products are. Then I am going to look briefly through the contents of the owner’s manual specifically for the Lawnboy Mower (Model 10730) so we can grasp the general content of the manual. Next, let’s look at how we can find the owner’s manual of a specific product online in case we don’t have the printed manual in hand. Lastly, I am going to show what examples of information I can find about the Lawnboy Mower from the owner’s manual.
 
Why?
Reading an owner’s manual before using or installing the product is important as it ensures the safe installation and operation of the product. By reading the manual, we can minimize any injuries that might occur while handling the product and any damage to it. Sometimes, the manual provides me with a different guide from what I expected about handling the product. In fact, there are a lot of new things I can learn from. While ignoring the manual might not lead to serious injuries, it can lead to the early breakdown of the product caused by poor maintenance.
 
The contents of the owner’s manual (Lawnboy Mower)
So, this is the Lawnboy 21in Mulching/Rear Bagging Lawn Mower and I got the electronic file of the operator’s manual about it!

 

Source: GROW Training Program Presentation

 

The contents of the operator’s manual consist of 6 parts: Introduction, Setup, Product Overview, Operation, Maintenance, and Storage. In the introduction part, general operation tips, cautions such as children, and services aspects of the equipment with a special focus on safe operation are covered. Below are some tips from the manual for operating the Lawnboy Mower.
 
[General operation]
• Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be sure of your footing; walk; never run.
• Be sure the area is clear of bystanders before operating. Stop the machine if anyone enters the area.
• Always wear eye protection when operating the machine.
• Clear the area of objects such as rocks, wire, toys, etc., which could be thrown by the blade.
 
[Slope operation]
• Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes.
 
[Service]
Safe handling of gasoline
​• Never remove the gas cap or add fuel with the engine running. Allow the engine to cool before refueling.
• Never refuel the machine indoors.
• Never store the machine or fuel container where there is an open flame, spark, or pilot light, such as on a water heater or on other appliances.
• Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck or trailer bed with a plastic liner. Always place containers on the ground away from your vehicle before filling.
 
General service
• If you strike a foreign object, stop and inspect the machine. Repair the machine, if necessary, before starting it.
• Never make any adjustments or repairs with the engine running. Disconnect the spark-plug wire and ground against the engine to prevent unintended starting.
 
 
The safety alert symbol is used to alert the operators to potential personal injury hazards throughout the operator’s manual. When you see this sign with a word such as ‘WARNING’, ‘CAUTION’, or ‘DANGER’, you need to pay particular attention to that to prevent any injury. For example, under the ‘Safe Handling of Gasoline’ part, there is this symbol with the word ‘WARNING’. It warns us that the exhaust contains carbon monoxide that can kill us and not to run the engine indoor or in an enclosed area. Another example of this symbol can be found in the ‘Adjusting the Cutting Height’ part. It says, “Adjusting the cutting height may bring you into contact with the moving blade, causing serious injury.” To ensure safety, the manual urges us to wait for all moving parts to stop after stopping the engine and not to put our fingers under the housing when adjusting the cutting height. And it continues, “If the engine has been running, the muffler will be hot and can severely burn you. Keep away from the hot muffler.”

 

Source: The Lawnboy Mower's Manual

 

​Here is the product overview. This model has a separate oil-fill tube from a fuel tank. So, I guess it has a 4-stroke engine. 

 

Source:  The Lawnboy Mower's Manual

 

On top of the ‘Maintenance’ part, there is a ‘Recommended Maintenance Schedule(s)’ table which I like the most in this manual. You can see briefly what maintenance procedure must be done and how often from this table! And the table is followed by a detailed guide for each maintenance procedure. The last part is about how to store this lawn mower properly.
 
Activity
So, this is the owner’s manual for the Lawnboy Mower (Model 10730)!
Now, I am going to do a fun activity by answering some questions about the lawn mower.
 
Question 1. What type of energy source/fuel does this machine use?
The answer is gasoline. For best results, the manual recommends using only clean, fresh (less than 30 days old), unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher. Gasoline that contains more than 10% ethanol by volume must be avoided.
 
Question 2. What safety precautions should you take prior to operation?

• Read and understand the contents of the manual.
• Clear the area of objects such as rocks, wire, toys, etc., which could be thrown by the blade.
• Be sure the area is clear of bystanders and not wet as well.
• Operate the machine only in daylight or good artificial light.
• Wear proper PPE.

 
Question 3. What Personal Protective Equipment is recommended for operating this mower?
Footwear, gloves, and eye protection are mentioned directly in the manual. However, to protect your body from the thrown clippings, you need long pants. And possibly ear protection depending on the noise level the lawn mower might cause.
 
Question 4. What are the common site hazards?

• Children and bystanders: Keep them out of the mowing area.
• Slope: Mow across the face of the slopes; not up and down. If you feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it.
• Objects such as rocks, wire, toys, and other solid objects.
• Holes, ruts, and bumps.

 
Question 5. What do you have to clean regularly?

• Grass clippings and dirt: Clean them from under the machine after each use.
• Air cleaner and air-cleaner element: Every 25 hours and 100 hours for each.

 
How and where can we find the owner’s manual?

Fantastic! As you can see, we can find that valuable information in the owner’s manual. So, one last question arises: how and where can we find the owner’s manual? Your manual might not be available when you need it. Then try to search for it online with information such as make, model, and serial number. Often, you can find them on the equipment easily.
 
Reading the owner’s manual is a must not just for novices but for everyone. Stay safe and keep your equipment safe and durable as well!

<Reference>
GROW Training Program for New Workers: Owner's Manual, Landscape Ontario
LawnBoy 21in Mulching/Rear Bagging Lawn Mower Operator's Manual, LawnBoy