Lefty
Not sticking your hand in a snowblower is the best thing you can do if you are looking to not loose any fingers, yet many people don’t pay attention to this ‘handy’ tip. Many injuries of this nature occur every year, as homeowners and professionals suffer a momentary lapse of judgement when clearing snowfall.
Even when a snowthrower is off, a jam may have built up enough force to turn the blades as soon as the jam becomes clear- unfortunately the clearing device is often the snowblower operator’s hand.
Multistage snowthrowers may have a second set of spinning metal in the directional chute, and these may be spinning even though the main auger is not.
The best way to avoid loosing fingers is to not put them in the snow thrower in the first place. Many units come with a bar designed to clear jams and blockages. An old hockey stick or broomstick also works. Whatever you use to clear a jam, make sure it is not your hand and that the blower is off and it is also recommended that the spark plug wire be disconnected.
Some other snowthrower saftey tips:
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Don’t leave a snowblower running unattended, even for a minute.
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Watch where the chute is pointing – snowthrowers can turn debris into missiles.
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Keep body parts away from the spinning blades. Blades can keep spinning several seconds after the machine has been turned off.
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When cleaning slopes, work up and down the slope, not across the face.
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Don’t exceed snow removal capacity.
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Shut off engine and remove the spark plug wire before making repairs or mechanical adjustments
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Know where people are around you.
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Work at a steady pace, don’t rush.
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Stay behind the snowthrower when it is engaged.
