Snow Thrower Safety - 2

Time to dust off the snow thrower and prepare for another winter. These handy tools can clear a sidewalk or driveway of snow with minimum back aches. But they can be hazardous so here is a list to run through before your first snow.

·        Never put your hands inside the chute… bears repeating. Never put your hands inside the chute.  If you get an          accumulation of snow clogging the thrower, turn it off, wait for all moving parts to stop and then clean it out              with a stick.
·        Keep the safety features functioning, even if it is inconvenient.
·        Keep pets and people (particularly kids) away while you are operating the snow thrower. You never know when          the thrower will pick up some stones or clumps of ice along with the snow, causing injury to anyone in its path.
·        If it is going to snow, clear your paths and driveway of any items such as doormats, wires, debris that can go          unnoticed once covered with snow.
·        Always read the manual, don’t let children operate the thrower and don’t clear snow along slopes. It could get          slippery and you could be injured.

The CPSC also has some good tips on their web site as well.