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The grass is
always greener in the summer which means mowing it to keep it
from being a jungle out there in your yard. Whether the
people pushing (or riding) the mower are adults or children,
safety precautions and common sense safety can make sure the
only result of your efforts is a beautiful lawn and not a
traumatic trip to the emergency room or worse.
Several medical
associations have joined to create this guide to safe mowing.
Please read and use these tips.
More than Sun Block Required to Protect Kids
While Mowing Lawn s
National Medical Societies' Safety Tips Prevent Lawn Mower
Injuries; June is National Safety Month
June 2, 2008 Protecting children during
summer activities conjures up thoughts of bike helmets, knee
pads, and sun block. However, during the summer months, mowing
the lawn can be as routine for some children as riding a bike
and can be dangerous if proper safety precautions are not taken.
In fact, nearly 210,000 people – approximately 16,200 of them
children under age 19 – were treated in doctors’ offices,
clinics and emergency rooms for lawn mower-related injuries in
2007, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports.
To help prevent injuries, the American Society for
Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM), the American Academy of
Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Society of Plastic
Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
have teamed up to educate parents, adults and children about the
importance of lawn mower safety during National Safety Month,
June 2008.
“Parents need to understand that lawnmowers can cause
terrible devastating injuries to children's hands, feet or
faces, which can impact the rest of their lives,” said ASRM
President Neil Jones, MD. “The tragedy is that most of these
injuries are totally preventable by following some simple
precautions.”
 The
ASRM, AAOS, ASPS and AAP offer the following tips to help
prevent lawn mower-related injuries:
Children should be at least 12 years old before they
operate any lawn mower, and at least 16 years old for a
ride-on mower.
Children should never be passengers on ride-on mowers.
Always wear sturdy shoes while mowing – not sandals.
Young children should be at a safe distance from the
area you are mowing.
Before mowing, pick up stones, toys and debris from the
lawn to prevent injuries from flying objects.
Always wear eye and hearing protection.
Use a mower with a control that stops it from moving
forward if the handle is released.
Never pull backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely
necessary – carefully look for others behind you when you
do.
Start and refuel mowers outdoors – not in a garage.
Refuel with the motor turned off and cool. Blade
settings should be set by an adult only.
Wait for blades to stop completely before removing the
grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing
gravel roads.
 “Serious
orthopaedic trauma can be sustained while operating a lawn
mower,” said AAOS President Tony Rankin, MD. “However, by
following a few simple safety tips, devastating injuries may be
prevented.”
Many lawn mower-related injuries require a team of physicians
from various specialties to properly repair them. Often,
patients must endure painful reconstructive operations to
restore form and function.
“Many children who sustain lawn mower injuries must undergo
reconstructive surgery for months, sometimes years, after the
initial accident,” said ASPS President Richard D’Amico, MD.
“The look on parents’ faces can be truly heart wrenching. We
are the physicians called to treat these devastating injuries,
but would do anything to prevent them in the first place.”
“Parents want to protect their children from accidents and
injuries. But every summer we see children and teens using
lawnmowers in an unsafe manner,” said AAP President Renee
Jenkins, MD.
“It is our job as pediatricians to help get information to
parents about how to prevent injuries that are common during
summer months, and that includes injuries from lawnmowers.”
Sources:
The American
Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
The
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
The American
Academy of Pediatrics
Spotlight on Safety
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