Lawn Mower Safety

September 07, 2008

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Lawn Mower Safety

by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.
reviewed by Kathryn Clark, M.D., F.A.A.P.

Many parents view the task of doing yardwork as an important way to teach youngsters how to help around the house and thus be an active participant in the family. After all, a good number of you probably were assigned the chore of grooming your grass with a push mower--or even operating a riding mower long before you qualified for a driver's license.

But before you include lawn mowing on your own child's task list, you should be aware of the statement just released by the American Academy of Pediatrics in June 2001 that warns of lawn mowers' potential dangers and offers specific safety recommendations when it comes to kids using them.

Lawn mower injuries and kids
According to the recent report issued by the AAP, close to 10,000 children a year are treated for injuries caused by lawn mowers. While a majority of these injuries occur in older children and teens--three-quarters of whom are male--that doesn't mean that younger children are immune to the risks. Whether a child is actually operating a lawn mower or is simply a bystander, lawn mowers have the potential to slice body parts--even amputate them--as well as cause injury from scattering debris. Yet despite these facts, there are no industry or government standards when it comes the use of lawn mowers.

What you can do
As you head out to cut the grass this summer, here are some specific things you can do to lessen the chance of your child getting injured:

Do not mow in the vicinity of your child. In fact, try to get in the habit of not mowing when your child is playing outdoors, especially if you have children under the age of six.

Never allow your child to ride with you on, or to be towed behind, a riding mower.

Make sure that you store your mower in a safe place, out of reach of your child, such as in a locked tool shed.

Teach your child that the blades of a lawn mower are dangerous because they are as sharp as knives.

Some additional advice to consider before enlisting your child to do the mowing for you:

Wait until your child is mature enough to use good judgment, strong enough to actually push a mower, and coordinated enough to do so safely before allowing him to mow the lawn. The AAP recommends that a child be no younger than 12 years old to use a walk-behind power mower or hand mower and at least 16 years of age to use a ride-on mower.

When your child does reach the point where you deem him ready to take on this task, be sure to instruct him in the safe use of mowers and supervise him closely before letting him mow the grass independently. Your instructions should include such things as the wearing of sturdy shoes (not sandals) as well as protective clothing and eyewear to safeguard against flying debris. Also, consider using earplugs to protect against damage to hearing.

Remember, yardwork can be fun, or at least more fun, if you make it a family activity--just include your child in other tasks and not the mowing.

To view the AAP's recommendations in full, see Lawn Mower-Related Injuries to Children.

For additional information on lawn mower safety (as well as other outdoor power equipment), you can also look at the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute's Lawn Mower Safety Tips.


RELATED INFORMATION

			Safety: Outdoors

Created June 07, 2001
Reviewed July 13, 2001

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