Isn’t spring great?

A loud roar and smelly fumes filled the air the past weekend as countless Douglas County residents fired up their lawn mowers for the first time this season.

The onset of spring means beautiful flowers, green grass and mowing the lawn. Unfortunately, this simple weekend chore can turn deadly if gardeners are not careful. Every year, an estimated 75,000 people are severely injured in lawn-mower accidents. Although many of us have been using lawn mowers and other power equipment for years, you are never to old to brush up on the basics of safe lawn mowing.

By most estimates, gas-powered lawn mowers are the most dangerous tool used regularly around the home. With blades that spin 2,000 to 4,000 times per minute, hot exhaust and moving parts, it’s easy to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mechanical failure accounts for only a small percentage of these injuries. Most injuries are a result of human error stemming from lack of familiarity with the mower, loss of control, operating in poor conditions, operating in the vicinity of other people, wearing improper clothing and allowing children to operate the equipment.

To help prevent temporary, permanent or life-ending injuries, here are some safety precautions:

Begin by reading the owner’s manual. Know how your piece of machinery is supposed to operate. Know how to start and stop it safely. Make sure it is turned off and the spark plug is disconnected before performing any service work.

Make a complete safety inspection. Check for loose or missing safety guards, loose or missing bolts or other items that may make mowing unsafe. Make sure the operator presence control system is in good working order. The OPC system ensures that the blade comes to a complete stop within three seconds after the blade control is released. Without it, a slip or trip could be disastrous.

Wear protective clothing and other personal protection devices. Good sturdy shoes are preferable to sandals or even tennis shoes. Protect your body, ears and eyes. Most mowers operate at 95 or greater decibels — loud enough to cause hearing loss. Use personal hearing protection. Be cautious when using personal stereos to drown out the hum of the mower. Many times the music they produce is louder than the actual mower.

Before mowing, make a thorough search of the yard, looking for small objects that are hidden from view that might become airborne from the blade. Most blades spin at 100 to 200 mph. Any rock, wire or small debris that becomes airborne can be deadly.

When mowing on a slope with a riding mower, mow down the slope. When mowing with a push mower, mow across the slope. If two people are needed to mow a slope — one to push the mower and the other to hold the rope tied to the mower so it does not tip — then the slope is too steep.

Finally, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children younger than 16 should not be allowed to use ride-on mowers. And children younger than 12 should not use walk-behind mowers.