Lawn mowing injuries are just one misstep away
How to prevent from becoming a statistic
Story by CNN
8:26 a.m. Tuesday, July 1, 2008
These days you won't catch Andre Rives mowing his own lawn. After an accident on a riding mower, he now leaves it to the pros.
"I came too close to the curb, so I couldn't stop, my shorts got caught on the lever. I ended up sliding off, and my foot went under," Rives said.
Lawn mowing safety guidelines
- Wear protective shoes, preferably steel toe shoes. No flip flops or sandals.
- Wear long pants to protect your legs from flying debris.
- Wear hearing protection, such as ear plugs
- Familiarize yourself with the mower's settings and levers. Read the owner's manual.
- Never let children operate a mower. If you feel they are old enough, allow them to mow only with adult supervision.
- Never refuel hot engines. Always refuel outdoors.
Source: National Ag Safety Database.
He ended up losing three toes on his right foot.
Orthopedic Surgeon Marvin Royster says lawn mower-related injuries are more common than ever.
"They started out with good intentions, and then what happened was something went wrong, they slipped on the lawnmower, the grass was wet, the lawn mower overturned with them," Royster said.
There can also be problems with flying debris. Royster explained many accidents can be avoided by wearing protective clothing.
"You need to really make sure you're wearing long pants and have some type of protective shoe on. Cutting the grass with flip flops on or sandals on, it's just you're asking for trouble," Royster said.
Rives knows that first-hand and wishes he had done things differently before his accident.
"Even in the hospital, I'd say man, did this just happen to me," he said.
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