SER FAQ: LMFAQ: Dead-man control

S.E.R. FAQ

NotTaR of small Gasoline Engines and Rotary Lawn Mowers : Dead-man control
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Dead-man control

All rotary mowers manufactured within the past 15 years or so must have a dead-man control to stop the blade quickly (within a couple of seconds) if the handle is released or the operator falls off of the seat of a riding mower or lawn tractor. While not foolproof, this feature greatly reduces the chances of serious injuries due to accidental slipping or falling - or attempting to make adjustments while the blade is spinning.

WARNING: Never defeat the dead-man control for any reason unless there is no chance of the mower starting.

For gasoline powered mowers, this means that the spark plug wire had been pulled and tied a safe distance (a few inches minimum) away from the spark plug terminal or the spark plug has been removed entirely. Even draining or detaching the fuel tank is no guarantee that the engine will not start as the carburetor often contains a few minutes of fuel reserve.
For electric powered mowers, this means that the wall plug has been pulled or the battery disconnected and the wire tied or taped to prevent any accidental contact.

Always restore the dead-man control to normal operation before attempting to start the mower.