Snowblower Safety

By: Jason Petrina



Every year snowblowers are one landscaping tool that seem to virtually fly off the shelves; particularly as heavy snowfalls begin to land. While snowblowers may be a popular tool; ranging from light duty all the way up to two stage snowblowers suitable for clearing small parking lots one consideration that many prospective snowblower owners do not take into consideration is safety. The Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that with 1000 amputations and 5000 hospital emergency room treated injuries per year related to snowblower accidents; the snowblower ranks as the fourth leading cause of finger amputations each year.

In most of these accidents improper handling of snowblowers is the main cause for such injuries. Hospital staff indicates that patients report injuries after they attempt to clear the auger or discharge chute manually with their hand. As the individual attempted to clear the obstruction, their hands and fingers many times get caught up in the rotating blade of the snowblower with severe tissue damage resulting. Even in cases where an individual’s fingers or hands are not completely severed due to the original injury; physicians treating such wounds explain that quite commonly there is such serious damage that it is simply not possible to repair or re-attach the injured parts.

What is even more startling is the fact that over the last decade there have even been deaths recorded related to snowblower accidents- at least nine, in fact. Only two of those deaths were due to individuals actually get caught up in the machinery. The remainder of these deaths can be attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning. It is believed that this occurs when the operator of the snowblower breaths in the exhaust from the snowblower in an enclosed area such as a garage.

The injuries and deaths attributed to snowblower operation has become such a concern that it has prompted investigation in to the matter. The results of studies performed on accidents related to snowblowers has determined that one of the primary factors related to resulting injuries lies in the fact that it is often difficult to move efficiently with a snowblower in operation. An alarming 20% of individuals who sustained injuries while operating snowblowers reported that the accidents occurred when they lost their footing. Further studies also determined that first time users of snowblowers are much more likely to sustain accidents from the equipment than veteran users. Due to this fact, it is highly recommended that users review the operator’s manual before attempting to use a snowblower. Even if you have used it the prior season, it’s still a good idea to bone up on proper usage methods.

To reduce your risk of injury or death related to the use of snowblowers, take a look at the following safety tips:

Be sure to keep your hands and feet away from all moving parts. Never try to unclog a snowblower using your hands. Instead use a stick or similar object and always make sure that you have stopped the engine and disconnected the sparkplug wire before you attempt to remove any debris.

If you need to leave your snowblower, even for a moment; be sure to turn it off.

Perform any work that needs to be done on your snowblower, such as adding fuel, outdoors. Never run your snowblower in an enclosed area.

Always be extremely careful when operating your snowblower on slopes and remember that it is best to avoid extremely high slopes with your snowblower.

Make sure you are aware of any obstructions in the area before you begin operating the snowblower, such as curbs, shrubs, stumps, etc.



Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com