Columbia 12ABW32G897, Operator'S Manual

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12.  A missing or damaged discharge cover can cause blade 

contact or thrown object injuries.

13.  Many injuries occur as a result of the mower being pulled 

over the foot during a fall caused by slipping or tripping. 

Do not hold on to the mower if you are falling; release the 

handle immediately. 

14.  Never pull the mower back toward you while you are 

walking. If you must back the mower away from a wall or 

obstruction first look down and behind to avoid tripping 

and then follow these steps:

a.  Step back from mower to fully extend your arms.
b.  Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.
c.  Pull the mower back slowly, no more than half way 

toward you.

d.  Repeat these steps as needed.

15.  Do not operate the mower while under the influence of 

alcohol or drugs.

16.  Do not engage the self-propelled mechanism on machines 

so equipped while starting engine.

17.  The blade control handle is a safety device. Never attempt 

to bypass its operation. Doing so makes the safety device 

inoperative and may result in personal injury through 

contact with the rotating blade. The blade control handle 

must operate easily in both directions and automatically 

return to the disengaged position when released.

18.  Never operate the mower in wet grass. Always be sure of 

your footing.  A slip and fall can cause serious personal 

injury. If you feel you are losing your footing, release the 

blade control handle immediately and the blade will stop 

rotating within three seconds.

19.  Mow only in daylight or good artificial light. Walk, never 

run.

20.  Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks or roads.
21.  If the equipment should start to vibrate abnormally, stop 

the engine and check immediately for the cause. Vibration 

is generally a warning of trouble.

22.  Shut the engine off and wait until the blade comes to 

a complete stop before removing the grass catcher or 

unclogging the chute. The cutting blade continues to 

rotate for a few seconds after the blade control is released. 

Never place any part of the body in the blade area until you 

are sure the blade has stopped rotating.

23.  Never operate mower without proper trail shield, discharge 

cover, grass catcher, blade control handle or other safety 

protective devices in place and working. Never operate 

mower with damaged safety devices. Failure to do so can 

result in personal injury.

24.  Muffler and engine become hot and can cause a burn. Do 

not touch.

25.  Never attempt to make a wheel or cutting height 

adjustment while the engine is running.

26.  Only use parts and accessories made for this machine by 

the manufacturer. Failure to do so can result in personal 

injury.

27.  When starting engine, pull cord slowly until resistance 

is felt, then pull rapidly. Rapid retraction of starter cord 

(kickback) will pull hand and arm toward engine faster than 

you can let go. Broken bones, fractures, bruises or sprains 

could result.

28.  If situations occur which are not covered in this manual, 

use care and good judgement. Contact Customer Support 

for assistance or the name of the nearest service dealer.

Slope Operation

Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents, which 

can result in severe injury. Operation on slopes requires extra 

caution. The machine is heavy and can speed up when going 

downhill. Be prepared to maintain control of the machine. If you 

feel uneasy on a slope, do not mow it. For your safety, use the 

slope gauge included as part of this manual to measure slopes 

before operating this machine on a sloped or hilly area. If the 

slope is greater than 15 degrees, do not mow it.

Do:

1. 

Mow across the face of slopes; never up and down to avoid 

loss of control.

2. 

Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on 

slopes; turn uphill not down.

3. 

Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or bumps which 

can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass can hide obstacles.

4. 

Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause 

serious personal injury. If you feel you are losing your 

balance, release the blade control handle immediately and 

the blade will stop rotating within three (3) seconds.

Do Not:

1. 

Do not mow near drop-offs, ditches or embankments, you 

could lose your footing or balance.

2. 

Do not mow slopes greater than 15 degrees as shown on 

the slope gauge.

3. 

Do not mow on wet grass. Unstable footing could cause 

slipping.

Children

Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the 

presence of children. Children are often attracted to the mower 

and the mowing activity. They do not understand the dangers. 

Never assume that children will remain where you last saw them.
1. 

Keep children out of the mowing area and under watchful 

care of a responsible adult other than the operator.

2. 

Be alert and turn mower off if a child enters the area.

3. 

Before and while moving backwards, look behind and 

down for small children.

4. 

Use extreme care when approaching blind corners, 

doorways, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure 

your vision of a child who may run into the mower.

5. 

Keep children away from hot or running engines. They can 

suffer burns from a hot muffler. 

6. 

Never allow children under 14 years of age to operate this 

machine. Children 14 and over should read and understand the 

instructions and safe operation practices in this manual and on 
the machine and be trained and supervised by an adult.