By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

SENSIBLE OPERATION AND SAFETY FEATURES REDUCE MOWER ACCIDENTS

Question: I recently bought a new riding mower, and the salesman said it had an NMIR switch for backover protection. Can you explain to me what this is?

Answer: What your salesman was telling you about is an important safety feature that is on almost all new riding mowers as a result a voluntary standard adopted in 2003 by the lawnmower industry. NMIR stands for “no mowing in reverse,” and the switch you refer to disengages the drive shaft that turns the blades whenever the mower is placed in reverse. This feature is designed to prevent the horrible dismemberment that can occur when a mower is placed in reverse and backs over children or pets.

Backover injuries are often especially tragic, as they tend to involve young children who become badly mutilated, crippled or killed. Adding to the family heartbreak, the driver is usually a parent, grandparent or sibling.

Unfortunately, most lawnmower manufacturers have refused to retrofit old riding mowers that don’t have an NMIR switch, so there are still plenty of backover accidents waiting to happen.

Backover accidents are not the only kind of accidents you can have with a lawnmower. Blades can hurl rocks at people. Mowers can turn over and throw riders to the ground. In fact, lawnmowers, both push type and riding, were responsible for an estimated 133 fatalities in 2006 according to a Johns Hopkins study. In that same year about 77,000 people were treated in hospital emergency departments for accidents involving lawnmowers -- about 10,000 them were children.

A power mower is the most powerful and dangerous tool that most people own. Operate it sensibly. That means that taking safety precautions is just as important as having all the latest safety features. You should always wear proper clothing and safety gear -- such as long pants, steel-toed work boots and safety goggles. This will help protect you from flying objects, and rotating blades. Power push mowers should not be operated by anyone under 12, and riding mowers should not be operated by anyone under 16.

Clean up your yard before mowing. Never mow over debris. Flying objects can be thrown from a mower at over 200 mph. These projectiles can seriously injury people, pets and property. Keep people out of the yard while mowing, especially children. This can keep them out of the way of flying objects as well as prevent back-up injuries.

Remember that a lawnmower engine can get very hot and cause serious burns if touched. Also, the engine should be off and cool before refueling. A hot engine can cause a gasoline fire.

Finally, I’d like to pass on a few “Dos and Don’ts” from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Don’t let children play in areas adjacent to where mowers are being used. Don’t let children ride with the mower operator or ride in carts or trailers being towed behind the mower. Don’t allow children to play on or around the mower, even with adult supervision. Do keep children younger than five indoors while mowing is being done. Do require that any teenager be given proper operational training, safety instruction and supervision by an adult before he or she is allowed to operate a mower alone.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701, or via e-mail to readerquestions@familymedicinenews.org. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.