Preventing lawnmower hand injuries starts with keeping hands away from blades, shutting down the mower before clearing debris, and following the manufacturer’s safety instructions. A moment spent taking precautions can help protect against a serious injury.
As a board-certified plastic surgeon with fellowship training in hand surgery and microsurgery, I’ve seen how devastating traumatic hand injuries can be. Plastic surgery includes reconstructive care as well as cosmetic procedures, and lawnmower accidents are a reminder of how important prevention is.
Below, I share lawnmower safety tips to help protect your hands and keep others safe while you work. For more precautions when working outdoors, see my advice on keeping your hands safe in the garden.
How Do Lawnmower Hand Injuries Happen?
Lawnmower hand injuries can occur when someone reaches near a blade to clear grass or debris, including when a blade appears to be jammed. Direct contact can cause deep cuts, broken bones, severe tissue damage, or amputation.
Grass and soil can also contaminate these wounds, increasing the risk of infection. Serious injuries may require multiple operations to clean the wound and repair or cover damaged tissue.
Lawnmower Safety Tips Before You Start
Taking a few minutes to prepare your lawnmower, your grass, and yourself can make mowing safer and help prevent cuts, injuries from flying objects, and other avoidable accidents.
Before you start mowing:
- Review your mower’s manual so you understand its controls, shutoff features, and safety instructions.
- Give the mower a quick once-over before each use. Confirm that the blade guard, discharge chute, shields, and safety controls are secure and working properly. Do not use equipment that is damaged or missing protective parts.
- Walk the lawn first and pick up anything the mower could strike or launch, including rocks, branches, wire, toys, tools, and debris.
- Choose the right conditions. Mow when the lawn is dry, the ground is stable, and you have clear daylight to see uneven ground, obstacles, and changes in terrain.
- Dress for the job. Wear long pants, durable closed-toe footwear with good traction, plus safety glasses and hearing protection. Skip loose-fitting clothing, dangling drawstrings, and anything else that could become caught in moving components.
- Make sure children, pets, and anyone nearby are well outside the mowing area before starting the engine.
Always remember: Lawnmowers are powerful and potentially dangerous machines. Blade speed can eject a piece of wire or an object at speeds up to 100 miles per hour.
How To Protect Your Hands While Mowing
Keep your hands away from the mower’s blades and discharge opening whenever you use it. If grass or debris becomes lodged in the mower, stop rather than trying to clear it while the machine is running.
- Shut down before clearing a blockage. Turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for disconnecting the power source and safely removing debris. Never reach into the mower with your hands or feet.
- Keep safety controls engaged. Never tie down or bypass a control designed to stop the blade when you release the handle.
- Avoid pulling the mower backward. If reversing is necessary, check behind you first for children, other people, and obstacles.
- Use caution on slopes. Follow your mower’s instructions and slope limits. Generally, walk-behind mowers travel across slopes, while riding mowers travel up and down them.
- Stay alert. Do not mow while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication that affects your attention or coordination.
If you strike an object, turn off the mower and wait until the blades have completely stopped before checking for damage. Do not continue mowing until you are sure there is no damage to your mower. Stop the mower whenever you leave it unattended.
Lawnmower Safety Around Children
Children should stay inside or in a separate, supervised area while mowing is underway. Never carry a child—or any passenger—on a riding mower, even for a short trip. A child can enter the yard without being noticed, so turn off the mower and wait until the area is clear if anyone comes into your path.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises waiting until a child is at least:
- 12 years old before using a walk-behind powered mower
- 16 years old before operating a riding mower
These age guidelines are a starting point, not a guarantee that someone is prepared to mow safely. Before a teenager uses a mower, show them the machine’s controls, review key safety rules, and supervise initial mowing sessions. Independent use should come only after they consistently show sound judgment, attention to their surroundings, and the ability to handle the equipment responsibly.
Put Hand Safety First
Prevention is the best way to protect your hands, but accidents can still happen. If you injure yourself while mowing, seek medical attention promptly. Lawnmower injuries can damage skin, soft tissue, and bone, and grass or soil may contaminate the wound.
About Dr. Roth
Dr. Jeffrey Roth is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Las Vegas with fellowship training in hand surgery and microsurgery. To learn more about his cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery services, request a consultation or call (702) 450-0777 .