Snow Blower Safety Tips - A Guide to Operating a Snow Blower Safely

f you are the operative or user of the snow blower, then it is very important from a safety point of view that you are aware of the main elements of the machine and how they function, in order to give yourself a good understanding of of its nature and be able to operate it in an efficient and safe manner.
Whilst all snow blowers are slightly different, they will all have a number of similar features of design and implementation that you need to be aware of and as such know how to deal with effectively.
They all, whether they be gas or electric, single stage or two-stage, will have what is known as a chute, which is the mechanism by which the snow blower ejects the snow out of the machine.
Most snow throwers will have a chute tilt handle, which pivots the upper chute up or down, and changes and controls both the angle and the distance of the snow that is being ejected through the chute.
There is also likely to be a crank rod, which is the name for the part of the machine that rotates with the lower and the upper chute, in order to control the direction of the snow that is being discharged.
Understanding how the snow and where the snow is being discharged or ejected is important, as this is a key safety feature that you need to be aware of.
There is also the upper and lower discharge chute, which controls the direction and height of the snow that is being ejected from the machine.
It is a good idea to see how these parts of the snow blower work prior to starting up or using the machine There is also what is commonly known as a scraper plate, which is a name normally given to a plate that is replaceable, that absorbs the wear and impact of the machine when it comes into contact with the ground, rather like a shock absorber.
This should be checked at various times to make sure it is effective, and if not should be replaced with a new one.
Most snow throwers will have what is known as a skid shoe, this is meant to control the amount of clearance that takes place of the snow between the scraper plate and the land that it is being used on.
Other common features on snow throwers include the on/off switch, which whilst is an obvious thing to know about, is important to be clear as to its whereabouts in case you do need to turn it off in an emergency.
There should also be a handlebar switch, which normally is used to raise and lower the machine itself.
Most snow throwers will have a tethered safety switch, which the manufacturer recommends is attached to a piece of the clothing that the operative is wearing.
This is primarily designed to stop the machine running away with itself, in the event that the some reason the operative lets go of it, becomes distracted whilst using it.
It is worth being clear about how the tethered safety switch works, and if one is fitted to the machine make sure that it is also attached to the operative at all times, as per the instructions set out in the manufacturer's manual for the relevant snow blower.
There will also be a clutch lever, which will engage and disengage the auger, which is a key part of understanding the snow thrower and how it works.
All these things are important aspects of knowing how to own and use a snow blower both effectively and safely.