The following is from a Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) Safety Alert located by Andrew F. Fick, Esquire, with the personal injury law firm of Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C., in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants you and your family to be safe when using snow throwers. CPSC has received reports of injuries with snow throwers, including finger amputations. Injuries most frequently occur when consumers try to clear the auger/collector or discharge chute with their hands.
People have died from becoming caught in the machine. Others have died from carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from leaving the engine running in an enclosed space.
CPSC offers the following safety tips for using snow throwers:
- Stop the engine and use a long stick to unclog wet snow and debris from the machine. Do not use your hands to unclog a snow thrower.
- Always keep hands and feet away from all moving parts.
- Never leave the machine running in an enclosed area.
- Add fuel to the tank outdoors before starting the machine; don’t add gasoline to a running or hot engine. Always keep the gasoline can capped, and store gasoline out of the house and away from ignition sources.
- If you have an electric-powered snow thrower, be aware of where the power cord is at all times.
Most snow thrower injuries happen when consumers try to clear snow from the discharge chute or debris from the auger/collectors. Always stop the engine before attempting to clear snow and debris from any part of the snow thrower.
(Source: CPSC Safety Alert, Snow Thrower Safety, Publication 5117 000203 012012).
Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C. serves the injured, and their families, in Reading, Pottsville and throughout Pennsylvania. The lawyers there handle personal injury claims, including work injuries and claims for injuries or death caused by unsafe or dangerous products.