FROM THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION,
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20207
Snow Thrower Safety Alert
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants you and your
family to be safe when using snow throwers. In a recent year, there were
approximately 590 finger amputations involving snow throwers. CPSC
estimates that each year on average there are approximately 5,740
hospital emergency room-related injuries associated with snow throwers.
CPSC has received reports of 19 deaths since 1992 involving snow
throwers. Two people died after becoming caught in the machine. Five
deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from leaving
the engine running in an enclosed area.
Injuries most frequently occurred when consumers tried to clear the
auger/collector or discharge chute with their hands.
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.
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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.
This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced without change in
part or whole by an individual or organization without permission. If it is
reproduced, however, the Commission would appreciate knowing how it is used.
Write the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Information and
Public Affairs, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 or send an e-mail via
CPSC's
On-Line Form.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the
public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000
types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and
property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800
billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families
from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The
CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs,
power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed
significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with
consumer products over the past 30 years.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's
hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit
CPSC's web site at
www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to
https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and
recall information at CPSC's Web site at
www.cpsc.gov.
