Garden Tiller Safety Tips

Keeping your garden looking good can be a lot of work. With the proper tools, like a garden tiller, you can make the job easier and save precious time. The experts at Cub Cadet would like you to follow a few simple safety tips when using a tiller. These guidelines will teach you how to use a tiller for gardening as well as keep you safe.

Before leaving the house, consider safety attire for using a garden tiller. We recommend sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close-fitting slacks and shirt. Be aware that when using a tiller, loose-fitting clothes or jewelry can get caught in moving parts. Never operate a tiller in bare feet or sandals.
Next, go through your garden or lawn and inspect the area where the tiller will be used. Take care to remove all stones, sticks, wire and other objects. This will reduce the possibility of injury.
Be familiar with all tiller controls and their proper operation. Know how to use a garden tiller and how to stop the machine and to disengage them quickly.
Look over the tiller before starting the engine. Be sure to repair any damage before starting and operating.
Before starting the engine, disengage the tiller clutch levers and shift (if provided) intro neutral ("N").

While your tiller engine is running:

Never leave your tiller engine running while unattended.
Never make any adjustments to the tiller while the engine is running unless specifically recommended in your operator's manual.
Use caution when using a garden tiller near fences, buildings and underground utilities. Rotating tines can cause property damage or personal injury.
Do not overload the machine capacity by attempting to till the soil too deep or at too fast of a rate.
A large part of knowing how to use a garden tiller is understanding how it sounds and feels when running normally. If the tiller starts to make a noise that sounds unusual, stop the engine, disconnect the spark plug wire and ground it against the engine before examining your garden tiller or making any repairs.
Use only tiller attachments and accessories provided by the manufacturer. Using an off-brand tiller accessory can result in personal injury.