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Snowblower Safety

Mind the machinery while yous work

Snowblower accidents lead to roughly 3,600 finger injuries each year, including amputations, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The typical cause: Users try to clear a clogged auger or discharge chute with their hands.

Manufacturers have addressed that problem with a handlebar dead-man control that stops the auger and, on two-stage models, the impeller when released.

Many models now include a clearing tool for clogs. Because the tool is stored within easy reach on the machine, it’s a strong incentive for safe clearing. A chute-covering guard, like the kind on the two-stage Simplicity we tested, is another safety measure. While the guard keeps hands out, it makes clearing clogs more difficult.

Whichever snow thrower you use this winter, a few basic steps will help keep you from becoming a statistic:

•	Turn off the engine on a gas machine or unplug the motor on an electric model before clearing a clog at the auger or discharge chute. Then use the clearing tool, never hands or feet, to remove the clog.
•	Protect yourself from carbon-monoxide poisoning by starting and running gasoline-powered snow throwers outside, rather than in your garage or shed.
•	Don’t wear loose pants, jackets, or scarves, which can get tangled in a snow thrower’s moving parts.
•	Wear ear plugs or other hearing protection, especially with gas-powered models.
•	Wait until a gas model’s engine is cool before refueling.
•	For electric models, use an outdoor extension cord and an outlet with ground-fault-circuit-interrupting protection. Then be sure to keep the cord safely away from the spinning auger while working.