Tiller Safety
Honda Tillers Safety Information & Features
Your Honda tiller is equipped with several significant safety features. Fully understanding each function is the key to helping ensure safe operation.
It is important to familiarize yourself with your product and its features, design, and operation before use, even if you have operated similar power products in the past.
Please read and fully understand your owner's manual and see the information below for Honda garden tiller and rototiller safety features, tips, precautions, and measures and how to safely operate your tiller.
Zone Start Safety System
The Honda Zone Start Safety System is engineered to help reduce the possibility of accidental starts.
Ultra Quiet Operation
Ultra quiet operation adds a level of safety by creating less noise pollution and helping you hear more of your surroundings.
Tiller Guard
Tiller Guard – plus any included or accessory blade also has a guard.
*Disclaimer: users are advised to check the owner's manual to confirm available product safety features prior to use.
Honda Tiller Safety Tips
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A Few Words About Safety
Your safety and the safety of others are very important.
This information alerts you to potential hazards that could hurt you or others.
It is not practical or possible to warn you about all the hazards associated with operating or maintaining your Honda tiller. You must use your own good judgement.
Your safety is your responsibility. A little time spent in preparation will significantly reduce your risk of injury.
Read and understand your owner's manual.
Know what the controls do and how to operate them.
Familiarize yourself with your tiller and its operation before you begin using it.
Know how to quickly shut off your Honda tiller in case of emergency.
Help Keep Your Tiller in Safe Operating Condition
Keep the tiller in good operating condition. Operating a tiller in poor or questionable condition could result in serious injury.
Before each use, visually inspect the tiller including parts for any wear, damage and looseness. If necessary, replace the damaged parts as an assembly. Always perform a pre-operation inspection before each operation, and correct any problem.
Be sure the safety covers (such as: tine covers, fan cover and recoil starter cover) are all safely and securely set in place.
Make sure the engine is off before you begin any maintenance or repairs. This will help eliminate several potential hazards like carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust, burns from hot parts and injuries from moving parts.
Read the owner's manual carefully. Be familiar with the controls and the proper use of the tiller.
Use the tiller for the purpose it is intended, that is, cultivating the soil. Any other use could be dangerous or damage the equipment. Never use it to cultivate soil containing rocks, stones, wires, and any other hard and potentially hazardous materials.
Start the engine carefully according to the instructions in this manual, keeping your feet away from the tines.
Help Keep Yourself Safe
Know how to stop the engine and tines quickly in case of emergency. Understand the use of all controls.
Keep a firm hold on the handlebars. They may tend to lift during clutch engagement.
Keep your hands and feet away from the tines while the engine is running.
Wear sturdy, full-coverage footwear. Operating this tiller barefoot or with open toe shoes or sandals increases your risk of injury.
Dress sensibly. Loose clothing may get caught in moving parts, increasing your risk of injury.
Be alert. Operating this product when you are tired, ill or under the influence of alcohol or drugs may result in serious injury.
Avoid operating the tiller at night or in bad weather or poor visibility, because there is a higher possibility of an accident. Remember to walk. Never run during operation.
When taking backward steps during operation, pay special attention to people and obstacles behind the operator.
Never store the tiller with gasoline in the tank inside a building where fumes may reach an open flame, spark or high temperature source.
Allow the engine to completely cool before transporting or storing the tiller.
Honda recommends using gasoline without ethanol in your Honda tiller.
Refuel only outdoors, in a well-ventilated area, with the engine off. Never smoke near gasoline, and keep other flames and sparks away.
Move at least 3 metres (10 feet) away from the fuelling source location before starting the engine. Always store gasoline in an approved container.
Keep Safety of Others in Mind
Clear the area of children, bystanders, and pets. Keep all children, bystanders, and pets at least 15 metres (50 feet) away from the tilling area where the tiller is being operated.
If anyone approaches you while you are operating the tiller, release the throttle lever and stop the engine.
Never allow children or people unfamiliar with this owner's manual to use the tiller.
Keep in mind that the owner or user is responsible for accidents or damage occurring to other people or their property.
In the event of hire use, be sure that operational explanations are given in the presence of the user.
To help reduce the fire hazard, keep the tiller, especially the engine, muffler and the gasoline storage area free of grass, leaves, or excessive grease.
Before operating the tiller, inspect the area in which you are going to operate it. Remove any debris and other obstacles that may cause injury or damage to operators, others or the tiller.
Turn engine off when not in use.
If you need to leave the tiller unattended for any reason, always turn the engine off.
Never permit anyone to operate the tiller without proper instruction.
For your safety and the safety of others, never operate the tiller during darkness or in poor lighting conditions.
Important Message to Parents
Tillers are tools, not toys. As with any equipment, bad judgment can result in serious injuries.
Please ensure you are familiar with local laws, and have carefully read and reviewed your owner’s manual, before making any decisions with respect to the operation of your tiller by a minor.
Occasional Users
Before you ask anyone to operate your tiller, you need to determine whether the person is old enough and strong enough to safely handle and properly control the tiller.
If you decide to let someone else use your tiller, make sure the occasional user reads and understands all instructions and warnings in the owner's manual and on the labels before operating the tiller.
Allow adequate time for hands-on training, and personally supervise practice sessions until you feel sure the person is ready to operate the machine.
Also be sure the person wears proper clothing and have eye protection and any other gear that may be required by local ordinances or your insurance company.
Remember that you are responsible for keeping the Honda tiller properly maintained and in safe operating condition for occasional users.
