A lesson on hedge-trimmer safety you should skip

A few weeks ago, I bought a new power hedge trimmer from my local outdoor power equipment dealer. Of course, I chose a top-rated trimmer from our June 2006 report. What happened at the dealer is a story worth telling.

Stihl, the manufacturer of the gas-powered trimmer I chose, distinguishes itself from its competitors by explaining in its advertising why the company's products aren't sold at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Stihl's ads invite you to go to a Web site to read the company's "10 reasons to pick a Stihl servicing dealer." Reason #5: “We can provide operating and safety demonstrations.” That they did. In fact, they wouldn’t let me out of the shop until they showed me how to operate and “safely” use my new trimmer.

I was sent to a back-room shop for my lesson. I watched in horror as the “trained” technician completed fueling my new trimmer with a lit cigarette dangling from his lips. I guess he skipped the owner’s manual warning that states, “Do not smoke or bring any fire or flame near the fuel.” Fortunately, no fireballs erupted.

While still in the shop, just few feet form his fuel cans, he showed me how to start the trimmer. He didn’t follow the manufacturer’s directions to place the hedge trimmer on firm ground. Instead, he held it in his hands and used the “drop start” method. Once it started, that was it; lesson over.

I lightly scolded him for neglecting to talk about safety precautions. He said, with the cigarette still in his mouth, “Oh yeah, you’re not supposed to hold it in the air when starting. It’s supposed to be on the ground.” “Right," I replied, “and what about eye protection, hearing protection, gloves, and so forth?” “Yeah,” he said “I guess you should use safety glasses.”

The fact is he forgot to inform me about many safety precautions that must be heeded to reduce the risk of injury. We provide general safety tips in our June 2006 report.

It wasn’t until I read the owner’s manual that I discovered my new hedge trimmer had a great safety feature — a blade lock that prevents the blades from moving while starting. Unless I read the manual, I wouldn’t have learned about this feature. I don't always read manuals, but this experience punctuated its importance.

I know my experience is anecdotal and may not be representative of what happens at most outdoor power equipment dealers. I also know that it's highly unlikely that I would have gotten any lesson had I bought a different model at a big-box retailer. But I am concerned that safety is often an afterthought on the sales floor, even with products that pose a high risk to the operator. Call me a nerd, but I’ll read the owner’s manual in the future, and even warning labels on the products themselves ... and I will still happily be able to type with all ten fingers.

— Don Mays