Mind the machinery while you work

Most emergency-room-treated injuries associated with snow blowers involve injuries to the hand or finger, including amputation. The typical cause? Users tried 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 is another safety measure. While the guard keeps hands out, it makes clearing clogs more difficult.

Whichever snow blower 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 blowers outside, rather than in your garage or shed.
  
  
• Don't wear loose pants, jackets, or scarves, which can get tangled in a snow blower'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.