SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR OPERATION TRAVELING ON SLOPES To prevent the machine from tipping over or slipping to the side, always do as follows. G When traveling on slopes, keep the blade 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in) above the ground. In case of emergency, quickly lower the blade to the ground to help the machine to stop. Apply the brake and use engine as a brake, if necessary. G Always travel straight up or down a slope. Traveling at an angle or across the slope is extremely dangerous. G Do not turn on slopes or travel across slopes. Always go down to a flat place to change the position of the machine, then travel on to the slope again.
G Travel on grass, fallen leaves, or wet steel plates with low speed. Even with slight slopes there is a hazard that the machine may slip. G Do not shift the gear while traveling downhill or travel downhill with the transmission in neutral. If this is neglected, the engine does not work as a brake, and that is dangerous. Be sure to set the transmis- sion in one of the lower speeds. PROHIBITION OF DANGEROUS WORK G Do not work near the edge of cliff or road. When unavoidably working at such place, set crawlers at right angles to the edge with the sprockets at the rear to make it easier to escape if there is any problem.
G When using the machine, to prevent accidents caused by damage to the work equipment and overturning caused by excessive load, do not use the machine in excess of its ability (in terms of the maximum load and stability determined by the structure of the machine). USING BRAKES G When the machine is traveling, do not rest your foot on the brake pedal. If you travel with your foot resting on the pedal, the brake will always be applied, and this will cause the brakes to overheat and fail. G Do not depress the brake pedal repeatedly if not necessary. If this is neglected, the brake will be overheated and will not work when required. G When traveling downhill, use the braking force of the engine.
If necessary, use the brake pedal at the same time. OPERATE CAREFULLY ON SNOW G Snow-covered or frozen surfaces are slippery, so be extremely careful when traveling or operating the machine, and do not operate the levers suddenly. Even a slight slope may cause the machine to slip, so be particularly careful when working on slopes. G With frozen ground surfaces, the ground becomes soft when the temperature rises, and this may cause the machine to tip over. G If the machine enters deep snow, there is a hazard that it may tip over or become buried in the snow. Be care- ful not to leave the road shoulder or to get trapped in a snow drift.
G When clearing snow, the road shoulder and objects placed beside the road are buried in the snow and cannot be seen. There is a hazard of the machine tipping over or hitting covered objects, so always carry out opera- tions carefully. 2-23