6 Simple Tips for Safer Wood Chipper Use
Wood chippers are the perfect tool for turning lawn waste such as leaves, hedge and wood trimmings into chips and compost. The fertilizer and processors can then be composted, sprayed on the soil for insulating material or used as a natural remedy for rock and cement avenues.
If you’re considering buying a wood chipper or already own one, it’s vital to abide by some basic tips to ensure a safe and suitable garden shredding. Reading and understanding this advice can help you safely enjoy your chipper at its fullest level.
1. Read the guide
Ensure you read the user manual from cover to cover. The guide must include all you need to know concerning your shredder: technical info, operational constraints, safety instructions, and maintenance instructions.
It’s well worth it to find out more about the function and risks posed by the chipper’s moving components. Always consult the user guide if you are not sure about something and make sure it remains in a readily available location.
2. Wear personal safety gear
Always put on a tight-fitting short-sleeved shirt when using a wood chipper. Ensure that your shirt is tucked into your pants, and the pants tucked into your shoes. Take off anything which could get trapped inside the machine such as straps, ties, jewelry and other hanging products. Simply wear cuff-free clothes.
While wood chippers are often considered light machines, it is imperative that you wear safety gear. Don’t forget to wear heavy duty cuff-free gloves, long pants and sturdy slip-resistant exercise sneakers. Moreover, you need to use ear protection such as earmuffs since the chipper may end up being horribly loud sometimes.
3. Inspect the chipper before usage
Make it a point to inspect the wood chipper before using it. Make sure all components are in good working condition, and all screws and bolts are properly secured. Make a mental note of the wear and tear, and have it serviced if you are feeling that the wood chipper is becoming too damaged for secure and effective functioning.
Constantly check whether the chute, feed intake and cutting area are free of barriers and eliminate all debris which can get trapped in the moving components.
4. Clear the area
Clear the work-site of pets, kids and bystanders before employing a wood chipper. Keep a safety perimeter of 20 to 30 feet in all directions while the chipper is working. Remember to keep a watch for any forthcoming animals or people. Instantly turn off the device if you see anyone coming.
5. Don’t overload
Do not stuff the intake chute with too many leaves or branches at precisely the same moment. In the event you need to find out more about the operational limitations of the device, read the manual. Don’t compel the chipper to operate beyond its own limitations.
Likewise, don’t allow the waste to collect inside the intake chute. Await the substance to be processed prior to adding more. Moreover, do not permit the waste to collect from the discharge area. This may compel the substance to kick back out of the feed chute. Clear the heap when it grows too big.
6. Inspect the waste
Inspect the material prior to feeding it into the chipper. Always check all material before feeding it into the shredder, then remove anything like metal, rock, garbage or other foreign objects which could harm your device and ricochet in the chipper.
