These items, too, can travel up to 200 miles per hour as they leave the discharge chute. Items thrown from mowers can cause serious injury to other people in the area or to the operator when there is no rear guard. Thrown items also can cause property damage. In addition to cutting and projectile dangers, mowers also can cause burns. The muffler and cylinder head heat up during operation, and remain hot for some time after the engine has been turned off.
Fuel is another danger.
Most mowers are powered by gasoline-driven combustion engines. Gasoline is a very explosive and flammable material that should be treated with respect. One gallon of gasoline combined with the correct amount of air is equivalent to 83 pounds of dynamite. Gasoline is flammable because it vaporizes with air to form a mixture that ignites easily. Vaporization can occur in temperatures as low as zero degrees.