[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 16, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 16CFR1205.5]

[Page 259-260]
 
                     TITLE 16--COMMERCIAL PRACTICES
 
             CHAPTER II--CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
 
PART 1205--SAFETY STANDARD FOR WALK-BEHIND POWER LAWN MOWERS--Table of Contents
 
                         Subpart A--The Standard
 
Sec. 1205.5  Walk-behind rotary power mower controls.

    (a) Blade control systems--(1) Requirements for blade control. A 
walk-behind rotary power mower shall have a blade control system that 
will perform the following functions:
    (i) Prevent the blade from operating unless the operator actuates 
the control.
    (ii) Require continuous contact with the control in order for the 
blade to continue to be driven.
    (iii) Cause the blade motion in the normal direction of travel to 
come to a complete stop within 3.0 seconds after release of the control.
    (iv) For a mower with an engine and with only manual starting 
controls, this blade control shall stop the blade without stopping the 
engine, unless:
    (A) The engine starting controls for the lawn mower are located 
within 24 inches from the top of the mower's handles, or
    (B) The mower has a protective foot shield which extends 360 degrees 
around the mower housing (see Sec. 1205.4 (b)(1)(ii)(B)). \1\
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    \1\ Paragraphs (A) and (B) of Sec. 1205.5(a)(1)(iv), permitting 
mowers that stop the blade by stopping the engine but that do not have 
power restart, were added to the standard as directed by Sec. 1212 of 
the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, Pub. L. 97-35, 95 Stat. 
357.
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    (2) All walk-behind rotary power mowers shall have, in addition to 
any blade control required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section, another 
means which must be manually actuated before a stopped blade can be 
restarted. This additional means may be either a control which is 
separate from the control required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section, 
or may be incorporated into the control required by paragraph (a)(1) of 
this section as a double-action device requiring two distinct actions to 
restart the blade.
    (b) Blade stopping test--(1) General. Any test method that will 
determine the time between the release of the blade control and the 
complete stop of the blade motion in the normal direction of travel may 
be used.
    (2) Conditions. (i) The mower shall be operated at maximum operating 
speed

[[Page 260]]

for at least 6 minutes immediately prior to the test.
    (ii) The blade must be at maximum operating speed when the blade 
control is released.
    (c) Starting controls location. Walk-behind mowers with blades that 
begin operation when the power source starts shall have their normal 
starting means located within the operating control zone unless the 
requirements of paragraphs (a)(1)(iv) (A) or (B) of this section apply 
to the mowers.

[44 FR 10024, Feb. 15, 1979, as amended at 46 FR 54934, Nov. 5, 1978]