16 C.F.R. § 1205.5

Walk-behind rotary power mower controls

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(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 § 1205.4 (b)(1)(ii)(B)). 1

1 Paragraphs (A) and (B) of § 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.

(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 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]

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 4 cases, 1980–2000 · leading case: Southland Mower Co. v. Consum. Prod. Saf. Comm'n, John O. Hayward v. Consum. Prod. Saf. Comm'n, 619 F.2d 499 (5th Cir. 1980).

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Southland Mower Co. v. Consum. Prod. Saf. Comm'n, John O. Hayward v. Consum. Prod. Saf. Comm'n, 619 F.2d 499 (5th Cir. 1980). · cites it 4× “10025 -26, a requirement that rotary machines have a blade-control system that will stop the mower blade within three seconds after the operator’s hands leave their normal operating position, 16 C.F.R. § 1205.5 (a), 44 Fed. Reg. 10029 , and a requirement, applicable to both…”

prod.liab.rep. (Cch) P 14,451 Brian Moe Thomas Moe Saundra Moe v. Mtd Prods., Inc., 73 F.3d 179 (8th Cir. 1995). “16 C.F.R. § 1205.5 (a). The manufacturer has an option of choosing between a BBC, similar to that in this case, or an engine-kill system, which stops the engine when a control lever is released.”

Frazier v. Heckingers, 96 F. Supp. 2d 486 (E.D. Pa. 2000). “” See 16 C.F.R. § 1205.5 (a)(1)(iii). Plaintiffs expert guessed that the mower in question had a stop time of ten seconds, but he acknowledged that he performed no tests to confirm this guess.”

Brian Moe v. MTD Prods. (8th Cir. 1995). “16 C.F.R. § 1205.5 (a). The manufacturer has an option of choosing between a BBC, similar to that in this case, or an engine-kill system, which stops the engine when a control lever is released.”

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