Gas Powered Hedge Trimmers Require Different Safety Concerns
Along with the convenience of gas powered hedge trimmers comes the precautions of needed for their safe operation. Trimmers powered by electric motors have certain safety concerns such as using them in wet surroundings and insuring the extension cords are kept clear of the cutting blades. On the other hand, gas powered hedge trimmers also require some different safety considerations as for the most part they will not simply shut down if something gets jammed in the blades.
With most electric trimmers, if a branch is too big or some other hard object, such as the operator's finger gets stuck in the blade a safety switch will automatically cut power, turning the machine off. With gas powered hedge trimmers, there is no such safety device and the blades will continue to do their job until the operator hits the off switch. For some users, the only advantage to using gas powered hedge trimmers is being able to run them without being tied to a nearby electrical outlet, but cordless units have put an end to that argument.
Persons with large hedges, shrubs and bushes appreciate the gas powered hedge trimmers more than those with less work to be done. Typically, a battery-operated trimmer will run about 30-minutes on a single charge and corded units give the risk of having the cord get tangled up with the blades. When this happens, the extension cord is going to lose and the operator risks receiving a shock as the blades hack through the power cord.
Keeping Engines In Good Operating Condition
Like many pieces of outdoor garden equipment, gas powered hedge trimmers require a certain amount of maintenance to insure they will perform when called on to do their job. Since most operate on a two-cycle engine, meaning the oil is mixed in with the gasoline, there are inherent dangers of using the wrong mixture causing irrepairable harm to the engine.
At the beginning of every season gas powered hedge trimmers should have a new spark plug installed and the blades sharpened, or replaced, to insure they are kept in their peak operating condition. Dull blades will make the job a lot more difficult and if coupled with an engine that is not running smoothly, even the smallest hedges can seem to take forever to get trimmed. Above all other considerations is the need for safety when using gas powered hedge trimmers. The operator should always wear safety glasses and keep their hands away from all moving cutting parts.
