Snowblower safety: how the injuries happen, and how to avoid them

How do snowblower injuries happen?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says most snow blower injuries happen when people try to clear snow from the discharge chute, or debris from the auger, with their hands. In 2022 it counted more than 4,700 snow blower injuries treated in emergency rooms, and 36 percent were to the wrist, hand or fingers.

A national study of emergency visits from 2003 to 2018, published in Cureus in 2020, estimated 91,451 emergency visits tied to snowblowers over those 16 years, about 5,700 a year. Here is how they happened:

Loder and Solanki, Cureus, 2020; national emergency department data, 2003 to 2018.

Amputations made up 11.2 percent of the visits, and 99.8 percent of them were fingers. The same study counted 648 deaths, and 647 were cardiac. Pushing a heavy machine through deep snow is real exertion; see shoveling and your heart.

Why is a clogged chute dangerous even with the engine off?

The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) says snowblower accidents typically happen when snow is heavy and wet or about 6 inches deep or more, exactly when chutes pack up.

The machine does not go dead the instant you let go. ASSH advises waiting five seconds after shutoff for the impeller blades to stop rotating, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) warns of a brief recoil of the motor and blades after the machine is turned off. A hand in the chute at that moment is a hand in the blades.

The safe sequence, every time:

1. Release the controls and shut the engine off. On a battery machine, follow the manual; at least one major maker says to remove the battery pack first.
2. Disengage the clutch.
3. Wait for every moving part to stop. AAOS says more than 5 seconds.
4. Clear the snow with the clearing tool, a stick or a broom handle. Never your hand.
5. Leave the shields and safety devices in place.

To prevent clogs, ASSH suggests a brisk pace, so snow is less likely to stick, and clearing several times during a heavy, wet snowfall.

What about clothing, fuel and fumes?

Clothing. Operator's manuals warn against loose-fitting clothing that can catch in moving parts, and some name scarves and jewelry specifically. Tuck the scarf in, and do not let a hat or hood block your view, a point AAOS makes too. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) recommends safety glasses, gloves and footwear that grips on cold, slippery surfaces.

Fuel. Fill the tank outdoors while the engine is cold. CPSC and AAOS both say never to add gasoline to a running or hot engine. Store gas in a can with a child-resistant closure, outside the house.

Carbon monoxide. CPSC warns that a gas snow blower's exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which can kill in minutes, so never leave one running in an enclosed area. In practice: open the garage door before you start it, move it straight out, and never let it idle inside to warm up.

Where should the snow go?

A snowblower is a throwing machine. OPEI says to clear doormats, hoses, toys, boards and wires from the area first, never to throw snow toward people or cars, and not to let anyone stand in front of the machine. Toro's operator's manuals add glass, window wells and parked cars to the list of things to aim away from. If you hit something solid, stop the engine and inspect the machine before you go on.

On gravel, raise the housing so the auger does not pick up stone; see plowing a gravel driveway. And keep the chute off the street, which has its own rules in Michigan; our end-of-driveway guide covers them.

How do I keep kids, pets and slopes safe?

AAOS says never to let children operate a snowblower and to keep children 15 and younger away while one is running. OPEI goes further: keep kids and pets inside and supervised, and never let them play in the snow coming out of the chute.

On slopes, read your manual. Makers disagree on direction (one major brand says not to clear across the face of a slope, another says to work across it rather than up and down), but they agree on the rest: do not try to clear steep slopes, and change direction slowly. Never run the machine without good visibility or light.

Gas, battery or corded: what changes?

Battery and corded machines make no exhaust, which removes the carbon monoxide risk, but the blades are just as unforgiving. OPEI also suggests charging batteries before a storm, in case the power goes out.

What should I check before the first storm?

• Read the manual and practice shutting the machine off quickly.
• Inspect it powered off. OPEI says to adjust any cables and check the auger with the machine off.
• Use fresh fuel. Drain last season's gas. OPEI says gasoline machines should use E10 or less, and fuel more than 30 days old can phase separate and cause problems. Label the can with the purchase date and ethanol content.
• Check the shear pins. On machines that use them, shear pins are built to break when the auger hits something hard, protecting the gearbox and engine. Replace them only with the maker's approved pins, and keep spares.
• Get it serviced early, before repair shops fill up.

Still deciding whether to own a machine at all? Our snowblower vs hiring comparison runs the numbers.