Toro Corporation based out of Bloomington has issued a recall for a walk behind snow blower. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said recall is due to an auger issue that could pose an amputation hazard.

The model being recalled is a 2021 Toro Power Max 826 (Model 37802). This snow blower has been the subject of five  different reports of the auger failing to disengage when the control lever is released. Thankfully no injuries have been reported. No injuries have been reported.

Toro distributed about 6,700 units of this particular model, which has been sold at The Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Toro-authorized dealers, all in-store or online. If you have this model stop using the snow blower immediately and contact a Toro-authorized dealer for a free repair or call toll-free at 833-254-8856.

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No matter what kind of snow blower you’re using, here are a few basic steps to follow to help keep you and others from being injured from Safety Toolbox.

        • Turn off the engine on a gas machine or unplug the motor on an electric model before clearing a clog at the auger or discharge chute. Then use the clearing tool or stick, never hands or feet, to remove the clog.
        • Always assume that when the engine is running, the auger is spinning.
        • Protect yourself from carbon-monoxide poisoning by starting and running gasoline-powered snow blowers outside, rather than in the garage or shed.
        • Don’t wear loose pants, jackets, or scarves, which can get tangled in a snow blower’s moving parts.
        • Wear sturdy footwear with good traction.
        • Wear eye protection as objects can fly and/or ricochet.
        • Add fuel to the machine only when the engine is off and cooled.
        • For electric models, use an outdoor extension cord and an outlet with ground-fault-circuit-interrupting protection. Then be sure to keep the cord safely away from the spinning auger while working.
        • Never direct the discharge chute toward people or areas where damage can occur. The blower can discharge hard objects much further than it can discharge snow.

I am not sure what kind of snow blower our neighbor has but a week or two ago when we got a couple inches of snow I was home watching tv when I kept hearing something hit the house and our windows. Turns out it was chunks of snow and ice from his snow blower. Apparently he just bought a bigger machine and did not realize how powerful it was, so hopefully next time he turns the chute in another direction. Snow blowers are awesome and really pretty much essential in this area, but they can be so incredibly dangerous too. So be careful and stay safe.

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