'LIFE-THREATENING' - Children's Health Ireland warns of risks ride-on lawnmowers pose to children

Children's Health Ireland has warned parents to never allow children on or outside near a ride-on lawnmower, saying that a life-changing injury from a lawnmower blade "only takes a second".

The health organisation revealed that at least two children present to a hospital each season following accidents on the vehicles, and Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) trauma teams treat children with devastating injuries regularly from ride-on lawnmowers.

These injuries can be severe, and reported hospital cases include amputations of upper and lower limbs.

CHI operates paediatric healthcare, and consists of hospitals at Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght as well as an Urgent Care Centre at Connolly hospital in Blanchardstown.

They add that while the inherent risks of ride-on lawnmowers can affect all ages, toddlers are particularly at risk. CHI advise that only safe way to mow the lawn when young children are present is to have another adult watch them indoors and far from the very real danger.

Catherine de Blacam, a Consultant Plastic Surgeon in CHI at Crumlin warned that “children should be nowhere near ride-on lawnmower machinery or activity, even if they are supervised by an adult.

"Adults should never, ever allow a child to be a passenger or to sit on their knee on a ride-on lawnmower. The accidents that we see every year happen when a child is riding on with a parent and falls off or when they are following the lawnmower and slip under it. The child then gets caught in the moving blades and, as you can imagine, these injuries are devastating and potentially life-threatening.”

CHI also outlines a number of other safety precautions for ride-on lawnmowers, such as advising that no riders other than the operator should be allowed on a riding mower, as well as to remove stones, toys and sticks from the area before mowing.