Handcart Safety and Care

The following guidelines can help you avoid injuring yourself and others:

• Do not ride in the handcart, except in an emergency.

• Do not run with the handcart. You can easily trip and get run over by the wheels.

• Stay away from the wheels. Clothing, especially dresses, can get caught in them.

• When going down steep hills, attach a rope to the back of the handcart and hold it to help slow down the cart. You could also turn the handcart around and take it down the hill backward. Always keep it under control.

• When a handcart stops, pull it to the side of the trail to allow others to pass. When stopping on a hill, place rocks or other objects behind or in front of the wheels so the handcart does not roll.

 

Handcarts should be treated with care, as follows:

• When stopping a handcart, gently lower the shaft to the ground. Never drop the shaft. Do not sit or stand on the shaft when it is on the ground.

• Do not overload a handcart.

• Do not pull a loaded handcart sideways on a steep incline, with one wheel consistently lower than the other. If most of the weight is on one wheel, it can break or the handcart can overturn. For these same reasons, do not park a loaded handcart with one wheel considerably lower than the other.

• Avoid going over large rocks or into holes.

• Do not deface the surface of a handcart, such as by writing, carving, or painting.

• Watch for potential wear and breakdown of the handcart.