CSA Preface
This is the first edition of CSA B175.3, Internal combustion engine–powered hand-held grass trimmers and brushcutters — Safety and environmental requirements, which is an adoption without modification of the identically titled ANSI/OPEI (American National Standards Institute/Outdoor Power Equipment Institute) Standard B175.3-2013. This Standard is part of CSA Group’s series of Standards on portable power saws.
It should be noted that this Standard specifies the safety and environmental requirements for gas-powered grass trimmers and brushcutters typically used for landscaping, golf course maintenance, and general property maintenance. Although the focus of this Standard is on commercial-grade equipment used by professional groundskeepers, it can also be applied to consumer-grade equipment used by nonprofessionals.
In Canada, product labels (including warnings) and operator manuals are required to be provided in both French and English (see Clauses 16 and 17).
Scope and Purpose
1.1 Scope
The requirements of this Standard apply to:
a) Internal combustion engine–powered, hand-held, grass trimmers intended for use with flexible nonmetallic line, or other types of nonmetallic cutting attachments, and
b) Internal combustion engine–powered, hand-held, brushcutters intended for use with cutting blades and other cutting attachments.
NOTE – If a grass trimmer is marketed by the manufacturer as convertible to a brushcutter, then the converted unit shall comply with requirements for brushcutters and vice-versa.
A convertible unit may be marketed as a grass trimmer or a brushcutter without including the devices required for conversion in the packaging, provided the operator manual clearly addresses the need to acquire and use the required conversion devices and the manufacturer makes such devices available as optional equipment. Trimmers and brushcutters with back mounted power units are not covered by this standard.
This standard is not applicable to machines equipped with metallic cutting attachments consisting of more than one piece, e.g., pivoting chains or flail blades.
The requirements of this standard do not cover cutting attachments not approved for use by the equipment manufacturer. However, the applicable test procedures, related to cutting attachments, contained within this standard may be used by a component manufacturer of after-market cutting attachments to qualify their cutting attachments for use on grass trimmers or brushcutters manufactured by entities other than the component manufacturer. Should the manufacturer of after-market cutting attachments choose to comply with this standard, such manufacturer shall conduct the tests relating to the cutting attachments on the units they recommend them for and keep records related to the test results.
NOTE – English conversions are shown in brackets and are included for information only.
The effective implementation date of this standard shall be two (2) years after the publication date and shall apply to all products built after that date. Manufacturers may also comply with this standard any time after the publication date.
ANSI/OPEI B175.3-2013 and ANSI B175.3-2013 may be used interchangeably wherever referenced in this standard.
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of this standard is to establish safety and environmental requirements for internal combustion engine–powered, hand-held, grass trimmers and brushcutters.
