With warmer weather upon us, millions of American DIYers will be dusting off their lawn mowers to get their lawns and gardens looking lush and beautiful. According to a new survey by 3M™ TEKK Protection™ Brand and the National Safety Council*, many may not be aware of the dangers that are lurking each time they rev up those small engines.

In fact, more than one in three DIYers (39 percent) report injuries from using a lawn mower with eye and ear injuries topping the list. Yet while 45 percent say they are concerned about getting injured, 57 percent never wear ear protection and 43 percent never protect their eyes.

“Smart preparation can make all the difference when you’re taking on outdoor projects this season,” said Manfredini, host of HouseSmarts TV and home improvement contributor on NBC’s The Today Show. “Whether you’re doing routine tasks like mowing the lawn or spreading fertilizer, it’s important to protect yourself with the proper safety gear.”

Manfredini provides these tips to help keep outdoor DIYers safe and protected this lawn and garden season.

1. Before you mow your lawn, take time to walk the yard quickly to inspect for items that may be lying on the ground. Sticks and stones can break your bones – particularly, if the blade of the mower picks it up and throws it at high speed from under the mower's deck.
   
   In fact, the blades of a power mower can hurl objects such as rocks and twigs at fast speeds, turning them into dangerous projectiles. Be sure to help protect your eyes with safety eyewear like 3M^TM TEKK Protection^TM ForceFlex^TM MAX Flexible Safety Eyewear.
2. There is nothing better than digging in the dirt but for most of us it's a great way to tear up our hands. A good pair of gloves that fit well will give you added protection and help keep you working longer in the garden.
3. Lawn and garden power tools make your outdoor chores go much more quickly. But the noise that they make can harm your hearing even if you are only exposed for a short amount of time. Make sure you are wearing ear protection. It comes in many varieties ---from disposable foam ear plugs to high quality ear muffs, and even ones that will play music while you work like 3M^TM TEKK Protection^TM WorkTunes^TM Hearing Protector.
4. Spreading fertilizers around your lawn and garden will help control weeds and green things up but you do not want to inhale the fumes from those chemicals. Help protect your lungs by wearing a respirator when applying these products. A 3M^TM TEKK Protection^TM Sanding and Fiberglass Valved Respirator can help protect you and help keep you comfortable and cool with its unique, patented Cool Flow^TM Valve technology.
5. No matter what project you are doing outside, wearing eye protection is a must. Each year, more than 2.5 million eye injuries occur and more than half of all reported injuries occur within the home.^** Protective eyewear has come a long way and offers styles that are comfortable and stylish, and designed to help keep your eyes protected from projectiles and contaminants.

To help create your safety shopping list, visit www.3mtekk.com and check out the Product Selector and instructional videos to choose the right protection for your project.

About 3M
3M TEKK Protection offers a full line of innovative respiratory, eyewear and hearing products designed to help keep DIYers and professionals safe when completing projects around the home. 3M TEKK Protection products can be found at home improvement and hardware stores across the U.S. For additional information, go to www.3mtekk.com.

3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $30 billion in sales, 3M employs about 88,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter.

* National Safety Council/3M TEKK Protection Brand DIY Safety Survey conducted by Kelton, April 2013. An online survey of 604 Americans ages 35-54 who own a home and have completed a DIY home improvement project.

** American Academy of Ophthalmology Eye Injury Snapshot, 2010

3M, 3M TEKK Protection, ForceFlex, WorkTunes and Cool Flow are trademarks of 3M

Media Contact:3M Public RelationsRobert Brittain, 651-733-7034rbrittain@mmm.comorCohn & WolfeDana Simone, 212-798-9708dana.simone@cohnwolfe.com