Home Cleaning & Maintenance Eight Ways to Stay Safe While Landscaping

Eight Ways to Stay Safe While Landscaping

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NATIONAL REPORT—To the outsider, landscaping may not seem like a dangerous line of work. Yet if you look at the statistics, landscaping is one of the most dangerous industries in the country. According to the CDC, there are 25 fatalities per 100,000 workers, similar in industries like agriculture and mining.

Protecting yourself and your team is critical no matter the job. Think safety and protect the lives and well-being of everyone who works under your banner.

Here are some of the ways you can stay safe when you’re out in the field.

Take Out Landscaping Insurance

Landscaping insurance is not just a legal requirement but a health and safety issue. Obtaining insurance for your small business guarantees that you and your employees are protected should something go wrong.

Comprehensive insurance packages cover medical fees if an employee needs to visit the emergency room, provide ongoing payments if they need to take time off work, and protect your business from any lawsuits that may result.

Don’t just opt for the cheapest policy online. Do your research and ensure your policy covers all the bases.

Create a Safety Checklist

Landscaping is more dangerous than the average person realizes. The number of lawnmower accidents requiring a visit to the emergency room alone stands at just under 85,000 every year, with several fatalities.

It doesn’t matter if you’re using a woodchipper or a power mower; you should have a safety checklist in place. Include it as part of your employees’ briefs daily.

Your checklist should include:

  • List of today’s jobs
  • Employees assigned to each job
  • Required protective gear for each assignment
  • Safety information for any machinery

Help keep your employees prepared every time they tackle a new job. Regularly reminding your employees about safety keeps it at the forefront of your business.

If you’ve recently bought a new piece of machinery, take the time to run through how to operate it with your employees.

Read Your Pesticide Safety Policy

Many companies in the landscaping industry have ceased using chemical pesticides because it’s better for the environment. Yet pesticides remain an integral part of the business. Your employees will likely encounter pesticides at some point.

Exposure can lead to symptoms ranging from mild irritation to death depending on the pesticide. With such an array of pesticides available, make sure you read the label of every product you use.

Each pesticide should have its own safety list. Whenever pesticides are in use, every employee present must wear protective gear, including masks and gloves.

Once a pesticide has been used, employees must ensure that the container is completely sealed to prevent accidental exposure.

Promote Adequate Hydration

Landscapers will spend most of the day in the sunshine. During the summer months, heat and sunburn can lead to serious problems.

The biggest threat to any landscaping team is heat stress. The symptoms of heat stress tend to come on suddenly, with many workers unaware that they are overheating until it’s too late.

Make sure your team has adequate water to keep themselves hydrated throughout the day. Advise your team to take regular water breaks in the shade for those bigger jobs.

Wear Landscaping Safety Glasses

It’s amazing how many landscaping professionals refuse to wear safety glasses. Even if you’re simply performing an edging job, you should wear safety glasses. For those larger jobs, wearing glasses is an OSHA safety requirement. Failure to comply could see your business penalized heavily.

The difference between landscaping safety goggles and other protective eyewear is that the former is tinted to protect the eyes from bright sunlight. Even your eyes can become sunburned if exposed for long periods.

Even the simplest of jobs could lead to a rock, stick, or other piece of debris hitting someone in the eye. Anyone in the vicinity should also be wearing glasses. Make it a mandatory part of working for your company.

Keep Your Equipment Well-Maintained

One of the leading causes of accidents is poorly maintained equipment. Small and large blades should be regularly cleaned and sharpened. It will make it easier to complete the job, but it will also prevent accidents.

All equipment should be meticulously managed and stored. It doesn’t matter if you’re using gas, electric, or battery-powered tools. Maintain owner manuals and make them available to your team.

Conduct inspections of your equipment every few days to ensure everyone complies with your maintenance requirements.

Encourage Employees to Stretch

Landscaping is a highly physical job. Repetitive motions can eventually lead to injuries to the backs and knees. Sprains, strains, and breaks are risks that every landscaper faces every time they go to work.

Acts like bending over garden beds, weeding, and pushing equipment mean that you’re putting immense strain on your body over time.

Introduce stretching routines for employees. They don’t need to take away from your efficiency. Most stretching routines take only ten minutes to perform and can prevent someone from throwing out their back.

You should also promote proper posture, such as keeping your shoulders back and lifting heavy equipment with your legs.

Provide Refresher Talks on Health & Safety

Nobody likes talking about health and safety, but it’s a core part of safe working. Rather than allowing your team to manage health and safety, make sure you provide refresher crash courses on the importance of health and safety.

None of your employees is senior enough to get out of hearing about the rules and regulations governing their work. While these talks may elicit a groan, putting health and safety as a top-tier priority within your business protects your team and your firm.

It’s also a good idea to stay updated on the latest OSHA regulations and any updated state policies impacting your business.

Conclusion

Injuries in the landscaping business range from minor muscle strains to lost limbs and fatalities. People underestimate the risks of working in this industry.

Injuries cause significant disruption to your business and could even lead to it collapsing. Health and safety must be your priority.

Examine your health and safety policies to ensure that you adequately protect your employees.

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