Essential landscaping safety practices

Landscaping often involves the use of dangerous and loud equipment, handling of herbicides or pesticides and, occasionally, close contact with harmful plants and animals. Just like any other career, following standardised safety procedure is essential to keep yourself, and your co-workers protected whilst at work. Prevention, and focusing on the root cause of the issue, is always better than treating the symptoms.

Although landscaping does not require a large amount of high risk processes, compared for example to aerial tree work, the opportunities for debilitating work injuries are very real. Underestimating the amount of danger – even from just repetitive activity, for example – can put the health of you and your colleagues at serious risk.

Paul George, managing director at Landmark Trading Ltd, has compiled a brief overview of the primary dangers of landscaping, as well as the legal safety practices mandated, to ensure that you stay aware, alert and safe whilst working.

Danger Zones and Prevention Techniques

Powered tools and equipment

Gardening and landscaping equipment with powered mechanisms and blades, such as chainsaws, can be highly dangerous. You must use equipment in the right way. Equipment supplied in the UK will have a CE certification to show it complies with various European standards. You, and any staff or contractors, will need to be aware of the supplier’s operating instructions. Don’t be tempted to modify or override any safety features, for example, lawn mower controls – they’re there for a good reason.

Make sure that your equipment has the appropriate guards and safety features and wear the personal protective equipment (PPE) suggested by the supplier. Items such as safety footwear, helmets, eye protection, and high-visibility clothing should be essentials for any outdoor workers.

 

Handling Chemicals

A lot of the weedkillers and pesticides in use can be harmful, but they can be used safely as long as you are correctly trained, hold up to date certification and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. It’s important to use the personal protective equipment they recommend and to follow basic hygiene rules: washing your hands after using chemicals, and especially before eating and even before going to the toilet. Some chemicals can be corrosive or have longer-lasting effects – certain chemicals and oils can cause cancer – so it’s very important to read the information that comes with the products you’re using. If you or your staff need to wash your hands frequently you should consider the use of a moisturiser to help prevent dermatitis.

Conduct a thorough risk assessment before you start the job; listing out all the substances that may be used over its duration, including cleaning products, and learning more about the appropriate protective, preventative and even reactionary processes, in case of an accident.

You’ll also need to perform a basic risk assessment of key activities such as storing, mixing and disposing of chemicals – think about what chemicals you’re using, who could be harmed if things go wrong and what precautions you should take to stop people getting hurt. Depending on the quantities of chemicals you’re carrying in your van or truck, you may even need a transport licence from the Environment Agency.

Always be mindful to handle chemicals in a well ventilated area and to store your chemicals properly in correctly labelled containers. Accidentally combining two highly reactive chemicals can have some serious consequences that could have been easily avoided.

Sun Exposure

Spending long hours working under the sun can have damaging short and long term impacts on your health. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke can quickly become extremely dangerous if not treated properly, or prevented outright, and dehydration can become a serious threat if left over a longer period of time. Be mindful of how much time you are spending in the heat, stay hydrated and try and work, or rest, in the shade wherever you can.

Prolonged sun exposure also carries the risk of catalysing skin cancer. Most cases are treatable – but it is also easily preventable. You and any people who work for you need to keep areas of skin covered to protect it from the harmful UV exposure – wear loose clothing that allows ventilation but make sure it doesn’t get caught in the equipment you use. Wearing a cap or hat will help protect the head and face, as will the regular application of sunscreen – read the instructions and make sure you apply it properly and frequently. Wearing heavy duty sun block is more and more common for people spending long periods outside

Important Safety Legislation

In regards to landscaping, it is mostly general health and safety law and regulations that you will need to be familiar with, and abide by. The Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, often referred to as HWSA, is the primary piece of health and safety regulation in the United Kingdom, and provides the legal framework to promote, stimulate and encourage high standards of health and safety in all places of work.

The Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act covers all aspects of on and off site regulation. With the onus of responsibility largely on the employer, the health and safety regulations outline everything from ensuring the correct personal protective equipment is provided to and worn by all employees, mandating the regular completion of general and specific risk assessments, to maximum working hours per week.

In April 2015 the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) came into effect. The Landscaping Institute has agreed guidance with the HSE covering the application of the Regulations. As a result, some types of landscaping work are regarded as construction, including: earthworks; all hard landscaping; installation of pipes and pipelines; demolition; dismantling; and preparation for such works.

Soft landscaping works such as tree planting, tree work and grassing are not construction work and therefore not subject to CDM 2015 . However, if they take place within a construction site boundary all the construction site’s rules must be followed.

A career outdoors, like landscaping, can be hugely rewarding, providing you ensure you stay safe by following the law, and vital health and safety guidelines.