Landscaping is a great industry because we get to be outside creating and improving landscapes. But there are some common hazards to be aware of. This blog post covers three but, of course, there are many more.
Mowing hazards
The recommended procedure is for lawn care technicians to walk and scan their lawns before mowing them. This helps them identify any hazards that might be lurking in the grass. In practice, this isn’t always done because the emphasis is on speed. If you are cutting a lawn for the very first time then definitely walk it.
Lawn mowers pick up and shred lots of stuff. Naked toys included.
Yucca filamentosa
Don’t get blinded by the flower spike. Yes, it’s stunning. But when you do maintenance around the plant don’t forget the foliage tips are extremely sharp. I recommend the use of goggles when working around yuccas. Once the flowers are spent, the central spike will get pruned out. Use caution. Nobody got injured on my crews but I’ve heard stories…..
Syringes
This is serious. I once worked with a great female manager who made some basic mistakes while rushing to complete her work downtown Vancouver. She reached into a clump of daylilies so she could trim them and found out there were over ten (10!) syringes inside the clump. One was stuck in her hand.
As a result of this incident she had to endure a full year of testing for diseases no one wants to catch. This put a strain on the relationship with her partner.
This is another reason I insist that my crews use tools for bedwork. Using their hands exposes them to potential injury. Pile pick up should be done with tools unless you made the pile yourself. It’s also faster. But think safety first, not speed.
Also, don’t assume that syringes are improperly disposed of only downtown Vancouver. The photo above is from a strata property wild zone in Port Moody.
Stay safe!
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