Landscaping sites can be just as dangerous as any other construction site if employees do not follow safety guidelines. Here are the best safety practices for your landscaping business to help keep your employees safe on the job.
Equipment and Tool Safety
When it comes to equipment safety, the most common cause of accident and injury is a worker using a tool they aren’t trained to use. Everyone should have the same equipment education, and one way to mitigate accidents is to ensure that all employees have access to safety manuals. In addition, make sure that employees know tool safeguards and do not try to bypass these safety guards on any tools, equipment, or machinery.
Always make sure employees shut off equipment when they are finished with a tool or before they perform any kind of maintenance to avoid injury.
On-Site Safety
High visibility and form-fitting clothes are essential for site safety. This is to prevent any vehicle from hitting an employee and to prevent clothing from getting caught in machinery; these are the leading causes of injury and fatality in the landscaping business. Traffic safety equipment can also help mitigate any vehicle or heavy equipment accidents. Couple these tips with the use of the right gloves for handling fertilizer, chemicals, or vibrating equipment.
Employees should always take water breaks, know where a first-aid kit is, and know where they can fill out an accident report for HR if needed.
Mandatory Education
The best way to make sure that these tips stick is to enforce mandatory education for all employees. OSHA and CCOHS offer tips, courses, and articles that go over safety training for landscaping and horticulture businesses.
Thanks to the internet, you have access to an endless amount of safety training videos and online quizzes, so you don’t have to make a course yourself. You can get safety information to your employees as quickly as possible.
Now that you know the best safety practices for your landscaping business, you can help ensure the safety of all your employees. After all, your employees provide a critical service, and their safety should be prioritized above all else.
