Commercial Landscaping Safety Procedures

Commercial Landscaping Safety Procedures are a Top Priority at Pugh’s Earthworks

Pugh’s Earthworks

Professional Commercial Landscaping Companys like Pugh’s Earthworks, know that Commercial Landscaping Safety Procedures are of the utmost importance. When you consider the myriad of procedures that Landscape Technicians have to perform, there are so many opportunities for injury. Not only are there safety concerns for the landscape technicians but there are also precautions they must take to protect customers.

For example, chemicals are very often used for a variety of reasons. They can be used as pesticides to eliminate lawn pests that damage or kill lawns or shrubs. In addition, fertilizers and herbicides are often applied to stimulate lawn growth and prevent weeds. Then the buildings can be sprayed or baited to get rid of unpleasant and damaging insects and rodents. In all cases, it is very important to hire a trained and certified landscaping company like Pugh’s Earthworks. Our technicians take all precautions when working with various chemicals and have taken classes in how to apply with maximum safety. Their safety clothing, shoes, eye wear and aspirators if needed will be used. In addition, they know when weather conditions and property owner traffic is optimum. For example, spraying pesticides on the trees, shrubs or the lawn is generally not a common practice on an extremely windy day.

Then there are the risks of operating equip. There are so many machines for the variety of Commercial Landscaping tasks. Ranging from Motor Vehicles like trucks, to mowers, aerators, chain saws, woodchippers, weed eaters, blowers and the list goes on. Each machine can be dangerous if not operated as per the instructions. Not only a danger to the technician but also to customers that may unexpectedly be in the vicinity of the job. The Pugh’s Earthworks team is always aware of their surroundings and of the proper machine operating procedures. Still there are plenty of reports of landscapers that suffer injuries each year.

When building hardscapes, typically there is a lot of potentially hazardous steps involved. Things like operating a small backhoe, cement mixer, electric and plumbing work all have intrinsic dangers that are best handled by a certified landscape technician like the ones at Pugh’s Earthworks.

In summary, when you are in search of a talented and top-notch Commercial Landscaping company to design and maintain your property, take a look at the professionals at Pugh’s Earthworks Every aspect of the industry trade has been addressed and is consistently practiced by each member of the Pugh’s Earthworks team.

Pugh’s Earthworks Commercial Landscaping Safety Procedures

Pugh’s Earthworks has a Safety Engineer on staff. His job is multipurpose and designed to make sure all landscape technicians are properly trained in all aspects of Commercial Landscaping Safety Procedures. He holds training classes periodically to pass along new industry guidelines and safety techniques. Below is a general job description for our Safety Engineer’s Employee Training Program.

General safety precautions for landscape workers in the field.
Train workers to ensure that they understand all of the job hazards and can handle tools and equipment safely.

Report unsafe working conditions or equipment to your supervisor.
Identify and destroy harmful or noxious plants such as poison ivy.
Protect against insects with insect repellents or protective clothing when needed.
Use caution in areas where you may encounter wild animals or unfriendly domestic ones.
Rest periodically during strenuous jobs such as digging or sawing: work-rest schedules vary according to temperature conditions, how strenuous the work is, and how acclimatized the worker is to the workload.

Make sure emergency telephone numbers are clearly posted or readily available.
Know the location of the first aid kit and how to use the contents.
Do not touch stray or dead animals. Contact an animal control agency for removal.
Wear respiratory protection if you must clean up waste, leaves or dust that may contain mouse droppings. Mice can carry the hantavirus which can become airborne with dust and may be inhaled by workers.

Be aware of expected weather conditions for the day, and plan accordingly. Have plans about where to go if severe weather hits. Know where to seek shelter in a thunderstorm (fully enclosed metal vehicles, with windows up or a building.

Learn proper hand washing techniques. Wash your hands thoroughly after before eating, using the washroom, or changing tasks (using different tools and/or different locations).

Personal Protective Equipment Tips:

Wear high-cut CSA certified safety footwear with toe caps and reinforced, non-skid soles.
Use approved head protection when working under branches or where there may be falling objects.

Use appropriate eye protection whenever dust or debris may get into your eyes or when using strong cleaning agents, spraying or dusting.

Wear sturdy, well-fitting gloves with grip.
Use vibration-absorbing gloves while operating vibrating equipment.
Wear suitable chemical-resistant rubber or plastic gloves when handling fertilizers and pesticides and other chemicals.

Wear hearing protection devices that provide appropriate protection from noise produced by equipment being used.

Protect yourself from the sun – use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher and re-apply sunscreen as required throughout the day. Consider wearing lightweight long pants and long-sleeved shirts.

Wear a brimmed hat and comfortable clothing that provides sun protection.
Wear sunglasses that filter out at least 90% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Take regular rest breaks inside. Frequent short pauses are better than longer breaks further apart.
Do not wear loose-fitting or torn clothing.