Author, Greg Garcia, Account Executive, Landscape Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Every landscape company wants to be safe. So, I want to discuss three ways to improve safety in your workplace, starting today.

1) Routine Equipment Maintenance

Routine maintenance and cleaning of equipment is essential for any landscape company wanting to make sure all of their equipment is running properly and is ready for a day’s work. From a safety standpoint, we see the biggest risk comes from those companies who use sprayers to fertilize lawns and plants for their clients. By not cleaning the sprayers out daily, landscape companies are putting their employees at risk of being exposed to pesticides and herbicides, which can be detrimental to the employee’s heath. Therefore, routinely checking and cleaning pieces of equipment can not only improve your productivity and profitability by making sure equipment is ready for work, but can also lead to a much safer working environment for your employees.

2) personal protective equipment (PPE) checks

Personal protective equipment is one of the most important things landscape employees can use to protect themselves while they work. Whether it be thorny bushes to cut back, the use of loud chainsaws or mowers, or just the effects of being out in the sun, it is important to assess the job site hazards and make proper PPE choices. A few examples that landscape companies are doing to help their employees fight the effects of being exposed to the sun are: wearing long sleeve shirts, wearing sun hats that provide shade to the face and neck, and wearing proper sunglasses to help with the heavy glare. Always keeping up to date and staying informed on proper PPE will ensure that your landscape company is doing all they can to stay safe.

3) assessing job site hazards

Finally, addressing job site hazards is vital for companies in the landscape industry. The safety manager, supervisor or foreman need to get out to job sites and really see what hazards are out there. For example, look to see if there are any poisonous plants at the jobsite and/or any pieces of debris or puddles in the walk ways that could create a trip and fall hazard. All of these exposures need to be noted to ensure everyone is aware of potential risks. Every jobsite is different, so it is crucial that your team remain proactive and really hone in on the potential risks at each particular jobsite.

If equipment checks, PPE checks, and job site checks are not currently in your landscape company’s safety routine, I would strongly suggest starting that routine, today.

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If you have questions about how to mitigate your company’s risk, reach out to Greg Garcia at (619) 438-6905 or ggarcia@ranchomesa.com.