Keith

Why Study Safety?

To prevent injuries.
To prevent financial losses.
To prevent fines and penalties.

In an Average Week in the United States:
1,400 people are injured with lawn mowers.
600 people are injured with chain saws.
700 people are injured by pruning, edging, and trimming equipment.
6 people are killed because of tractor mishaps.

The Vast Majority of These Injuries Don’t Have to Happen.
Most injuries occur because:

Operators weren’t clothed properly or outfitted with protective gear.
Operators weren’t properly trained.
Operators were trained but decided to ignore the training.

I. Preventing Injuries

The first step to operating lawn maintenance equipment safely is: READ AND UNDERSTAND THE EQUIPMENT OPERATOR MANUAL BEFORE USING THE EQUIPMENT.

1. Published by Deere and Company, John Deere Publishing.

The Operator Manual Will:

Talk about the proper protective clothing to wear with the equipment.
Proper way to hold or operate the machine.
Potential hazards present on the machine
(give some examples).
Equipment service and maintenance requirements.

After reading the operator manual, get familiar with the equipment before you actually do any work.

II. Preventing Financial Losses

Mishaps are expensive in terms of human suffering and in terms of money spent. Hospital bills are one example, but that may be a fraction of the total costs involved in a mishap.

Employer Costs:

Direct Costs
Indirect Costs

Direct Costs:

Medical expenses
Workers’ lost wages
These costs may be covered by insurance: workers’ compensation or some other insurance plan.

Indirect Costs:

Downtime of fellow workers after a mishap.
Overtime to makeup for a lost employee.
Reduced employee efficiency and morale.
Time spent filling out reports.
Time spent filling out insurance forms.
Effort and time required to hire and train a replacement worker.
Possible fines if the incident resulted in a safety inspection or infraction of OSHA law.
The indirect costs can total 4 to 10 times as much as the direct costs of injury. Properly maintained equipment and properly training workers is relatively cheap.

III. Preventing Fines and Penalties

The third reason to study safety—IT’S THE LAW!

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created in 1970 with the following goal:

“To assure, so far as possible, every working man and woman in the nation, safe and healthy working conditions.”

The act applies to every employer who has one or more employees and who are in a business affecting interstate commerce. For all practical matters, all landscapers, grounds-care businesses, and golf courses are covered under the act.

Employers are expected to provide safe equipment and a safe place to work.

Each employee is expected to comply with safety rules and health standards.

Avoiding mishaps is not common sense. Proper safety procedures are generally not something you can just pick up from co-workers or know automatically by “using your head.” Good safety practices need to be a part of each work-day routine. Each new machine or work situation may pose it’s own safety challenges.

Human Factors in Preventing Equipment
Operator Injury

Human limitations:
Factors that influence personal limitation:

Strength—varies among workers
Reaction time—average 0.75 second
Body size—equipment may be adjusted to fit.
Age—affects strength, reaction time, and endurance
Fatigue—dependent on weather and body condition
Drugs—will reduce strength and reaction time
Tobacco—will reduce strength and reaction time
Alcohol—will reduce strength and reaction time
Endurance—ability to complete a job (opposite of fatigue).

Environmental Conditions

Temperature and humidity
Vibration
Noise
Dust and mold

Cold Weather Work

Use warm clothing that is right for the job. Dress appropriately; use layers of clothing to adjust to changing weather needs. Wearing a hat will make your whole body feel warmer. Avoid wearing cotton clothing next to your skin; use synthetic materials like polyester fleece or polypropylene that will keep you dry even if you sweat by wicking perspiration away from your skin.

A high-calorie, high protein diet is required to provide enough energy and help keep you warm in cold weather.

Hot Weather Work

Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing that will reflect sunlight and heat. Cotton breathes better than polyester clothing and is preferred in hot climates.

Drink more water. Frequent water breaks will provide liquid and prevent dehydration. Short resting periods are needed in hot weather outdoor work.

Increase potassium and sodium intake unless a restricted diet limits it. Most fruits and fruit juices are rich in potassium. Crackers are a good source of sodium.

Early warnings of heat stress are headache, reduced perspiration, high pulse rate, and shallow breathing.

If you or your co-workers experience these symptoms, you may need to take a break and get to a cooler place.

To avoid thermal shock:

Get used to warmer weather gradually. Take it easy the first few hot days. Your body adjusts better if not rushed.

Skin cancer is a major concern for outdoor workers. According to the American Cancer Institute more than 800,000 people in the United States are treated for skin cancer each year and close to 10,000 people die from skin cancer annually.

Prevent UV Radiation and Sunburn

Prevent sunburn and possible skin cancer by using proper clothing and sunscreen and/or limiting your time of sun exposure.

It is more effective to cover your skin with a long-sleeved shirt, long trousers, and wide brimmed hat to prevent sunburn and skin cancer.
Use a sunscreen of 15 SPF (Sun Protection Factor) or greater on any exposed skin.

We all need to be careful, we as an industry can grow almost anything anywhere, but we can't regrow fingers, toes, arms or legs.
Have a good season.

__________________
You don’t have to use chemicals to have a beautiful lawn.
[url]http://www.startingalawncareservice.com/Your_lawns_health.htm[/url]

infoserv

Keith Sure posts some long, but good posts. I suggest reading all of his posts. The ones I have read so far seem to be right on target. I'm off to read this guys other posts.

I especially like where he talks about the hot weather work. If you are not used to working in hot weather, you will need to take the time to adjust BEFORE you begin starting your business. Heat can kill and no job is worth that. Stay hydrated and follow Keith's safety tips above.

Another Keith

Soulmancer

This is an outstanding post Keith!