Extension

Firefighters don’t rush into a burning building without the proper protective clothing. Gardeners should also wear the right protective clothing when taking care of landscaping tasks. Appropriate safety precautions will help ensure gardeners operate lawn care equipment safely.

 

Safety Glasses

Safety glasses will help protect your eyes from debris and dust hazards. Lawn equipment such as mowers, trimmers and blowers dislodge debris that can be propelled at high speed. Safety glasses provide better protection than standard sunglasses or non-impact-resistant eyeglasses. When shopping for high-impact-resistance glasses, look for those marked with ANSI Z87+. Also, look for glasses with side shield protection to help lower the risk of debris that may enter from the sides of the eyewear. If you wear prescription glasses, wear safety glasses over them.

 

Face Shields

Any gardener who has operated a weed eater, lawn mower, chainsaw or leaf blower knows how much debris gets in the air and how quickly it moves. A face shield will protect your face from flying debris. Like with safety glasses, look for a face shield marked with ANSI Z87+. For the best protection, pair the face shield with safety glasses.

 

Footwear

Steel-toe boots are recommended while operating lawn equipment such as a lawn mower or string trimmer. These boots will help protect your feet from unseen hazards. In addition, steel-toe footwear will help protect gardeners’ feet from an accidentally dropped heavy rock or from puncture due to stepping on a sharp object.

 

Protective Clothing

Anytime gardeners are operating lawn equipment, wear long sleeves and long pants. This type of clothing will help protect against flying debris by taking the brunt of the impact. Plus, long sleeves and pants will help protect gardeners from sun exposure. Make sure the clothing isn’t baggy to avoid getting caught in machinery. Also, avoid wearing rings, necklaces or other jewelry that could get caught in equipment.

 

Mouth and Hands

No one likes the taste of dirt, so wearing a bandana or dust mask over the mouth and nose helps minimize inhalation of dust, especially in drier conditions. Gloves are helpful to protect the hands when working on equipment. They’re also suitable for protecting hands from harmful UV rays.

 

Ear Protection

Working with loud equipment in the landscape can be as harmful to your ears as sitting front row at a concert. It’s going to be noisy. Earplugs or safety earmuffs are good for gardeners to use for ear protection. Lawnmowers, string trimmers and blowers can cause damage to your eardrums and even cause hearing loss later in life. Depending on the equipment being used, look for ear protection with a noise reduction rating of 12 to 25 dBA or more.