Safety first

Chemicals can be dangerous when they’re not used properly and keeping your crews and clients safe should be a priority for any business owner.

Bob Mann, director of state and local government relations for the National Association of Landscape Professionals says that while large lawn care companies often have the safety side of applications handled, smaller crews can and should be implementing the same practices.

He offered a few suggestions for safe application processes.

The owner’s manual – open it. “There are so many things inside a machines owner’s manual. They are in there to keep you safe,” he says. Mann says techs need to understand the limits of their machinery before they operate them.

Know your area. Keeping machine limits in mind, it’s important for a technician to be fully aware of any hazardous areas they may come across on a jobsite. “Most of these (machines) aren’t designed for slopes,” he says. “And when grass is wet, it gets slippery.” Being aware of the terrain can avoid injury and even potential fatalities when operating a piece of lawn care equipment. And, it can also help avoid spills.  “You need to have some respect for the machine,” Mann says.

Labels are the law. You must always follow the law. Mann admits it’s a whole new challenge trying to get someone to actually read the label, but he says that a business’s long-term survival in the lawn care industry is reliant upon the proper use and expertise of the products and equipment used.  

Be prepared. If you have a spill or an incident on the job and you weren’t prepared for it to happen, you’ve already lost. “Have a spill kit in the truck, ready to clean up whatever you are using on the job,” Mann says. And, it’s going to help if you have a compiled list of labels and chemicals you might be using in case first responders are needed on the scene. “Other’s should be able to see this list if you’re not available,” he says.

Stress the safety. Ultimately, it’s up to the owners and managers to convey the importance of safe application practices. Mann says safety and training always need to be part of the discussion, whether it’s a new hire or a seasoned tech at a monthly meeting.