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Hazard identification and assessment can be challenging on any work site. It is important that you and your entire crew are included in the hazard assessment process to capture differing perspectives and experiences, to identify as many hazards as possible.

Every work site has different hazards, and these hazards may change from day to day and sometimes hourly. Stay alert. As a lawn maintenance operator, you are responsible for identifying any changing conditions that can create a hazard and for making sure the risk is manageable before continuing work, and until the work is done.

A thorough inspection of lawn maintenance equipment such as a mower or trimmer, must be conducted before lawn maintenance equipment is started at the beginning of each work shift, work location, or more frequently if prescribed in the operator’s manual.

Use checklists to perform regular visual, physical inspections and functional inspections. Should any defects be found, the equipment should not be used, and the appropriate person(s) notified of the concerns.

Developing safe work habits before, during, and after machinery operation helps you avoid incidents on the job.

Developing safe work habits before, during and after equipment operation, helps you avoid incidents on the job.

As the lawn maintenance equipment operator, you have sole responsibility for the equipment you operate. It is your responsibility to carry out tasks safely and efficiently. Your employer and your co-workers are counting on your commitment to safe operations and skills to complete tasks. Establishing good habits early and maintaining a consistent focused approach to safe operations of the lawn maintenance equipment is critical.

Once work is completed, it is your responsibility to make sure that your lawn maintenance equipment cannot be used by unauthorized persons and that it is left in good working condition.

Post-trip equipment inspections are an important part of your safety responsibilities as a lawn maintenance professional. They help to protect the equipment from damage and the next operator from injury.

One of the most important factors in being successful at work is having strong trusting relationships with your co-workers, staff and managers. Although a supervisor can set the tone, it’s important for all employees to work together to support safety in the work site. How can supervisors build trust? (Hint: it involves communication.)

Content Warning: The following videos contain details of fatal incidents involving lawn maintenance workers, that readers may find disturbing. 

Each of the tragic events presented here occurred in Alberta and took the life of a young lawn maintenance professional. They exemplify the dangers posed by lawn maintenance equipment, especially when working around slopes and water bodies.

It’s easy to become complacent in training and we hope these stories will serve as a powerful reminder to follow all safety procedures and protocols and to ask questions if anything isn’t right.