Any kind of outdoor project presents its own set of safety risks that you should be wary of – especially if it’s what you do for a living as these safety risks become occupational hazards.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the importance of high quality personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect against risks to your health and safety. We’ll also introduce you to all the PPE essentials you should stock up on to stay safe when working outdoors.
Why is personal protective equipment (PPE) important?
When you’ve got an exciting outdoor project planned, it can be tempting to grab your tools and get stuck in straight away. However, it is crucial to ensure you’re equipped with all the necessary safety precautions first.
The most obvious reason why PPE is so important is that it prevents injury or you coming to any other kind of harm. Depending on the machinery you’re using, there could be sharp blades involved that are causing garden debris to move and create dust, which could reduce visibility and increase the risk of an accident. Or, you may be using various chemicals like fertilisers or pesticides, which can be harmful if you come into contact with or ingest them – so you must ensure that you are well shielded.
However, personal protective equipment – such as safety glasses, chainsaw trousers, helmets, and tool belts – can also contribute to your comfort and make your life a lot easier whilst you’re working, by:
- Ensuring you’re protected in all kinds of weather.
- Ensuring you can use your tools in the smoothest, safest way possible.
- Preventing severe reactions to chemicals.
- Offering you a space to keep essentials or replacement tool parts close to hand.
PPE equipment essentials
Now you’re clear on exactly why high quality PPE is so important, let’s explore some of the key accessories you need to kit yourself out with next time you’re planning a gardening, landscaping, or groundcare project.
Here at Hughie Willett Machinery, we’ve got you well covered with our comprehensive collection of personal protective equipment, including:
Safety glasses and other face protection
When it comes to PPE, one of the most important sets you can invest in includes safety goggles, face masks, and ear protection.
Face and eye protection is particularly crucial if you’re performing any kind of forestry or tree surgery to prevent debris from landing on your face and injuring your eyes or skin. However, we would advise wearing safety goggles for any kind of outdoor project just to be on the safe side. Face masks are also important when using chemicals to prevent the ingestion or inhalation of toxic substances.
If you’re a frequent user of strimmers, pruners, or even lawnmowers, you understand how noisy these tools can be. Ear defenders protect your hearing when you’re using loud machinery, and reduce the risks associated with developing conditions such as tinnitus.
Top tip: cover all your bases in one easy purchase when you pick a face mask with inbuilt ear defenders – perfect to keep all your PPE equipment in one place.
Gardening gloves
To protect your hands, we recommend investing in a high-quality pair of gardening gloves made from a dense and durable waterproof material. Thorns, sharp tools, broken branches, and chemicals all pose a risk to you when working outdoors and gloves are a simple but effective way to keep yourself safe.
It’s especially important to wear gloves if you already have a cut or open wound on your hand to reduce the risk of infection or further irritation of the injury.
Belts and braces
Designed for a variety of functions, belts and braces are an underrated piece of PPE that can make a big difference to the way you work. For example, braces are designed to keep other PPE, such as chainsaw trousers, in place and create a secure, comfortable fit so they can perform their protective function properly while you work.
Tool belts can help improve outdoor safety by providing you with a handy place to store and access smaller tools while you’re working at height or amongst the trees. A tool belt will also reduce the number of times you have to climb up and down ladders to gather more supplies, and can reduce any overstretching to reach the tools you require – preventing you from potentially falling or injuring yourself as a result.
Chainsaw trousers
Chainsaw trousers (chainsaw chaps or chainsaw pants) are trousers made from a durable, protective material that is manufactured to be resistant to tears and penetration. As the name suggests, they are specifically designed to be worn when using a chainsaw.
Some types of chainsaw trousers include padded inserts made from thick foam or specialist fibres that will jam the chainsaw's chain on contact. This protects your legs if an accident were to happen and reduces the chance of serious injury.
Although chainsaw pants are technically designed to be worn when operating a chainsaw, they also offer effective protection when operating any kind of gardening or groundcare tool such as a hedge trimmer or brushcutter. They even help protect your legs from sharp branches or any other potentially harmful organic material – so it’s well worth investing in a pair for any outdoor work.
Helmets
Whether you’re climbing high for tree surgery or are down on the ground, a helmet is an effective way to protect your head, eyes, face, and ears for outdoor work. For ultimate functionality and complete protection, look out for helmets that are equipped with attachments for mounting headlamps, ear muffs, and visors.
Other key features to look for when shopping for a safety helmet include:
- High-visibility colour and/or reflective accents.
- Ventilation.
- Quick-dry, anti-allergy materials.
- Visor screens with anti-glare protection.
- Adjustable sizing.
- Rain veil.
General outdoor safety tips
Alongside choosing the right personal protective equipment, there are some simple measures you can take to reduce the risks of injury when you’re gardening, landscaping, and working with groundcare machinery.
Wear suitable clothing
PPE is incredibly important – but so are the regular clothes you choose to wear when you’re working outdoors.
As well as your protective pants, gloves, and face protection, we recommend wearing long sleeved thick clothing and closed-toe shoes to protect yourself from cuts, insect bites, stings, and exposing your skin to chemicals. You should also wear tight-fitting clothing where possible – loose, baggy garments with fabric hanging off are more likely to get caught and trapped in machinery which will lead to injuries.
Read groundcare tool manuals before use
Knowing how to use and handle tools correctly is important when it comes to your safety. Never start using any tool without reading the instruction manual carefully first, especially if you’re a beginner or inexperienced gardener. If you’re still unclear after that, contact us online, or call 0121 308 1262 to speak to a member of our team who will be happy to answer any queries.
Conduct regular equipment maintenance
Equipment maintenance isn’t just to help your tools last longer and save you some money in the long run – it’s also a key part of working safely. Improper assembly, damaged parts, or loose connections are all safety hazards that can be avoided when you regularly check your equipment for faults.
We recommend doing light maintenance with every use of your machinery, whilst you should conduct more in-depth checks at least once a month depending on the frequency with which you use a tool. This is especially true for bladed tools, and those with electrical connections, as they can pose serious life threatening injury if not properly maintained.
Top tip: always keep blades sharp to prevent any accidents happening as a result of tools. Blunt blades are actually more dangerous than sharp blades, as they will make your tools more inefficient and harder to operate, putting you at a higher risk of misuse and injury.
Be cautious around chemicals
If you plan to use chemicals such as pesticides, fertiliser, or weed killer, make sure to read the product label carefully first and follow instructions meticulously. Always wear the correct protective gear (such as goggles and a face mask) when handling chemicals, and make sure to store them in a secure place, out of reach of pets and children, when not in use.
Top tip: keep chemicals out of direct sunlight, in a cool, dark place for maximum safety.
Wear sunscreen and insect repellant
Soaking up the sun when you’re working outdoors might be one of your favourite things to do but it’s essential to stay protected whilst you work. Wear a high-factor SPF when you’re working outside to prevent sunstroke, sunburn, and long-term skin damage.
If there are lots of bugs flying or crawling around, wear an insect repellant to fend against bites and stings to make working outside more comfortable – and to prevent you getting distracted whilst using your tools.
Safety first with Hughie Willett Machinery
As a supplier of industry-leading groundcare machinery and landscaping tools, we understand that you need to be safe when you’re working outside. That’s why we have a top quality range of PPE from leading brands such as Stihl and Husqvarna for you to choose from.
Have more questions about your safety equipment requirements? Contact us online, or call 0121 308 1262 to speak to a member of our team who will be happy to answer any queries.
Find garden & groundcare essentials at Hughie Willett Machinery
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