It’s important to remember that accidents can occur and wearing the right safety gear when mowing is paramount.
Lawn Mowing Safety Gear
We’ve all seen it, whether it be your dad, your neighbour or even yourself – rocking the stubbies, boots, flanno or your old footy jersey whilst doing the mowing. Chuck in some footy socks and you have the look down pat.
As good as this look is, it’s important to remember that accidents can occur and wearing the right safety gear when mowing is paramount.
Here’s the key personal protective equipment (PPE) we recommend:
- Footwear
- Eyewear
- Hearing protection
Leg Protection
Long close-fitting thick pants are a must when operating a lawn mower. Long pants help protect you from flying debris. Assuring the pants are close-fitting reduced the risk of them getting caught on hedges, branches etc.
Foot Protection
It is important to wear sturdy, closed-toed, non-slip safety shoes. Try to find snug shoes with no laces to prevent the chance of entanglement with equipment, hedges and bushes. It is important not to go barefoot or wear such shoes as tennis shoes as they can be easily severed if caught under the mowing deck.
Face/Eye Protection
It is vital to assure you have the correct face and eye protection when operating a lawn mower. Safety glasses or goggles are a must to help protect from flying debris. Face masks are even better protection and help keep your whole face safe. Dusk masks are also recommended usually during dryer seasons or when mowing areas which have a high amount of loose sand.
Hearing Protection
To help prevent harm to your hearing, it is important to wear good quality ear muffs or ear plugs. Ear muffs/plugs help to reduce the noise from your mower as it can often be very loud and prolonged use could cause harm. It is also important not to listen to portable music players during operation as they are a distraction.
Hand Protection
Safety gloves help to protect your hands from scratches, blisters and cut. They also help give you a firmer grip on your tools. Wearing the correct hand protection is a must for most landscaping and garden maintenance so it’s important to get a high-quality pair.
Thousands of injuries are caused every year due to incorrect use of lawn mowers and lack of safety precautions. One of the best ways to help reduce the risk posed by lawn mowers is to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
Check out the Lawn Solutions Australia lawn care page for more helpful tips and advice here.
