Tips for amateur gardeners

Now many people spend their free time in their own gardens, where they harvest vegetables and tend ornamental shrubs, for example. For many, this is a welcome change from the stress of everyday life. But accidents also happen while gardening, more than 14,000 per year. In around 400 cases, a serious injury or even disability is the result. Many falls or cuts happen because of a lack of routine, inadequate equipment, wet weather, fatigue or negligence.

Safety package

To ensure that gardening does not become a health risk, the bfu has developed a Video produced with useful tips. The video is part of a communication package aimed in particular at small and medium-sized enterprises. This "SafetyKit"also includes a poster, a presentation, and a flyer with a small gift for employees. In this way, employers can make their employees aware of sources of danger outside of work. After all, anyone who has an accident during their free time - for example while Gardening - is missing later in the operation.

To reduce the risk of accidents in your own garden, the bfu recommends the following measures:

• For work at height, use a stable ladder and place it on a level surface. If you use an extension ladder, fix the upper end to a branch.
• Before using an electrical appliance for the first time, read the instructions carefully. When you take a break, unplug the appliance.
• Sockets to which you connect equipment for outdoor use must be fitted with a residual current device (RCD) in accordance with Electrosuisse standards. Especially in wet areas, this provides additional protection.
• Always use the appropriate protective equipment: closed and solid shoes, safety glasses, gloves and - if it gets loud - hearing protection.
• If you use corrosive garden chemicals, wear the necessary protective equipment, such as gloves, safety goggles or even a mask. Keep chemicals in the original container - securely closed and out of reach of children.

Text: bfu

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