during 2004 around 300,000
people in the UK attended
hospital following accidents in the
garden
The lawnmower tops the list with 6,500 lawnmower related
accidents reported each year and surprisingly 5,300 accidents
involving flowerpots were recorded. These involved
falls, cuts and lifting injuries. To avoid becoming one
of these statistics yourself follow these common sense
safety precautions:
-
Don't
take shortcut, make sure you are suitably skilled
for the task
-
Plan and
prepare well before starting
-
Design
your garden to reduce the need for maintenance and
lifting
-
Lay
paving with good grip underfoot
-
Don't
walk on paving if it is icy and slippery
-
Fix
uneven paving slabs to avoid tripping
-
Put the
hose away after each use
-
Don't
leave sharp tools lying around
-
Keep all
tools and machines locked away from children
-
Empty
paddling pools when children have finished playing
-
Identify
poisonous plants and keep children and pets away
from them
-
Don't use
electrical equipment in the rain
-
Always
use an RCD (residual current device) to prevent
electric shocks
-
Keep all
weedkillers and insecticides locked away from
children
-
Wear all
the recommended safety equipment when using
machinery
-
Tuck in
loose items of clothing when using machinery
-
Never
leave a barbecue unattended
-
Ensure
barbecues have been extinguished before going to bed
-
See our
barbecue
page for more information
-
If in
doubt call in a professional
-
Avoid
garden ponds if your children are under five
-
If you do
have a pond consider filling it in, if this is not
possible then
-
Put
the pond where it can be seen from the house
-
Design it with sloping edges so there are no
sudden drops
-
Cover
the pond with mesh or grills
-
Put a
fence around larger ponds to reduce access to
children
-
Grow
plants around the edges to stop children getting
too close
-
When
using a ladder ensure that the ladder is long enough
to avoid stretching
-
Don't
overstretch to the sides of the ladder
-
Ensure
the ladder is sound
-
Keep the
rungs clean and dry
-
Ensure
the ladder has rubber feet to stop it slipping
-
Always
keep one hand on the ladder when working
-
If
possible have someone hold the ladder steady for you
Gardens
can be a great source of pleasure and relaxation but 