Grounds Maintenance Safety

Course Description:

Grounds maintenance workers keep the grounds of houses, businesses, universities, parks, and public infrastructure attractive, orderly, and healthy for a pleasant outdoor environment. Jobs include lawn installation and care, landscaping, planting and caring for trees and shrubs, and pesticide application, and some work involves building or repairing walkways and retaining walls and installing lighting or sprinkler systems. The work can be dangerous. Deaths related to the work are uncommon, but it does result in injuries and illnesses that can be prevented with proper training and practice of safety measures.

Key Points:

Recognize the hazards involved with grounds maintenance work;

Recall best practices for safely using power equipment and tools and working with hazardous materials;

Describe appropriate personal protective equipment, or PPE, to use for the work task at hand;

List measures to prevent injuries from slips and falls;

Describe measures to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.; and

List the steps to respond in emergencies.