Staying Safe in Summer Working Conditions

With the arrival of warmer weather, many organizations have transitioned to summer operations, including the maintenance of parks and public corridors, opening of seasonal recreation facilities, roadway maintenance and other capital related projects.  

Often, much of the work to be completed is assigned to temporary or part-time seasonal employees that may not have extensive experience performing the tasks assigned or be familiar with the equipment to be used.  In addition, while the summer season provides a welcome respite from cooler weather, there is often a tendency to sacrifice the use of proper personal protective equipment (PPE) for the sake of comfort when working in the heat.  

The risks associated with seasonal work can be significant.   There are a few key areas to review, that will improve the safety of our employees:

Safe operation of landscaping equipment 
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Thousands of people are injured each year while using landscaping equipment, as highlighted in the graph below. ​

The vast majority of these injuries are preventable, if we follow a few basic steps:
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• Inspect all equipment before each use.   This should include not only the mechanical operability of the equipment, but also safeguards, including lawn mower roll bars, blade guards and exhaust shields.
• Ensure maintenance is completed in accordance with the equipment manufacturers recommendations, and that all maintenance is documented when completed.
• With each piece of equipment, the required personal protective equipment (PPE) will vary.  Ensure employees are issued and understand how to correctly wear and use the appropriate PPE.  Two commonly overlooked elements of PPE are safety rated sunglasses and sunscreen or UPF rated clothing.
• At the end of work each day, ensure equipment is cleaned and properly stored, with any maintenance issues addressed before starting work the following day.  This can greatly reduce the likelihood of a fire occurring from the accumulation of wood dust and other combustible debris.

Manage heat exposure to avoid heat-related illness

It is easy to lose track of time while working in the sun and heat.  As the temperature climbs, so does the risk of heat-related illness, which includes heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat rash.  OSHA’s ‘Water. Rest. Shade.’ campaign provides useful tools to help identify and mitigate the risks to employees from heat exposure.  The impact of hot weather is magnified when working around large equipment, which can generate significant heat, and roadways.  OSHA recommends the following best practices:

• Provide workers with water, rest and shade.  This can include setting up canopy's at job sites with fans, portable air conditioners, ice machines, water coolers and electrolyte rich drinks like Gatorade.
• Scheduled breaks to ensure workers do not become overheated.  It is important to have employees rest before they become fatigued and dehydrated.  
• Train employees to watch out for each other, and to be aware of the common symptoms of heat-related exhaustion which include: Headache, dizziness or fainting, weakness, wet skin, irritability, thirst, nausea or vomiting.  
• Monitor weather conditions.  NIOSH provides a smart phone app to aid in monitoring the heat index.  It is also important to monitor to UV index, and ensure that employees are protected from the sun using sunblock or UPF rated clothing.

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Be alert and aware of your surroundings

Working outdoors all day does present some unique risks, which include:

• Adverse weather – Wind, rain, lightning, etc.
• Interactions with wildlife
• Exposure to insects and poisonous plants

Having a plan in place to mitigate these situations, can greatly improve the safety of employees while working outdoors.

CDC - Heat Related Illness Guide
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Lawn Mower Safety Checklist
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OSHA - Heat Safety Training Guide
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