A large number of people worldwide and in South Africa regularly have to receive medical attention after having an accident in the garden. Some of these accidents can even be fatal.

Gardening injuries

The lawnmower tops the list of the most dangerous pieces of garden equipment, with thousands of lawnmower-related accidents reported each year. Surprisingly, the innocuous flowerpot is the second most dangerous tool, causing accidents, with falls, cuts and lifting injuries some of the most common types of accident recorded.

Many of the following points might sound like common sense, but it’s incredible how many people end up in hospital because they haven’t taken basic safety precautions in the garden.

Why accidents happen?

    • People take shortcuts when installing garden walls and other objects
    • Lack of skill or training to ensure that the job is done safely
    • Ignorance of potential risks
    • Lack of planning and preparation
    • And, of course, bad luck: being in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Making your garden safer

You can help to avoid accidents by following some simple guidelines:

    • Design a garden so that it reduces the need for high maintenance and lifting
    • Avoid trip hazards such as loose paving slabs, hosepipes left unravelled or uneven surfaces
    • Use surfaces that provide a good grip underfoot
    • Avoid the garden, if possible, when conditions are wet and slippery
    • Do not leave sharp tools lying around. Lock them away from children
    • Empty paddling pools after children have finished playing in them
    • Learn which plants are poisonous and ensure children and pets stay away from them or, even better, get rid of them
    • Electrical equipment should never be used in wet weather
    • Use an RCD (residual current device or trip switch) to prevent electric shocks. It cuts out the flow of electricity when a cable or flex is cut through, especially when you use an electric-driven lawnmower)
    • Lock away chemicals such as weed killers and insecticides. Just because they have the words ‘organic’ or ‘bio’ on them, does not make them safe for children to touch
    • Wear safety equipment – such as goggles, hard hats, gloves and steel toe capped boots – when using machinery. Tuck in loose-fitting items of clothing
    • Never leave a braai (barbeque) unattended and make sure the flames are extinguished before going to bed
    • If you are in the least bit unsure about the safety of tackling a job, call in professionals
    • When using a ladder, ensure that the ladder is long enough to avoid stretching. Don’t overstretch to the sides of the ladder. Ensure that the ladder is sound and that it has rubber feet to prevent it from slipping. Always keep one hand on the ladder when working. If possible. have someone hold the ladder steady for you

Our Employee Wellbeing Programme (EAP) is available 24 hours a day if you want to know more about garden safety.