The Dangers of Gardening
When there are children around, be careful not to leave gardening tools lying about. This is one of the most common sources of accidents in French gardens.
We immediately think of the lawnmower, but even a simple step-ladder can become dangerous. Turn your back five minutes and you can be sure that one of your children will try to climb it (see photo). They are just trying to imitate daddy, but this may end up badly.
But accidents don’t only happen to children. Who has never held his hedge clippers with one hand while trying to hold back branches with the other ?
Here are some reminders of obvious things to think about :
- Unplug all electrical appliances (like hedge clippers, chain saws, drills and of course, the lawnmower) when you need to go somewhere else, even for a few minutes.
- Never put your hand under the lawnmower, or even your foot, to remove the grass which blocks the blades, even if it is not running.
- Never leave garden tools like spades or the rake lying against the wall. Put them away systematically.
- Put small cutting tools like knives, secateurs, gardening shears, etc.. on the top shelves of your cupboards.
- Put dangerous products like white spirit, petrol, alcohol, out of reach.
- When using a grinder, wear protective gloves and goggles as bits can be rapidly projected from the machine at the opening.
- Even a wheelbarrow can become dangerous when it is used to do the chores.
- Hold your hedge clippers with two hands and not one when holding back branches. This is a classic accident.
- Don’t leave electical extensions lying around. Electrocution or electric shocks often happen.
- Don’t forget to vaccinate yourself against tetanos regularly.
- Be careful that small children don’t fall into your pond and drown. When there is water around, never leave children alone. This goes for swimming pools, which must be protected by a barrier which closes automatically and which must be at least 1.2 metres high.
- Be careful of poisoning from fruit or toxic leaves : the leaves of holly, foxgloves and rhododendrons are poisonous. Wash your hands after handling vegetation.
- Treat your vegetation with products on days when there is no wind.