Safety Archives - The Edge from the National Association of Landscape Professionals

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Safety

How I Do It: Improving My Fleet Safety Program

Michael Hatcher & Associates, based in Olive Branch, Mississippi, has a fleet of over 70 vehicles on the road every day. They have achieved an average annual reduction of 95% in the cost of their auto claims and an 87% reduction in the frequency of auto claims. This is in part thanks to their partnership […]

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How I Do It: Creating a Safety Champion Program

Environmental Management, Inc. (EMI), based in Plain City, Ohio, recently created a safety champion program in an effort to increase their teamā€™s engagement and focus on safety. ā€œIt’s hard to have people be engaged with safety,ā€ says Joe Payne, environmental health and safety associate director for EMI. ā€œA lot of people were just like, ā€˜Oh, […]

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High Standards, High Rewards: Creating a Drug-Free Workplace at Your Landscape Company

Adding a drug-free workplace policy to your lawn or landscape company can be intimidating if youā€™re afraid youā€™ll lose your employees. Rob Ambler, president ofĀ Ambler Industries, based in Furlong, Pennsylvania,Ā says it was this fear that stopped him from enacting a drug-free workplace policy sooner. ā€œYou canā€™t start it fast enough,ā€ Ambler says. ā€œProfessionally, it was […]

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How I Do It: BrightView Steps Up Safety with Work Boot Initiative

The right pair of work boots is an underappreciated but vital part of a landscape employeeā€™s personal protective equipment. This year, BrightView, headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, recognized the importance of high-quality footwear and partnered with Red Wing Shoes to equip over 18,000 BrightView employees with new boots. This program, known as Stepping It Up […]

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Common OSHA Safety Violations to Avoid

The Occupational Safety and Health Administrationā€™s mission is to ensure workers have safe and healthy working conditions. As such, they conduct workplace inspections regularly and when standard violations are found, citations and monetary penalties are issued. Below is a list of some of the frequently cited OSHA standards for landscape businesses from October 2022 through […]

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Six Safety Steps to Control Overhead Costs

Putting safety first in your lawn and landscape company has numerous benefits. Not only are your team members able to return home safely each day, but reducing accidents and injuries also lowers overhead costs like downtime, workers’ comp and insurance premiums. You may not be able to prevent incidents from happening entirely, but taking a […]

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Safety Culture: Cultivating Cybersecurity Awareness Within Your Team

As technology becomes more commonplace within your landscape company, the importance of cybersecurity awareness only increases. Whether your team is using software to schedule appointments, create client estimates or tablets in the field to take property notes, all of these have the potential to be exploited if you are not educating your staff on the […]

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Safety Culture: Mitigating Tick and Mosquito Bites

Landscaping allows your team to enjoy being in the great outdoors, but it also increases the likelihood theyā€™ll encounter pests like ticks and mosquitoes. These insects may carry bacteria, parasites or viruses, which is why itā€™s so important for your team to be aware of where they are more likely to appear, how to mitigate […]

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Strategic Risk Management: Exploring the Viability of Captive Insurance for Landscape Businesses

If your lawn or landscape company is operating safely and efficiently, it can be frustrating as your insurance rates continue to rise despite your lack of individual claims. One alternative to traditional insurance is to participate in a captive insurance program. In a traditional insurance model, businesses purchase policies from independent carriers, and then the […]

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Protecting Your Business: Ingraining Defensive Driving Tactics

Even with the best route density, your crews spend a significant amount of time behind the wheel. One way to help reduce the risk of accidents occurring while theyā€™re out in the field is to train them in defensive driving tactics. ā€œNo matter how skilled a driver is, the road is littered with potential hazards, […]

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