Looking after yourself

Your body is your most important and valuable gardening tool. The following suggestions can help prevent injury or undue stress when gardening:

Always respect pain. Pain is the body’s warning sign that something isn’t right. When a garden activity causes pain, STOP. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Poor posture can lead to pain, fatigue, and strains. Don’t sit slouched over while you garden and don’t rest your weight on one leg or arm while you work.

Avoid staying in one position too long. Switch tasks often, going from bending jobs like picking beans and reaching jobs like trimming a vine. Bend, stretch, and move around often to avoid stiffness.

Repetitive tasks can lead to injury; trying to hoe just one more row or pull just a few more weeds—can cause inflammation, tenderness, and pain in joints.

Ensure correct ergonomics when gardening. Bend at the knees and hips when lifting. This takes strain off the back. Kneel on a foam rubber or similar soft cushion when performing back bending work like weeding. Use the strongest and largest joints and muscles for the job. Use your legs, not your back, when digging or lifting. Use your forearm and elbow, not your wrist or fingers, when using a trowel. Use your palms to push levers or tools, not your fingers.

If necessary, use splints, supports, and assistive devices whenever possible, but always consult with your doctor or therapist first as you could be causing more damage by using them.

Always read and follow all manufacturers’ labels for safety tips and instructions.

Careless use of tools, or using at tasks, for which they were not designed, is asking for trouble.

When using any tool – and especially power tools – be sure that you understand its operation thoroughly and always wear the correct safety equipment.

Keep blades clean and sharp, not only on knives and pruning shears, but on shovels, trowels, and hoes as well. Dull tools take more force to use and cause fatigue not to mention the danger of slipping.

Look after your fingers. Tools can pinch or cut them and the repetitive use of the finger, such as in pressing a squeeze-trigger spray bottle, can cause damage to tendons and joints as well as blisters and segs.. Alternate finger-intensive activity with less demanding hand tasks or switch from finger to finger as you work.

Watch hands and wrists, which are particularly susceptible to tendinitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Repeated grip-and-release movements, like those used in operating pruning shears, are a prime cause of hand and wrist discomfort. Switch from pruning to less hand-intensive work frequently or alternate which hand you use.

Carrying heavy objects like watering containers can cause hand and wrist injury, especially if handles bite into flesh and cut off circulation. Make sure all handles and carrying straps are thick enough to provide you with a comfortable grip. Add comfortable, non-slip padding wherever necessary.

Protect elbows and shoulders from damage caused by excessive twisting and reaching. If you garden from a sitting position, make sure your work surface is low enough that you won’t have to raise your hands above your shoulders.

Protect yourself from the effects of the sun. Wear lightweight clothing, long sleeved shirt, big brimmed hat, eye protection, sunscreen of at least SPF 15, and other protective gear. Avoid being out between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Drink plenty of decaffeinated fluids to prevent dehydration. Also, allow time for breaks in the shade.

Try using an ergonomic, enabling, or adapted tool to make the gardening work easier on you.

Do not be misled into believing that by simply avoiding pesticides and herbicides you avoid health risks. This is not the case. Consider a number of areas of care. Treat fresh manures and mulches carefully as disease bacteria may be transmitted into the body. Avoid the risk by wearing a pair of gloves and even a dust mask if the manure is dry. Preferably compost or brew manure in water for 3 - 4 weeks to fertilise later. Brewing manures creates a smelly problem. Cover the brew to avoid flies. Take care when pouring such liquid and keep stored material away from children.

Always shower and wash your hair after using sprays or spreading dry manures etc. Wash clothing that has been worn for these tasks separately.

Wear solid boots and long pants, preferably tight fitting. Preferably wear boots all the time in the garden to prevent damage to your feet from wire or sharp objects. Protect ears with earmuffs or ear plugs.

Childrens safety in the garden

To avoid the worst kind of accidents, parents, grandparents and carers of young children are urged to remember:-

Ponds look very nice but are a magnet for attractring the attention of children. Always fit a solid mesh grid just below the water surface to prevent children falling in.
paddling pools can be great fun but toddlers can drown in just a few inches of water. Always empty them immediately after use, and cover them up;
if you have a barbecue, do not forget it can be three times hotter than boiling water and can scald and burn a child in seconds; and,
never leave sharp tools particularly power tools lying around where children may get hold of them.

Listed below are other tips for making your garden a safer place:

children can easily slip out through holes in fences, walls and gates and get on to busy roads so make sure they are kept in good repair;
swings and climbing frames should be securely fixed, well maintained and not placed on hard surfaces like gravel or near glass greenhouses;
broken or uneven paths and steps cause tens of thousands of nasty accidents every year so keep them clean and well maintained;
teach children not to play in garden sheds which should be used to lock away dangerous chemicals like weedkillers, sharp tools and electrical equipment;
unplug electrical equipment when not in use, never use it in the wet and keep it in good repair. Fitting a RCD (residual current device) could save a life;
always keep an eye on children when they are playing with animals and make sure your animals are kept under control;
make sure you know which plants in your garden are poisonous and keep them out of reach of young children