Menu
When looking to improve and beautify the general state of a garden, power tools such as cordless hedge and grass trimmers, lawnmowers, chainsaws, and blowers are typically the most popular choices. This is because they are not only affordable but can completely transform your outside space relatively simply and with minimal effort.
However, when working with these types of power tools, safety is vital, as if you’re not adequately prepared, they can be quite dangerous. Here, we’ll be highlighting some of the more powerful and specialized tools available for garden enthusiasts and the safety considerations that should be made before purchasing and before use.
First of all, ensure all small children and animals are as far away as possible before bringing out the trimmer because they make a lot of noise and could cause serious injury. For your own gardening safety, meanwhile, always make sure you’re wearing thick gloves, goggles a hard hat and ear protectors, as well as some heavy boots, preferably with steel toe caps. Never use a trimmer in wet weather and if you’re using a corded tool, always sling the cord over your shoulder to ensure there’s no chance of it getting caught in the blades. Also, use both hands at all times and don’t try to overreach because that’s generally when accidents happen.
Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-cutting-tress-using-chainsaw-209229/
Chainsaws can be incredibly useful tools for clearing space in your garden but they are also notoriously dangerous if used improperly. First, always watch out for kickback, which caused the saw to be pushed backward and can really make a mess of your hands. Gloves are of course mandatory, but even the thickest of gloves might not be able to protect you if the chain breaks. Generally speaking, if you feel uncomfortable handling a chainsaw you’re better off leaving it to the professionals.
Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/feet-summer-working-garden-4162011/
While they might be seen as pretty standard garden power tools, lawnmowers can actually be rather dangerous. Obviously, battery-powered or petrol lawnmowers are safer than their electrical counterparts as there are no leads to run across but even with these models, you could have a nasty accident if you’re trying to unclog the blades and they haven’t stopped spinning yet. Also, always wait until the grass is completely dry before cutting the lawn. That’s safe gardening 101.
Jet blowers are typically used to clear large amounts of leaves, dusting and other natural debris in the garden but can also be utilized for clearing light snow, dispersing gutter blockages and even drying surfaces. Many variants of the blower are lightweight, easy to use and come with a number of settings that can be adjusted to the task at hand. Other considerations are key to using a blower effectively. For example, choosing the right time of day with no rain or wind will speed up the job considerably. One final point to consider is working around flower beds and other fragile nature. Due to the power of some blowers, it might be sensible to lower the settings or avoid using the power tool around certain garden features.
No garden is impervious to weeds and other invasive plant species. Chemical sprayers typically come in the form of a manual handheld pump, but powered chemical foggers have recently hit the consumer market which can make quick work of getting rid of weeds. Fogger power tools slightly differ to sprayers in the fact that they disperse pesticides that cover a specific area and can be used to control bug species such as fleas and other pests. Understanding the type of pesticide you are using is crucial in the garden should you be looking to grow vegetables and other foods.
While it’s not always necessary to cut branches and reduce trees and bushes, the use of a powered pruning saw can make quick work of small pruning jobs on larger foliage. While a pruning saw is typically smaller than a professional cutting tool, it’s intended use still warrants safety knowledge they normally features a singular straight blade as well as a curved ‘hook’ blade which is used to anchor the tool to a branch for stability whilst cutting. Variants of the tool allow the user to fold each blade into a safety position so consider this if you are looking to use whilst on ladders or handling in trickier situations.
