Do you wear PPE mowing the Lawn? If no….WHY?

During audit, site inspections and visits to workplaces, I see workers wearing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) as per signage and/or company enforced policies/procedures.  But then when they get home the same behaviour is not applied.  Recently I asked a group of workers I was providing induction training to if they wear any PPE while mowing the lawn at home. The majority  answered NO….. my question then was ”why”?  No one could answer.

If a worker was to use a lawn mower in the workplace the minimum expectation for the worker would be:

• Wear closed in Foot Wear
• Have Eye and Hearing Protection
• Hat and sunscreen to be worn

All of us at some time is guilty of doing something unsafe, but Health and Safety should not start and stop in the workplace.  Its important that the same practices applied in the workplace are applied at home.

Recently (7th April) a Robina man received a fatal electric shock in the roof space of his inlaws home.  They found that although he had turned the main switch off before entering the roof space, he was electrocuted when he cut into the live mains feed into the house.   This man didn’t only put himself and family at risk, a paramedic trying to help the man also received an electric shock and was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

Safety doesn’t start and stop at the workplace, it needs to be in the forefront of everyone’s mind at all times.

If you would like to know more, or would like a no obligation chat please call me on 0413 917722 or send me an email on cheryl@zeroexposure.com.au