We all know it’s summertime, and we have all been that person that stands out in the sun just five more minutes to get a job done.
However, sometimes it’s important to put the tools down and walk away for a minute.
Landscapers all have crewmembers and managers who don’t know when to quit. “Just five more minutes” they say sounding quite similar to a five year old close to bedtime.
Don’t blame your employee for wanting to work harder to make your business succeed.
Sometimes, landscapers might need to play leader rather than boss for a minute and encourage your employees to take breaks, drink water and get in the shade.
We can talk about skin cancer facts and heat exhaustion tips until we’re blue in the face, but it takes a good owner to monitor employees and carry out those tips.
Heat exhaustion can happen in a matter of minutes and skin cancer can be avoided by simple actions.
How to protect your employees:
1. Morning checklist. Even before crewmembers head to the jobsites in the morning, go over a quick safety check. Sunscreen? Hat? Bandana? Proper attire? Water?
2. Check up. Have your crew leader, manager or even yourself check every jobsite every day to monitor employees. A quick check in can tell you if employees are getting overheated.
3. Plan. Map out shady spots on each jobsite to have employees take breaks and eat their lunch.
4. Know when to work. Don’t have your employees out in the heat of the day, especially if no shade is readily available. Plan out job based on workload and the time of day.
Additional resources:
- How To Keep Crews Safe from the Sun
- Heat Exhaustion
- Three Tips to Avoid Heat Stress
- Reports of Skin Cancer Increase Drastically in U.S. Hispanic Population
- How To Avoid Heat-Related Illness
