26 April 2011
With the weather fast improving and evenings getting longer it's no surprise that many of us will be enjoying the opportunity to do a spot of gardening – but did you know the potential dangers involved?
That's why doctors at Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals are calling on local people to use common sense and take steps to minimise the risks of injury as they take to their lawns in earnest.
With a trowel in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other, a leisurely potter around the garden may seem idyllic. Yet according to figures published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, roughly 87,000 of us each year will require hospital attention for accidents sustained through gardening or carrying out DIY jobs in the garden.
Mr Amir Hassan is a consultant in the A&E (accident and emergency) department at St Helier Hospital. He said: "Your garden is potentially full of hazards, most of them introduced by yourself. It's hardly surprising that the majority of accidents involve lawnmowers, but these are safe if used correctly and with a modicum of care.
"It is crucial that your electric mower has a 'residual current device', which will cut the power in the event of an accident, or even something as simple as running over the cable. By the same token, if you do need to perform a spot of maintenance on your mower, make sure it’s unplugged first."
On average, hospitals see 300,000 people a year as a consequence of incidents that occur in the garden for whatever reason. Statistics suggest that, children aside, men aged between 30 and 60 are the most likely to suffer an accident in the garden. Alongside lawnmowers, other garden tools featuring in the 'most dangerous' top ten include pruners, spades, forks, hedge trimmers, hoses – and flowerpots.
Mr Hassan continued: "You may laugh, but flowerpots, plant tubs and troughs are the second highest contributor to the garden-based accident tally. You can hurt your back quite badly if you use poor technique to move them about, and of course, they make for easy obstacles to trip over if you’re not careful.
"Finally, I would also advise those amongst us who have a less than full head of hair to put on a hat whilst gardening in the sun; a sunburnt scalp can be very, very painful."
Top tips to stay safe in the garden this summer
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Wear gloves when using shears, pruners, secateurs and other bladed instruments;
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When cleaning or checking your lawnmower make sure the power is off at the plug;
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Try to avoid wearing shorts and sandals when mowing the lawn;
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Tools and chemicals (herbicide, pesticide) should be cleared away and out of reach from children when not being used;
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Reduce the risk of contact with chemicals by wearing long-sleeved shirts, eye protectors and face-masks when spraying;
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Cover up or use sunblock of factor 15 or higher when out in the sun.
