Savvy Landscaping: Landscape Design, Ideas, Photography, and More » Safety

Home improvement and landscape project tips

Jennifer — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:32:44 +0000

(ARA) – Fall can be a great time to take stock of your home and landscaping and make some improvements.

Richard Childress, owner of Childress Vineyards, Richard Childress Racing and the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team, has done his fair share of home improvement projects over the years and knows what it takes to get the job done. There are a lot of decisions and key steps that are part of the planning process for any project. Whether installing a pool, putting on an addition or simply planting trees or bushes, Childress has a few tips to help make the process safe and easy.

Don’t get caught off guard
Before starting your project, make sure you have a structurally sound design, the right materials for the job and the proper funding. You never want to find yourself part way through a project and realize you’ve not taken the proper planning measures to get the job done. Any one of these elements can set you back and cause major problems that could affect the completion of your project.

“You don’t want to be caught off guard by anything,” says Childress. “When we were creating the business plan for Childress Vineyards, one of the key components was coming up with a comprehensive environmental impact plan as it related to the chemicals that would be used in the vineyards. We were able to draw upon a similar plan that had been revised and improved over the years at Richard Childress Racing. Those lessons learned over time at RCR paid big dividends from the very beginning at Childress Vineyards.”

Call 8-1-1 before you dig
Nothing is worse than hitting an underground facility and knocking out power or gas to your entire neighborhood. You are risking injury to yourself and those around you in addition to potentially causing harm to the environment. Call 8-1-1 before you do any digging. A quick and easy call to 8-1-1 will connect you with a local One Call Center operator who will take down information about your dig location and notify the underground facility operators to contact you so they can mark underground utilities such as natural gas and oil pipelines below your project. Once the lines are marked, you can begin to dig confident that you know what’s below.

“Calling 8-1-1 is like having a spotter when you’re digging,” says Childress. “The spotter for the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team lets Kevin Harvick know whether or not it is clear before he makes a move on the track helping him to avoid a collision that would put everyone in jeopardy. 8-1-1 will help you make sure you’re clear to break ground and that you’re keeping your neighborhood safe.”

Take your time
Building projects are not a race and rushing can lead to both poor quality work and dangerous situations.

“Patience is important to the success and safety of your project,” says Childress. “When we broke ground at RCR many years ago, we knew it was going to be a long process, but we also knew that we wanted it done right and done well. That same focus and care can keep you, your love ones and neighbors safe while building a stable, beautiful structure for your home or business.”

These tips have helped Childress through numerous improvement projects and have lead to his success as a team owner in one of the top motorsports series in the world. So, next time you start a building or installation project or are looking to spruce up your landscape, be sure to plan ahead, call 8-1-1 before you dig, and take your time – and you will have a safe and successful project, too.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Is it Yard Graffiti or Not? How to Tell

Jennifer — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:35:01 +0000

(ARA) – Have you ever looked outside and noticed your neighbor’s front yard painted with colorful lines or covered with flags?

Despite its appearance, it’s not yard graffiti, but rather temporary markings to show the approximate location of underground utility lines on the property. Underground utility lines can be found in the front or backyard and include all of the service lines such as water, gas and communication lines that bring service from the street into your home.

The experts at the Common Grounds Alliance, an association dedicated to ensuring public safety through underground utility damage prevention practices, share their guide to the colorful markings:

* Red markings represent electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables.
* Yellow markings represent gas, oil, steam petroleum or gaseous materials.
* Orange markings represent communication, alarm or signal lines.
* Blue markings represent potable water lines.
* Green markings represent sewer and drain lines.
* Purple markings represent reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines.
* Pink markings represent temporary survey lines.
* White markings represent proposed excavation.

If you are planning a yard project that requires you to dig, follow your neighbor’s example and contact your local one call center by dialing 811 to have underground lines properly marked. Striking a single line can result in personal harm, costly fines, inconvenient outages or property damages.

No matter the type of project — installing a mailbox, putting in a fence, planting trees or shrubbery, building a patio or deck, excavating a new garden area — make sure to call 811 at least two business days prior to digging to have your site properly marked.

When you dial 811, a local one call center representative will collect your information and notify local utility companies of your intent to dig. A professional locator will then visit the dig site to mark the approximate location of all underground utility lines with spray paint or flags. Once your digging site has been marked, it is safe to begin digging around the marked areas.

Contact your local one call center at 811 before every dig, or visit www.Call811.com for more safe digging and state-specific information.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Yard Work Accidents are Common This Time of Year – Here are 7 Tips to Stay Safe

Jennifer — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:34:19 +0000

(ARA) – This time of year, you can’t help but notice the chainsaws buzzing and the hum of wood chippers reducing twigs, branches and what were once towering trees into mulch. Not to mention, the noise coming from edgers, rototillers and other machines working hard to get the yard ready for winter. As long as the weather is nice, do-it-yourselfers will be out in force cleaning up yards across the country.

If you’re planning to join the ranks, be sure to take the time to study up on safety precautions before operating equipment like chainsaws, chippers and edgers. They can be dangerous if you don’t take the proper safety measures.

Since January 2000, there have been dozens of claims involving people who were injured while using rented yard equipment, according to ARA Insurance Services, an insurance company owned by the American Rental Association. Here’s the breakdown:

Wood chipper accidents — 11 claims
Chain saw accidents — 12 claims
Log splitter accidents — 11 claims
Accidents involving rototillers — 6 claims
Stump grinder accidents — 6 claims

Don’t become the next statistic. Make sure you know how to operate the equipment before getting started.

A good place to turn for safety advice when it comes to using these machines is the very place you get the equipment — your local equipment rental store. When you arrive, tell the person behind the counter what you want to accomplish and they will help you find the equipment you need to get the job done. Rental store employees are also regularly trained on using the equipment and can provide you with plenty of tips for proper and safe use.

“Employees at equipment rental stores are an excellent source for information when it comes to figuring out how to operate equipment correctly,” said Chris Wehrman, CEO of the American Rental Association, the trade association for the rental industry. “Safety is a top priority among our member businesses, and store owners go to great lengths to ensure that employees are regularly trained on proper use of equipment and machinery.”

If, for example, you’re planning to cut down a pine tree with a trunk that’s three feet in diameter, they will help you find the proper saw and show you the right way to handle it. You’ll likely be urged to first clear away dirt, debris, small limbs and rocks from the area you’re planning to cut. Then before turning on the saw, to check controls, chain tension and all bolts and handles to ensure they are functioning properly. You’ll also be instructed to wear protective equipment when operating the saw, which includes hand, foot, leg, eye, face, hearing and head protection.

Chippers can also be dangerous when they aren’t handled in the correct way. A machine that is powerful enough to chew up tree limbs and then spit them out as little chips can easily do the same to a hand or arm, according to ARA Insurance Services.

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration put together these seven tips to keep in mind while operating a chipper:

1. Never reach into a chipper while it is operating.
2. Do not wear loose-fitting clothing around a chipper.
3. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and safety instructions.
4. Use earplugs, safety glasses, hard hats and gloves.
5. Protect yourself from contacting operating chipper components by guarding the infeed and discharge ports, and preventing the opening of the access covers or doors until the drum or disc completely stops.
6. Maintain at least two tree or log lengths between chipper operations and other workers.
7. If your chipper is jammed, make sure the engine is turned off when you try and remove the shrub or branch.

No matter what kind of equipment you’re renting, chainsaws, chippers or some other tool, be sure to ask the clerk you’re dealing with to include the instruction manual and any safety information they may have. To find the rental store nearest you, log on to www.RentalHQ.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent