Given how many times my girlfriend has to repeat herself, I think I’ve lost some of my hearing! It’s probably because I rarely wore earplugs or ear muffs when I worked in landscaping.
During my career, I worked as a laborer, team leader, and project manager. A construction site is sometimes like a daycare center: I had to have eyes in the back of my head. The workers didn’t always care about their safety, so I had to do it for them. Having started at the bottom myself, I understand: accidents are so rare that you quickly get the impression that they only happen to other people.
But all it takes is a second of inattention for everything to go wrong. An accident can leave scars for life.
What did you say? I can’t hear you!
Oh yes, you’re right. You have to be just as vigilant in the garden, maybe even more so, because we’re not always as comfortable as professionals when it comes to handling certain equipment.
Eyes
You can recover fairly well from injuries to the skin, muscles, and even bones, but an eye injury can easily lead to partial or total permanent vision loss. And yet, the solution is so simple: safety glasses!
I always keep a few pairs on my desk or even in my work clothes so I have them handy. In fact, in an ideal world, we would never do any gardening without safety glasses. I know it may seem like overkill, but all it takes is leaning over a flower bed without seeing a shrub branch to poke your eye out. Not to mention mechanical gardening equipment: from lawn mowers to chainsaws to leaf blowers, all require safety glasses.
Potential hazards
Contact with branches or stems, stone or wood splinters caused by mechanical equipment, sun, dust, grass clippings, spraying of various products (even organic ones), splashes of liquid products during certain treatments.
When choosing safety glasses for gardening, make sure they are certified (e.g., CSA or ANSI), offer side protection, and are designed to withstand impact without shattering. If they are comfortable to wear, you will use them more often and for longer periods of time. Choose lightweight models with anti-fog treatment, UV protection, and scratch resistance. For heavy work, opt for more robust glasses or an integrated visor when brush cutting or using a power saw. Even for light work in the sun, tinted glasses are a must.
Skin
The skin is the largest organ in the human body. It is our first line of defense against injury. Gone are the days of gardening shirtless in shorts, especially with the increasing dangers of sun exposure.
Potential hazards
Cuts from branches or tools, scrapes, irritation caused by certain plants (such as poison ivy), insect bites (think ticks in some areas), sunburn, allergic reactions, spraying with irritating products.
A simple light long-sleeved shirt and work pants can make all the difference. For effective protection, choose lightweight but covering clothing, ideally made of breathable, UV-resistant fabrics. Light-colored fabrics reflect heat better, and clothing specifically designed for outdoor work often offers better resistance to snags and tears. Add a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face and neck… and don’t forget a good sunscreen on exposed areas!
Lightweight, breathable protective sleeves are now available to wear with a T-shirt, perfect for completing your outfit and protecting your arms from the sun, scratches, and irritating plants… sometimes even matching neck warmers in the same design for gardening in style!
Head
Gardening usually takes place at ground level… and that’s just as well, in my opinion! But our heads remain particularly vulnerable to dangers from above. Try not to lose your head!
Potential hazards
Sunstroke, blows from branches (when felling trees), falling objects or tools.
For effective protection, it is recommended that you wear a wide-brimmed hat when gardening to protect yourself from the sun. When pruning large branches or felling a tree, it is essential to wear an approved safety helmet with a built-in visor.
Ears
Noise is a sneaky enemy in the garden: it leaves no visible marks, but can cause irreversible damage to your hearing. A single loud noise can damage your hearing the first time you are exposed to it, while regular exposure to moderate noise slowly wears down your hearing over time. In both cases, hearing protection is essential to preserve your ability to hear in the long term.
Potential hazards
Noise from lawnmowers, chainsaws (when felling trees) or other motorized equipment.
For effective protection, it is recommended that you wear hearing protection whenever you use noisy tools. Depending on the type of work, you can choose between discreet earplugs or more comprehensive earmuffs, designed to reduce loud sounds while remaining comfortable to wear.
Hands
Who doesn’t love getting their hands dirty? Our hands are our primary tools in the garden, but they are also the first to be exposed to injury. Cuts, scrapes, stings, chemical irritation… without adequate protection, they quickly become stressed. And yet, they are what allow us to sow, plant, and harvest!
Potential hazards
Cuts from tools, scratches from plants, insect bites, irritation from products or certain plants.
For some light work, such as sowing or transplanting, it is possible to garden with bare hands to better feel the living earth beneath your fingers. But to protect yourself effectively during more demanding tasks, it is recommended to wear suitable gloves. Soft, breathable gloves are sufficient to prevent scratches. For pruning, felling, or handling rough materials such as stone, choose reinforced or cut-resistant gloves. Finally, for treating or handling chemicals, waterproof gloves are strongly recommended.
Feet
Gardening often starts with your hands in the soil… but it’s your feet that keep you going from start to finish!
Potential hazards: falling tools or heavy materials, blows from shovels or spades, slipping on wet or unstable ground, insect bites.
To protect yourself effectively, it is recommended that you wear closed, sturdy, non-slip shoes at all times when gardening. For light work, sturdy hiking shoes or work boots may suffice. Please, no flip-flops! Gardening clogs are a good compromise: they are easy to slip on for a quick trip to the garden while offering better protection.
For heavier work, such as felling, cutting wood, or moving loads, opt for safety boots with steel or composite toe caps. Not only do they prevent crushing or puncture injuries, but they also improve stability on uneven ground. Personally, I prefer taller boots for their good ankle support. And for those who regularly use a chainsaw, specialized boots are a must: mine have several saw marks to prove it!
Back
Gardening is good for the soul… but sometimes not so good for the back! Between carrying bags of soil, digging, and handling heavy equipment, our spine often takes a beating. It’s better to think about this before you end up spending the summer lying on the sofa!
Potential hazards
Sprains, hernias, lower back pain caused by handling heavy equipment or poor posture.
To protect yourself effectively, it is essential to use good lifting techniques: bend your knees, keep your back straight, and bring the load close to your body. Avoid lifting heavy loads on your own; ask for help or divide the load when possible. A lumbar support belt can provide additional support for demanding or prolonged work, especially if your back is already weak, but it is no substitute for good lifting habits. Even the best equipment in the world will never compensate for poor posture!
Knees
In the garden, there’s no choice but to get down on your knees… Kneeling directly on a hard, stony or damp surface can be very uncomfortable. Over time, repetitive movements and poor posture can also accelerate wear and tear on the knees and promote the development of chronic problems.
Potential dangers
Joint pain, bursitis, inflammation, cartilage damage, and worsening of existing arthritis problems.
To protect your knees, it is recommended that you use padded knee pads or a gardening cushion whenever you work on the ground. Some work pants are designed with built-in pockets for protective pads at the knees: a practical and comfortable option for long gardening sessions, without having to chase after your knee pads. Personally, I treat myself to good knee pads: I always buy quality ones so I can work comfortably for hours.
Respiratory Tract
Gardening allows us to breathe fresh air… but some tasks raise dust or vapors that can irritate or damage the respiratory tract. The effects on the lungs from inhaling dust or chemicals often manifest themselves in the long term, particularly in people who are regularly exposed without protection.
Even in the garden, many landscaping tasks involve products that release vapors or fine particles that are potentially harmful to health, or the application of liquid or powder treatments. This is the case when applying exterior paints, wood stains, sealants, solvents, glues, or treatment products for stone, concrete, or wood.
Potential hazards
Inhalation of dust (mowing, handling compost, sweeping), application of liquid or powder treatments, mold spores, fumes from paints, stains, sealants, solvents, or adhesives.
For gardening, it is important to choose a mask that is suitable for the type of work. N-type masks are ideal for filtering dust, spores, pollen, and other dry particles, for example when mowing, handling dry materials, or spraying biological products. P-type masks are recommended if you work with volatile or chemical products, such as certain exterior paints, wood sealants, or horticultural oils. The number after the letter indicates the degree of filtration: N95 and P95 filter at least 95% of airborne particles, while N100 or P100 offer almost total protection, equivalent to a HEPA filter.
A neck gaiter is an excellent accessory for protection from the sun, wind, coarse dust, and insects, but it is not a substitute for a filtering respirator.
Disposable masks are ideal for occasional work involving dust, while masks with replaceable cartridges offer more durable and specialized protection for repeated work or exposure to hazardous products.
A Quick Reminder
Even small gardening jobs can cause serious injuries if you are not properly protected. A moment of inattention is all it takes. By adopting good practices and using the right safety equipment from the outset, you will not only protect your gardening season… but also your health for years to come!
Basic Safety Equipment for Gardening
- Safety glasses
- Wide-brimmed hat
- Lightweight, but covering clothing
- Flexible, breathable gardening gloves
- Closed, sturdy, non-slip shoes
- Lightweight hearing protection
- Knee pads or gardening cushion
- Sunscreen
- N95 mask
Safety Equipment for Heavy-Duty Work
- Approved safety helmet with integrated visor (for pruning and felling)
- Reinforced safety glasses or full face shield (brush cutting, chainsawing)
- Reinforced cut-resistant gloves (pruning, handling rough materials)
- Safety boots with steel or composite toe caps (felling, moving heavy loads)
- Specialized chainsaw boots (for felling, if necessary)
- Reinforced hearing protection (ear muffs for intensive work with chainsaws or brush cutters)
- Lumbar support belt (when handling heavy loads or for weak backs)
- High-quality knee pads or work pants with built-in protection (for prolonged work on the ground)
- P100 mask: to be used when working with paints, sealants, solvents, or adhesives containing chemicals. This type of mask protects against particles and organic vapors when equipped with a combined filter (P100 + vapor-specific cartridges).
- N100 mask: recommended for cutting paving stones, mixing concrete or mortar, as it filters at least 99.97% of non-oil-based particles, such as silica dust..
Pesticide Use
Only use pesticides as a last resort: there are other, gentler solutions, such as encouraging natural predators, using mechanical methods or mild soaps, using shade cloth, or choosing plants that are suited to their environment.
When using pesticides, it is strongly recommended that you consult a certified professional. These products can be dangerous and their use is regulated. In many areas, a permit is required even for over-the-counter products. If you decide to use them anyway, read the label carefully and wear a wide-brimmed, non-absorbent hat, goggles or a face shield, and an approved respirator (CSA, MSHA/NIOSH, HSE) with organic vapor cartridges. Dust masks are not sufficient.
When it comes down to it, let the professionals do their job: it’s safer, more effective… and better for the environment, because they know how to handle the equipment and products properly.
Very useful article. Thank you.