When you think of dangerous careers, you probably think of firemen, police work, Deadliest Catch salmon fishing or race car driving. Generally speaking, landscaping is not what comes to mind. However the equipment our crews use on a daily basis can be very dangerous in the wrong situations. Did you know mower blades spin at about 200 miles per hour? The force created by those blades can make missiles out of many innocent items in the yard. All of our contracts include clauses regarding our treatment of personal items left in the areas we maintain. It's something we struggle with because we do not want to damage your property and we have to consider the safety of our workers. Here are some of the issues we face:
- Dog Chains: These are typically clear and can become projectiles when run over by a mower. It's best to put these in a natural area, garden bed, or stake them directly beside a patio and leave the chain on the patio, so that we will not hit it with our mowers and potentially damage your property or our employees. Before you mow your lawn (or someone else comes to mow it for you) pick up any items lying in the grass that may be hit with the mower. Glass patio doors are often victims of flying rocks and debris.- Grills and Patio Furniture: The crews have been instructed to mow around these sorts of items. Trying to edge or mow too closely could potentially cause damage to your property and we wouldn't want to do that. If it is possible, the best place for these sorts of things is on a patio.
- Personal Landscaping in areas we maintain: Young, tender trees and plants are easily mistaken for weeds when they are first planted because of their size. This is especially true if they are planted in the grass without any sort of edging. If you maintain your own landscape, it is easier to remember where new plantings are and to work to protect them. If you have an outside service maintain your lawn, be sure to clearly identify new plantings to avoid them being sprayed or pulled by mistake. If you live in a community with included landscaping, as a rule, it's best to check with your HOA to verify that you have permission to plant in common areas and full-maintenance areas. When you do plant in beds or areas that we maintain, protect your investment by labeling it so that there is no confusion about what it is. We want to work with you as a team and not waste any time and effort you have invested in your landscape.- Excessive Trash or Waste: Although not exactly a safety issue, it is important to mention. Anyone who has run over paper with their lawn mow can testify to the mess it makes in the yard as it is shredded and blown out the discharge shoot. Our crews have been instructed to mow around areas that have excessive pet waste or trash (such as cigarette butts, bottles, paper, etc.) Our high powered mowers can sling trash all over the yard. While we do pick up some trash before mowing, excessive amounts make it impractical to keep to our timeframe and ultimately effects pricing. Help us to help you by picking up after yourself and your pets.
Thanks,
The AA Tex Lawn Team
