Don't Poke Your Eye Out!
So I'm sure that all of us have either heard the phrase "you're going to poke your eye out with that" or we've said it ourselves to our own children or children in our care. And so when it comes to yard safety, I'll say it again..."You're going to poke your eye out!"
It's the time of year when we are opening up our garages, tool sheds, and storage buildings to do a little Spring cleaning around the yard. As the dormancy of winter has come to a close, most yards have plenty of small twigs and even larger branches that need to be cleared away, mulch that needs to be replaced, and grass that needs to be cut for the first time.
I remember many years ago when I was living at home, my younger brother came running into the house after he was supposed to have been mowing the yard. He had splashed gasoline in his eye as he was filling the mower and obviously it didn't feel very good. Gasoline can splash, debris can be thrown by a weed eater, mower, or edger, and sparks from a routine brush fire can easily find themselves in places they don't belong! Protective eyewear, whether it be sunglasses or clear safety glasses, are an easy solution to protecting your eyes from very dangerous foreign objects/materials!
As you work to beautify your yard this Spring, please remember safety precautions, so that a simple clean-up project, or yard mowing doesn't result in a trip to the emergency room. Each year about 400,000 people are treated for injuries from lawn and garden tools, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
In addition to eye safety, here are some additional yard safety tips from the U.S. CPSC:
Dress appropriately. To protect yourself from debris when using lawn tools, wear eye protection, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, close-fitting clothes and no jewelry. Sturdy shoes are recommended, and ear plugs may be appropriate depending on how loud the device is. Wide-brimmed hats and long sleeves are also beneficial to prevent sunburn.
Before starting, remove objects from your work area that could cause injury or damage,
such as sticks, glass or stones.
Keep children indoors and supervised at all times when any outdoor power equipment is being used. Never let a child ride or operate a garden tractor or riding mower, even if the child is supervised. And never assume children will remain where you last saw them.
Handle gasoline carefully. Never fill tanks while machinery is on or when equipment is still hot. Of course, you should never smoke or use any type of flame around gasoline or any gasoline-powered equipment.
Do not work with electric power tools in wet or damp conditions. Be sure that extension cords are in good condition, are rated for outdoor use, and are the proper gauge for the electrical current capacity of the tool.
From your Smart Insurance Agency family, enjoy the beautiful weather & your time outdoors, but definitely Don't Poke Your Eye Out!
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For further questions and assistance, please contact Smart Insurance Agency at 417-258-2541 or llayman@smartinsuranceagency.com.
Some content of this article provided by Safeco Insurance
