Garden safety
Accidents don’t only happen inside the home, there are also potential hazards in the garden. Children under five, older people and those who are vulnerable are most likely to have an accident in the garden. By following simple advice and guidance you can help prevent these garden accidents from happening.
Falls
Falls are the most common accident for all age groups. Young children and older people are especially at risk.
Some tips to prevent falls:
- make sure all play equipment is placed on a soft surface, such as grass or a mat is secured so it cannot tip over or be moved in windy conditions
- remove tripping hazards in the garden and repair broken or uneven pathways
- make sure paths and steps are free from moss as it can be slippery
- have handrails fitted outdoors if needed for extra support
- use appropriate lighting and be aware of weather conditions when leaving your home
- make sure you wear appropriate footwear outdoors
- avoid working at height unless you are capable; and have suitable equipment and a stable surface to locate the ladder on - check the ladder’s weight rating/condition and follow manufacturers’ guidance - don’t tackle a job unless you have the ability, correct equipment/Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and competence
Drowning
A small child can drown in as little as five centimetres of water. Remember drowning is silent. You will not necessarily hear any noise or struggle.
Some tips to prevent drowning:
- be aware of items that can fill with rain water such as buckets, plant pots and sand pit lids
- if empty and not being used, store such containers away or upside down to stop them filling with rain water
- never leave children unsupervised while playing in or near a paddling pool and make sure paddling pools are emptied after every use
- make sure hot tubs are covered when not in use
- make sure children are supervised when around an open hot tub
- children under five years old should not go into a hot tub due to temperatures, chemicals and drowning risks
Poisoning
Most cases of poisoning happen at home, with children under five years old having the highest risk of accidental poisoning. Toddlers especially like putting things in their mouth to see what they taste like. They will also find all sorts of ways to reach things, such as medications, that they may think are sweets or drinks.
Some tips to prevent poisoning:
- store all poisonous substances, such as chemicals and cleaning materials for the garden, out of sight and reach of children and preferably in cupboards with child resistant locks
- keep chemicals in their original containers, do not transfer them to food or drinks containers
- always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using substances like weed killers and fertiliser
- remove poisonous trees, plants and berries from your garden
Burns
A child’s skin is up to 15 times thinner than an adult’s and will burn or scald much more easily. Skin also becomes thinner with age, making it more susceptible to burns and scalding.
Have barbecues or fire pits in an open, outdoor space away from fences, sheds, trees and bushes. Never leave children unsupervised near open flames. Remember that a barbecue or fire pit can stay hot for several hours after being lit. Take care when disposing of barbecues and coals and make sure they have cooled down before putting them in the bin.
Injury from gardening equipment
Take care to protect yourself and others, including children, from injuries involving gardening equipment.
Some tips to prevent injuries from gardening equipment:
- keep children away from garden equipment and tools
- lock equipment and tools in a shed or another secure area
- use the personal protective equipment recommended for the task in the manufacturer’s instructions and tidy up equipment after use
- wear sturdy shoes and long trousers when mowing the lawn and eye protection when strimming
- protect yourself from electrocution when operating electrically powered garden equipment by using a safety device (Residual Current Device or RCD) that automatically switches off electricity if there is a fault
Garden safety video
Videos highlighting how garden safety accidents can be prevented can be watched on Home accident prevention - garden safety on Vimeo
This includes videos available in the following translations:
- English
- Arabic
- Bulgarian
- Lithuanian
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Romanian
- Russian
- Slovak
- Somali