Dependent on where you live, you may need to spend quite a bit of time this summer taking care of your lawn. While you are doing so, you need to make sure you do some things in order to not put yourself in harm’s way when you are out there in the summer’s heat. Here’s how to stay safe and healthy during summer lawn care.
Check The Weather Beforehand
The weather can be rather unpredictable in the summer. Because of this, you need to check the weather before you start your lawn care. Make sure that it won’t be too hot when you want to go outside and cut the grass. If the temperatures will be scorching, you may want to do your lawn maintenance at a different time such as in the morning or evening. Don’t forget to check the weather to see if it will be raining. You don’t want to risk getting struck by lightning when you are cutting your lawn.
Stay Hydrated
Many individuals suffer from heat stroke every year. This can happen when your body gets too overheated from being outside. If you will be doing your lawn care when it’s very hot out, make sure you stay hydrated. Keep a bottle of water with you. Stop and take a few sips every couple of minutes. Don’t just try to do your lawn maintenance so quickly that you forget to stay hydrated.
Remove Debris
You need to prepare your lawn before you start to cut it. Walk around to inspect it for debris. Remove things like sticks, branches and toys from your lawn. You don’t want to accidentally run these items over and put yourself in harm’s way. If you don’t inspect your lawn for these items, there’s a good chance that you won’t see them when you are doing the lawn care.
Take Breaks
It’s important that you take breaks when you are trying to complete your summer lawn care. This is imperative if you have a large yard or if you plan on doing a lot of work at one time. You don’t want to become overheated because you tried to rush and get the job done. Make it a point to take breaks every hour. If you have to, set a timer on your phone so that you’ll remember to do so. It’s better that it takes you longer to finish your lawn care because you took breaks rather than risking your health because you spent too much time out in the summer heat.
Make Sure Your Lawn Equipment Is In Proper Working Order
Faulty lawn equipment can put you at risk. Make sure it’s working properly before you start your summer lawn care. It’s not uncommon for lawn equipment to not get used during the summer months. Don’t assume that everything is working properly just because you had no issues with it the last time it was used. Do a test run of each piece of equipment in order to see if everything is working as it should.
Wear The Right Clothing
Even if it’s hot out, you still need to protect yourself by wearing the right clothing. You should have on long pants and a shirt with long sleeves. You also need to wear a hat, eye protection and a hat. These items will protect your body from flying debris and will keep you from getting a sunburn as well.
In conclusion, there are a lot of things that you should do in order to remain safe and healthy during your summer lawn care. By utilizing the tips mentioned above, you will ensure that you aren’t inadvertently putting yourself in harm’s way. While it may take a little bit of extra preparation, it will be worth it in order to stay safe and healthy when you are maintaining your lawn.