Many gardening injuries involve children, particularly in the under-five age group. Safety suggestions include:
- Keep children well clear while you are operating equipment such as lawnmowers or lawn trimmers, and teach them about the potential hazards of such equipment.
- Make sure children do not touch the lawnmower after you have used it, as it will be hot and can cause burns.
- Don’t permit young children to operate garden machinery such as lawnmowers.
- Don’t allow children to operate or sit on the back of a ride-on mower.
- Do not leave power tools plugged in and unattended.
- Store garden chemicals such as weed killer on high shelves behind locked doors.
- Store gardening tools and equipment safely and securely.
- Secure fences and gates.
- Provide shade, sunhats and sunscreen, and appropriate protective clothing, such as gloves and gumboots.
- Make sure children drink plenty of water, especially during warm weather.
- Do not leave buckets of water unattended around very young children.
- Never leave young children unattended around bodies of water. Make sure pools are securely fenced, and ensure that ponds or other bodies of water have a mesh screen installed just below the surface of the water to protect young children from falling in.