Safety Recommendations for Gardeners

Wear gloves. No one piece of safety equipment provides the gardener more protection than gloves. Good quality leather gardening gloves are a must. They protect against scratches, scrapes, and the resulting entry of harmful bacteria that can be present in soil. Gloves should be worn during all gardening activities. Hands are especially vulnerable to sharp gardening tools, stakes, landscape timbers, edging, fencing and thorny plants.

Gloves of a different type should be worn when mixing and spraying garden chemicals. Chemical resistant rubber or neoprene gloves will protect the hands, and prevent the absorption of chemical pesticides into the skin. Skin absorption is the most common way pesticides enter the body. Never wear cloth or leather gloves when mixing or spraying pesticides. These materials will absorb the chemicals and hold them against your skin, greatly increasing your exposure.

When using garden sprays, always follow label directions on what to wear to protect yourself. The minimum amount of personal protection should include; chemical resistant gloves, long sleeve shirt and pants, shoes (not sandals), a wide brimmed hat, and safety goggles. Always mix sprays in an open, well ventilated area. Have soap, towels, water hose and other necessary supplies available in case of a spill or other accident. Never eat, drink, or smoke while handling pesticides.

Spray in early morning when the air is calm and temperatures are cooler. Read the label to see how long people and pets should be kept off or out of treated areas. If no time is specified, keep them out or off at least until the spray has thoroughly dried. In the case of garden sprays labeled for fruit and vegetable plants, check the label to see how long to wait before harvesting.

Safety glasses and goggles protect the eyes. Puncturing or scratching the eyes can have serious consequences. The eyes are vulnerable to a number of garden hazards. Thorns of all sizes and numbers abound on desert plants. When pruning trees and shrubs it's easy to get careless and turn or walk into sharp stems and thorns. Safety goggles should be worn any time you prune, regardless of how simple or involved the job is. You can wear safety glasses, but make sure their the kind with shields extending from the sides and top of the lenses. When mixing liquid pesticides, use safety goggles. This will provide the eyes protection from accidental splashing of the pesticide solution.

Protect yourself from summer heat. Try to avoid mid-day work in the garden. Extremely hot temperatures can cause heat stress and exhaustion. It's better to do your gardening chores in the early morning. If you must be out during the day, drink plenty of water. In Arizona people need a minimum of 6 to 8, 8 ounces glasses of water daily. With strenuous outdoor activity, this amount should increase to 10 to 12 ounces of water each half hour. Never rely on thirst to tell you when to drink. Often, by the time a person is thirsty, they are already entering the dehydration state. Contrary to popular beliefs, a person cannot drink too much water and become "waterlogged".

When working outside, wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting cotton clothes as well as long-sleeved shirts and pants. Initially, you may feel cooler in sleeveless tops and shorts, but under a hot sun your body temperature will increase more rapidly. Protect yourself from sunburn and possible skin cancer as well. Wear a sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15, protective sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat. Remember that the sun's rays can still burn on cloudy days.

Written by John Begeman, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 520-626-5161.
Material originally appeared in Arizona Daily Star gardening column, on June 23, 1996.
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