How to stay safe in your garden
You may be thinking about going out into your garden to tidy up and catch up with jobs that you have been putting off for too long. The weather is warm and sunny, and you want to invite guests round for barbecues or informal drinks in the garden. Maybe your lawn needs mowing or the hedge needs a trim.
Accidents happen in the garden, and not all of them through using expensive power tools. If you have trimmers, strimmers and other electrical garden equipment, make sure it is in good working order. Seek out Mountfield spares, for example, if blades need replacing.
Garden tools and safety equipment
You can suffer a serious injury just digging the garden with a long-handled fork. Digging and weeding in bare feet or sandals is not the best idea. You need boots. Many of the patients in A and E have stepped on a rake or put a garden fork through their foot. Make sure you are properly dressed and equipped. Goggles and ear-muffs are a good investment if you are using power tools. Make sure that children and pets are safe and away from powerful equipment when in operation.
You may be surprised at the number of accidents that happen in the garden. If you are not convinced, look at the statistics and official safety advice at https://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/general/home-garden-safety-checklists/.
Safety first
Before you use the lawnmower and other power tools, such as the strimmer, check that the blades are in good order. If you need spare parts, look at the range at: https://www.diyspareparts.com/parts/mountfield/
Many an injury has been caused by putting a hand inside the lawnmower to free up blades which are failing to rotate. This could result in an injury as serious as losing a finger.
What to do in the case of a serious accident
If the worst does happen, and you slice off a finger or worse, what is the medical advice? Wrap the injury tightly and elevate the limb above your heart; so you would hold your hand up high above your head. Or sit with your leg raised if it is a foot injury. If you have sliced off a finger or toe, put it in a bag and then pack into ice. Don’t put the finger directly into ice, as it will just freeze solid.
