Employee safety is a significant concern for every company in the
green industry. Business owners are obligated to provide a safe
working environment.
In addition to the moral and ethical reasons for keeping
employees safe at work, companies can be penalized financially for
failing to provide training, personal protective equipment (PPE) and
a safe working environment. A single citation can range from $5,000
to $7,500. Typically, a business that receives one citation receives
multiple citations.
Creating a culture that embraces and encourages a safety-oriented
approach to using equipment and completing the task at hand can
help reduce the instances of work-related injuries and/or accidents.
Federal requirements
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was enacted
to "assure safe and healthful working conditions for men and
women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing
training, outreach, education and assistance." The act also created
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA),
the federal agency responsible for the enforcement of safety and
health legislation
14 January/February 2015 landscape and irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com
Providing a
Safe Work Environment
Business Management
Image
©Istockphoto.com/Igorsokolov
■ by Katie Navarra
A single citation can range
from $5,000 to $7,500
