Helmets and noise protection gardener

The job of a landscaper and gardener is a designer of outdoor spaces. They develop landscaping in addition to his skills in plants and farming techniques. In this case, they are exposed to various risks. So they must protect themselves with specific equipment such as helmets and noise protection.

Criteria for choosing a noise-canceling safety helmet or hearing protection

For a sound environment exceeding 80 decibels, hearing protection is mandatory in work. On this, the hearing aid may be damaged. And that causes hearing loss. In this case, professional hearing protection should be worn. To have maximum comfort, it is important to take into account the weight of the helmet for a more pleasant continuous wear, the interior comfort must be a fabric headgear suitable for intensive use, frontal protection to avoid friction on the forehead, the presence of an adjustable chinstrap for work requiring head movements.

You should choose hearing protection that is more suitable for your working environment . Indeed, hearing protectors are classified according to an SNR (Signal to Noise Radio) value. This is to attenuate the average sound of the helmet, for example 25 decibels. By choosing noise reduction equipment with an SNR that is too high, you will be overprotected. This will completely isolate you from the noise which is very dangerous if the audible warnings are not heard. Below 65 decibels, you will be overprotected. On the other hand, if you choose a protector that does not attenuate noise sufficiently, your hearing is not properly protected. To help you in your choice, it is necessary to set up a filter system to enable you to immediately find the necessary SNR attenuation.

The hearing protectors must comply with European and French standards. As such, the CE marking must be presented attesting to their conformity with the required European quality directives and the regulatory procedures to be submitted; it must be compatible with the French NF and European standard EN; the SNR must be indicated in the instructions for use.

There are two types of hearing protection: ear muffs and ear plugs. For workers in hot and humid environments, preference should be given to wearing professional earplugs over noise-canceling headphones. If you wear a hard hat, it is better to choose earplugs or earmuffs to mount on the hard hat rather than a hearing aid. If hearing protection is to be worn irregularly, a noise-reducing headband should be chosen. And for prolonged wear, noise canceling headphones (headband) will be the most suitable.

Other must-have PPE for landscapers and gardeners

For head protection and to deal with the risk of shocks, Wearing a helmet or cap is strongly recommended when cutting trees or pruning. This helmet is governed by standard NF EN 397/A1.

You should also protect your eyes to avoid any risk of irritation. When using chemical agents and to guard against allergies or splashes, protective goggles are recommended.

For respiratory protection, beware of vapors toxic, irritating, sawdust, dust and pollen. To protect the lungs, it is recommended to wear a P3 mask or a mask with gas filter.

The workwear for landscapers and gardeners are suitable for the sometimes harsh conditions of outdoor work. They must provide thermoregulation, protection against rain, protection against cold, protection against cuts.

It is strongly recommended to choose safety shoes that meet the criteria of the EN ISO 20345 standard. For cutting work, the shoes have the P specification to certify their anti-perforation properties.

Landscaping and gardening activities require optimal and comprehensive hand protection. It is advisable to wear cut-resistant gloves. Thus, workers must wear PPE complying with standards EN 420 and EN 388 but also EN 511 for cold periods.

Falls can result in minor injuries and fractures, even death. So, you have to wear fall protection equipment for green space jobs. For example, harnesses, fall arrest anchor and carabiner.