Garden Edger & Hedge Trim. Op.

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines safety guidelines for the operation of garden edgers and hedge trimmers, addressing critical hazards such as blade entanglement, electrical risks, and noise exposure. It is essential for landscaping professionals and employers to ensure compliance with workplace safety regulations. Implementing this SOP helps in preventing injuries, ensuring regulatory compliance, and promoting a safer work environment.

• Blade entanglement or contact during operation or unblocking → severe laceration or amputation
• Electrical cord cuts on corded units when the cord is severed by the blade → electrocution
• Kickback when the blade strikes a hidden hard object such as wire, fence post, or branch → loss of control
• Falling cuttings from pole hedge trimmer use → struck-by injury
• Contact with overhead electrical lines from pole units → electrocution or fatality
• Falls when over-reaching with pole units or working off ladders
• Noise exposure from petrol units exceeding 90 dB(A) → hearing damage
• Eye injury from flying twigs and debris

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and applicable state/territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Cth) — Part 3.1 Plant; Part 4.4 Falls; Part 4.7 Electrical Safety
• AS/NZS 60745 series — Hand-held motor-operated electric tools — Safety
• AS/NZS 3012 — Electrical installations — Construction and demolition sites
• AS/NZS 3190 — Approval and test specification — Residual current devices
• AS/NZS 1270 — Acoustics — Hearing protectors
• AS/NZS 1337 — Personal eye protection
• Safe Work Australia — Code of Practice: Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia — Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• Garden Edger / Hedge Trimmer Pre-Start Checklist (associated document)