How to Stay Safe While Working with a Hedge Trimmer

Hedge trimmers are fantastic tools that can help you to efficiently trim hedges, as well as make your garden look beautiful. But these high-powered tools can be dangerous if you don’t take care of your safety. We’re going to look at ten important things that you can do to stay safe when you’re using your hedge trimmer.

Top Tips for Staying Safe with Hedge Trimmers

Tip One: Know What You’re Doing

Before you even think about powering up your new hedge trimmer, you need to know exactly what you’re going to be doing with it, how it works, and all the other key information. And where is that info? It’s inside the instruction manual that comes with the trimmer. Read it before you do anything else.

Tip Two: Only Use it in the Right Weather

It’s not a safe idea to head out with a hedge trimmer when it’s raining. And if it’s damp, then it’s also not good. If there’s a chance of rain, it’s frosty, snowing, or if any other similar weather condition is on the cards, then you shouldn’t use your hedge trimmer.

Tip Three: Give the Trimmer an Inspection Before Every Use

You never know if a part has broken unless you look. So, always give your hedge trimmer a good once over before you power it up. It’s always easier to fix these things when you catch them early. It will also be safer because if something goes wrong while you’re using your hedge trimmer, you could hurt yourself. Avert that problem by inspecting it before using it.

Tip Four: Wear the Right Safety Gear

There’s a chance that you’ll encounter some stray bits of debris flying towards your face when you’re using your hedge trimmer. To keep your eyes in good working order, then invest in a set of goggles. You’ll also want to wear gloves when using a hedge trimmer, but make sure you’re able to operate the trimmer comfortably while wearing them. A dust mask is another important piece of safety gear to wear.

Tip Five: Operate it with Two Hands

Never, ever hold a hedge trimmer in one hand. No matter how strong you are, there’s a good chance that you’ll lose control if you hold it in one hand. This is a big no-no. Always use two hands.

Tip Six: Keep it Off Unless You’re Using It

The only time a hedge trimmer should be on is when it’s trimming hedges. As soon as you stop trimming, switch it off immediately. Even if you’re planning on moving to another nearby hedge, it has to be off when you move. Get into a habit of switching it off from the first time of using it.

Tip Seven: Pick the Right Branches and Hedges to Use it On

A hedge trimmer is not a chainsaw. It’s designed for trimming hedges, not for cutting down trees. Keep this in mind when using your hedge trimmer. If you attempt to cut down a thick branch, then the trimmer could rebound toward you and cause you damage.

Tip Eight: Keep it Clean and Sharp

Each time you use a hedge trimmer, you should give it a good clean once you’ve finished the job. Keeping it clean will ensure that the blades are working to their optimum level. You should also check on their sharpness, as blunt blades won’t trim hedges as they should do, and if the trimmer isn’t working effectively, then it could make it an unsafe tool to work with.

Tip Nine: Watch Your Hands

When you’re using the hedge trimmer, you should be very conscious of where your hands are. If you follow the advice in this article, then you should always be operating it with two hands anyway. But if for some reason, you find yourself in a tricky area to trim, and naturally reach for the branches or hedge, then you need to stop yourself. Your hands need to be kept away from the blades at all times.

Tip Ten: Keep Yourself Stable

At all points when you’re using a hedge trimmer, you need to make sure that you’re standing in a stable, sturdy position, ideally with your feet planted firmly on the floor, slightly apart, and the hedge trimmer should be held out in front of you, not above you. Also, make sure you watch where you’re putting your feet. In Autumn, leaves can be slippery, for example, so make sure that the ground offers good footing before you start trimming hedges.

Summary

If you follow these tips, you’ll never have an accident with your hedge trimmer.