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Writer's pictureTammy Johnson

The importance of PPE in the garden

Updated: Sep 30, 2023

Written and edited by Tammy 16th January 2023

Nothing beats enjoying a coffee after work out on the fresh mowed lawn.

I walked around my garden tonight after work watering a few things, enjoying how nice the lush lawn felt under my bare feet, and I pondered what I wanted to share with you.

Lost in my own thoughts as I often am, I absentmindedly yanked on the garden hose, snapping the connector off it as it followed me around the corner of the house. My favourite coffee cup was sent flying off the spot I had sat it for safe keeping, smashing it to pieces on the footpath.

Frustrated and heartbroken I walked inside to look for a spare connector, my beautiful partner looked up from preparing tea and asked me as he does most nights, "where are your shoes?" to which I replied "I just broke the hose connector AND my coffee cup in one foul swoop. 😩

I walked back outside without a connector (still with no shoes on) and proceeded to tread on a piece of

broken coffee cup ending up with glass in my foot.

Now had I have been wearing shoes (PPE) this most definitely wouldn't have happened. I still would've broken the hose connector and my coffee cup but at least I wouldn't have had to eat humble pie whilst admitting I needed help getting glass out of my foot. The moral of the story is .... "Do as I say, NOT as I do".

  1. Always wear enclosed protective footwear whilst in the garden to prevent bites, stings or glass in your foot.

  2. Wearing gloves not only prevents splinters and blisters, but the sap from some plants such as Euphorbia are poisonous and can actually cause nasty reactions if they come in contact with the skin.

  3. Wear a hat, long sleeves and pants, to prevent sunburn and once again avoid exposure to any skin irritants.

  4. Wear a high SPF sunscreen on any exposed skin.

  5. Protective eyewear in a must to prevent eye injury from irritants or sticks, stones and debris.

In all seriousness, these are a few of the things that you really should wear when you're outside in your garden for your own safety. And perhaps don't leave coffee cups laying around outside either, we all have lessons to learn every day, and today this was mine.

Happy Gardening!



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