Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2025
10:05
Integrated Field Lysimetry and Porewater Sampling for Evaluation of Chemical Mobility in Soils and Established Vegetation
Published on: July 4, 2014
14.2K
Hazardous exposures and engineering controls in the landscaping services industry
Barbara M Alexander1, Pamela S Graydon1, Mirle Pena1
1Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
|January 2, 2025
Summary
Landscapers face significant noise and crystalline silica (RCS) overexposure risks. Using engineering controls and battery-powered tools can reduce these occupational hazards.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Science
- Industrial Hygiene
Background:
- Landscapers encounter noise, carbon monoxide (CO), dust, and respirable crystalline silica (RCS) from their tools.
- Existing engineering controls for these exposures are not widely studied in diverse landscaping settings.
- Chronic exposure data for landscapers, especially hardscapers, is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate chronic occupational exposures of landscapers to noise, CO, dust, and RCS.
- To compare exposures from landscaping tools with and without engineering controls.
- To identify specific tools and tasks contributing to high exposures.
Main Methods:
- Personal breathing zone sampling was used for 80 landscapers across 11 worksites.
- Measurements included noise, CO, respirable dust, and RCS.
- Statistical analysis (ANOVA, nonparametric methods) was performed using SAS/STAT 14.1.
Main Results:
- 94% of noise exposures exceeded the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) of 85 dBA.
- No CO exposures exceeded the NIOSH REL.
- Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) overexposures occurred during all hardscaping activities.
- Fuel-powered tools generated significantly more noise and CO than battery-powered alternatives.
Conclusions:
- Noise and RCS are significant occupational hazards for landscapers, particularly during hardscaping.
- Engineering controls (dust capture, wet methods) and respiratory protection are recommended for RCS.
- Battery-powered landscaping tools offer a safer alternative to fuel-powered ones regarding noise and CO exposure.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Survey Safety
25
Surveying near highways, rough terrain, or power lines involves significant risks. Working along highways is particularly dangerous and requires the use of warning signs and flagmen. It is safest to avoid working directly on roads and use offsets whenever possible. When highway work is unavoidable, it must follow all safety guidelines. Surveyors should wear bright clothing, such as orange reflective vests, to ensure visibility to motorists, coworkers, and hunters. In construction zones, wearing...
25
01:26Standard Precaution
1.8K
Standard precautions are the minimum infection control safeguards used while caring for all patients, irrespective of their disease condition. They help prevent the spread of common infectious microorganisms to healthcare workers, patients, and visitors in all healthcare settings.
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
1.8K
01:22PPE Use in Healthcare Settings I: Donning
920
Donning PPE must be completed before contact with the patient. This process protects from infectious agents. The sequence and action included in each donning are critical, and the steps must be systematic to avoid exposure to pathogens. The institutional policy also needs to be followed while donning PPE. The pre-donning preparations are gathering equipment, inspecting the PPE equipment for tears, holes, or damage, removing jewelry, removing any garments below the elbows, and tying the hair...
920
01:20Personal Protective Equipment
1.5K
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is unique clothing or equipment worn by an employee to minimize or prevent exposure to infectious agents. PPE creates a barrier between the employee and the infectious materials. PPE must be readily available in the patient care area. PPE includes gloves, gowns and aprons, masks and respirators, goggles, face shields, shoes, and headcovers:
1.5K
01:36Types of Toxins
1.6K
Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
1.6K
01:14Design Example: Managing Concrete Workability
71
This example deals with managing the workability of concrete for a raft foundation project under hot weather conditions. Workability is crucial for ensuring the concrete is easy to place, compact, and finish. In this scenario, a slump test — a common method to measure the workability of fresh concrete — initially indicated low workability. This was attributed to the rapid water loss from the concrete mix, exacerbated by the high temperatures causing the course aggregates to heat up.
71