On Safety: Not just a Compliance Issue
Let’s peel back the curtain and give you a peek into Safety considerations in the Landscaping world. Landscaping isn’t just about pretty flowers. It’s also not just about wearing a hard hat and a bandana and calling it a day. For us and our team, the time and effort spent to uphold the highest safety standards for our employees and our clients, is a huge priority and those standards are baked into our services to you. It’s why we get the job done for you with such high quality.
We Don’t Just Mow Lawns
Some risks that our team is exposed to in this line of work includes: Cuts and Amputations, Electrical and Mechanical Hazard, Heat and Cold Stress, Lifting and Awkward Postures, Pesticides and Chemicals, Slips, Trips, and Falls, and now, covid-19 transmission. This is all fairly serious stuff and it’s also why it’s essential that we adhere to OSHA Standards on Landscape Safety.
Landscaping companies come in all shapes and sizes, and as a Homeowner, you have the freedom to hire anything from a student with a lawnmower, a one-man outfit or a full-scale landscaping company. So, what’s the difference between TM Landscaping and others?
In differentiating ourselves, one of the biggest ways we stand apart from other service providers is making sure our clients and their families are kept safe.
Everything we do is performed with safety in mind. When we bring our trucks on site, we place orange cones around our vehicles if we are parked on the road, so that not only are our workers safe, but the oncoming traffic is prepared to come up on us as they approach. We also leave the job site each day properly closed and taped up, keeping your family safe. We build stairs with the correct height and depth, fire pits are installed properly allowing the proper set backs, and patios/walkways are installed with the correct pitch that prevents ice build up during the winter months. We build and maintain with long-term safety in mind.
Safety-led landscape design can and does save money and protect your family. Take a look at these examples:
Nightscaping; Not just pretty lighting. Good outdoor lighting looks pretty but is functional too. Light up the walkways for safety and the front door to add curb appeal or pick a landscape element to focus on with lights
Manage Proper Run Off; Creating good drainage & run off is important. You want walkways & patios to pitch the water away and not pool making slippery spots. You want to direct water away from your house / basement / garage and to the “open” space to avoid damaging your property too
Security; A proper design can help keep you and your family safe. From hiding low windows, keeping kids away from breaking them, lighting up access areas, keeping walkways clear of debris to blocking areas from unwanted foot travel with plantings, fence installation, and everything in between
Consistency of Service.
Because we have a dedicated team of experienced people who each specialize in specific skills (each of our employees possesses an expertise in horticulture, maintenance, stone work, heavy machinery operation, irrigation or some other Landscaping focus area), the service we provide is unparalleled. You won’t see too many different faces on your property for the same service over time because we reduce risks to mental and physical health by valuing our team at every turn. Over time, our team get to know your land, know what to expect and accumulate a deeper knowledge of how to service you. Our consistent focus on safety and offering our team a living wage and proper work-life balance allows us to attract people with years of experience in their field. When they are on the job, they can keep their mind on the client’s needs and focus on delivering value.
Ignoring safety considerations leads to sloppy results. Many times, we find that Homeowners are attracted by a lower estimate up front but then wind up paying more because the cost wasn’t comprehensive. We bill our maintenance work by the man hour; we don’t produce ambiguous estimates or inflate our costs to cover a sweeping and general range just to win the job. Sure, you might find a company that you can hire by the hour, but that doesn’t mean they will be efficient, have the right equipment or proper insurance, or think with the end in mind. Because we’ve considered safety first and up front for you and us, our quotes are solid and there are no hidden surprises. We also use safe, proper equipment so that the job itself is completed as efficiently as possible.
We really hate to demystify or step on any romantic Landscaping notions, but it really isn’t just about pretty trees and a complimentary flower bed design. Safety is more than something we have to adhere to for compliance; it’s an essential consideration to any job we take on. We take your safety, and ours, very seriously.