Landscape Maintenance Safety (Public Agency) is an 18-minute online course that trains municipal and public agency grounds crews on the hazards of landscaping equipment, chemical exposure, and outdoor work environments. It is designed for public works employees, parks and recreation staff, and their supervisors, and includes a downloadable certificate of completion.
Municipal landscaping crews face a unique combination of hazards every shift - from high-speed mower blades and string trimmers to herbicide exposure, heat illness, and roadside traffic. The Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently ranks grounds maintenance among the occupations with the highest rates of nonfatal injuries, with over 20,000 lost-time injuries reported annually across the landscaping sector. OSHA's General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act) requires employers - including public agencies - to provide workplaces free from recognized hazards, and agencies that fail to train crews on equipment-specific and environmental risks expose themselves to both citations and workers' compensation liability.
This course prepares your public agency grounds crews to identify and control the most common landscaping hazards they encounter daily. Your employees will learn safe operating procedures for mowers, trimmers, edgers, and chainsaws; proper handling of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides; heat stress recognition and prevention; traffic safety when working along roadways; and personal protective equipment selection. The training uses scenario-based content designed specifically for the public sector work environment.
While no single OSHA standard governs landscaping operations exclusively, multiple general industry and construction standards apply to the equipment and conditions grounds crews encounter daily. OSHA's General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1)) requires all employers, including public agencies, to maintain workplaces free from recognized serious hazards. Machine guarding requirements under 29 CFR 1910.212 apply to powered landscaping equipment, and hazard communication requirements under 29 CFR 1910.1200 apply to pesticides and fertilizers used in grounds maintenance. According to BLS data, the landscaping and groundskeeping sector experiences injury rates significantly above the national average, with falls, struck-by incidents, and musculoskeletal injuries accounting for the majority of lost-time cases. OSHA can cite public agencies that fail to train employees on equipment hazards, chemical handling, and PPE use, with serious violations carrying penalties up to $16,550 per instance. Heat-related illness is an emerging enforcement priority, and OSHA has proposed a federal heat standard that would formalize training and hydration requirements for outdoor workers.
| Team Size | Price per Person |
|---|---|
| 1 - 9 | $24.95 |
| 10 - 24 | $19.95 |
| 25 - 49 | $17.95 |
| 50 - 99 | $17.50 |
Certificate of completion included. Downloadable upon passing the final assessment.