8.1-8.4 health, safety and sustainability Flashcards
8 hazards and associated risks
Access to Site
Pathway dark and slippery under trees causing slips, trips, sprains and broken bones
Overhead & Underground Electric Cables
Overhead cables being in contact with metal ladder, tall machinery or cut by long handled pruning equipment Damaging or cutting through underground cables not buried deep enough or placed in conduit causing electrocution
Sockets near water or children’s play areas
Unsafe Buildings
Falling masonry causing head injuries and broken glass causing cuts
Location of Features
Large urn on a plinth may fall off and cause injury or death. Water feature near path may wet path and cause slips and trips
Trees
Debris, fallen leaves and limbs causing slips, trips and head injuries
Topography (degree and extent of slope)
Slipping and falling injury, cuts, bruises or broken bones if slope is steep esp if wet and slippery
Undulations may present trip hazards
Low lying areas may be boggy
Existing Features
e.g. flight of steps slips or falls if steps too steep or surface is too smooth
Watercourses & Ponds
Slipping in, drowning, being bitten by mosquitoes
Plants
Toxicity
Materials
Splinters, sharp edges (esp from re-used, reclaimed and recycled materials)
Slippery surfaces from poorly maintained or unsuitable materials
methods to minimise risk (steep slope, paths, trees)
Steps need deep treads and shallow risers. Long flights broken up with landings
Create terraces with retaining walls and winding path with shallow gradient
Use non slip surfaces (not gravel)
Remove overhanging trees (avoids fallen debris, moss, weeds, water in shade)
Prescribe maintenance programme (scrubbing, sweeping)
Level ground
Use of lighting
Bury cables deeply and overlay with hazard tape or tiles - mark on plans.
Overhead cables should be clearly visible and not obscured by trees and above height of normal access working requirements
Sockets near water are waterproof and are enclosed near children’s play areas
Be aware of plant toxicity
Check for nails and rough edges in wood and that re-used materials do not have sharp edges, or are brittle from age
Sustainability in choice of materials and sourcing
Consider if existing structures can be preserved, or materials re-purposed
Use FSC timber
Use materials with a long life span
Source locally to prevent environment impact of transport
Minimise waste by not over ordering
Local stone likely to blend well with existing features
Consider souring from reclamation yards
Avoid materials from environmentally sensitive areas: limestone and tufa
Minimise the use of materials such as concrete which use huge amounts of energy in manufacture
Be aware that large areas of hard landscaping increase water run-off and increase risk of flash floods and soil erosions and can also contribute to ‘heat-island effect’
Sustainability in garden practices - soft landscaping
Plants indigenous to an area may be best suited to local conditions, and their use also preserves a local gene pool, increasing genetic diversity
Leave some areas untidy - seed heads and leaf litter
Compost
Harvest rain water
Use manual powered equipment, pedestrian lawn mower
Mulch borders
Reduce lawn size
Use perennial planting and avoid use of annual plants
Soft landscaping helps to absorb atmospheric and noise pollution, and is particularly valuable in an urban setting. During rainfall water infiltrates where there are planted areas, reducing the problems of run-off.
Trees, shrubs and other plants help to reduce the ‘heat-island effect’ by reducing temperatures by evaporative cooling following transpiration. As carbon dioxide is used by plants in photosynthesis, atmosphere levels are ameliorated by plants. Large trees make a significant contribution to reducing carbon dioxide.
Green roofs, where sedums and sempervivums are grown in a mineral wool fibre or a thin layer of soil, are popular in other parts of Europe. They provide insulation, reducing energy used for heating and air conditioning, and also help to prevent run-off in heavy rain: 50–80% of rain falling on a green roof is absorbed before reaching the drain.
Reducing lawn size
Replace majority of lawn with mixed shrub/herbaceous border with drought tolerant and pollinator/wild life friendly plants
Replace lawn for wildflower meadow. Papaver rhoeas and Lecuanthemum vulgare to provide food and habitat for bees, butterflies and birds
Island beds, hardy annual border, veg gardens and ground cover planting/flowering lawn
Water
Use butts and use conservatively
Select plants that don’t rely on regular, copious watering
Mulch
Watering should be thorough to encourage deep rooting and only done in the evening
Grey water (if free of strong detergents) may be used for irrigation on non-edible crops but should not be stored due to bacteria levels
Use seep hose or leaky pipe - avoid hose pipes
Waste
Green waste should be composted on site or used for LA composting
Use no dig system for vegetables - using compost and green manures
Dispose of oils as recommended by LA
Reduce waste by choosing long-lasting tools and re-using where possible
Energy
Features in the garden that required should be given careful consideration
Energy consumption may be reduced by careful design and choice of features, eg. an informal hedge does not require the frequent trimming of extensive formal hedging
Large expanses of turf are high maintenance in terms of energy usage
Growing media
Garden compost and manures improve soil - imported topsoil not a first resort
Peat is being phased out, but coir and cocoa shells also has environmental impact
Garden paints, chemicals and varnishes
Chemicals - only store in original containers and use as directed
Use alternative methods for P, D and W and consider plants that are P&D free
Dispose of all products safely
Consider using plant or water based products or those low in solvents
Sustainable practices during construction of garden
Water: don’t leave pipes/taps running
Materials: source locally
Ensure wood and stone are ethically sourced
Use lime mortar instead of concrete
Sustainable growing media
Use of porous materials or wide gap block paving to avoid run off
Use recycled woodchip
