A number of buildings and homes had to be evacuated during a recent tree trimming accident in Fort Lauderdale. According to the Sun Sentinel, the accident happened on Southeast 10th Street when workers were trimming tree limbs. While cutting the trees, one of the limbs dropped, falling on a gas meter. The falling tree broke a one inch galvanized pipe below the shut-off valve. Witnesses say that the sound of escaping gas could be heard from more than a block away.
According to Matt Little, fire rescue spokesman, areas on Southeast 9th and 10th Streets as well as the 900 block of Southeast 2nd Avenue were evacuated.
Our Fort Lauderdale injury attorneys understand how important it is to keep your yard in shape. Whether you’re working on it alone or you bring in a crew to do it for you, there are steps that everyone needs to follow to make sure that your yard is as safe as can be and that the risks for injuries are minimized.
According to a recent poll, conducted by Consumer Reports, consumers aren’t taking the right precautions before digging into their yard. To help keep yard workers safe, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) released a number of safety measures that every consumer should review before firing up the tree trimmer, the edger or the lawnmower. Taking the proper safety precautions can help to avoid unintentional, and potentially fatal, injuries, according to Occupational Safety & Health.
“Making good decisions around using mowers, edgers, leaf blowers and other maintenance tools are key to yard safety,” said Kris Kiser, vice president of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute.
Lawn Safety Precautions:
-Make sure you know how to operate the equipment before jumping in. Consumers are urged to read the entire manual before beginning. Know the controls and follow the safety instructions.
-Be careful when handling gas. Fill up before starting the equipment. Always fill on a cold engine.
-Make sure you dress accordingly. Always wear close-fitting clothes, long pants and substantial shoes.
-Clear the yard before you begin. Remove sticks, stones and other dangerous objects that could fly up and injure someone. The most common injuries related to yard work result from objects flying up and striking someone.
-Wear eye protection.
-Wear protection for your ears to alleviate the risks of injury associated with damaging sounds.
-Avoid listening to music during this time. Music can cause you to miss an important shout out or stop you from seeing a potentially dangerous hazard.
-Clear everyone, and pets, from the area. Keep kids inside under the supervision of an adult.
-Never start a mower inside.
-Never drink and do yard work! Sprucing up your lawn is no time to deal with impaired judgment.
If you or someone in your family has been injured in an accident outside your home in Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, Hollywood or in any of the surrounding areas, contact the Fort Lauderdale accident lawyers at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC to schedule a free appointment to discuss your rights at 1-800-561-7777.
Additional Resources:
Gas leak forces evacuations in Fort Lauderdale, by Wayne K. Roustan, Sun Sentinel
More Blog Entries:
Burn Injuries From Fire-Related Accidents in Coconut Creek Are Costly, Requires Experienced Law Firm, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, October 22, 2011