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#1 Posted : 30 October 2001 14:31:00(UTC)
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Posted By Geoff We have recently had an incident were one of our operatives has been injured while strimming. A stone was flicked up and went between his visor and check, causing injury to his eye. He was wearing a clear plastic face visor . We have provided these for a number of years without incident. In order to ensure that we are providing the best protection can you assit us.What protection do others provide for their operatives who are using strimmers?
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#2 Posted : 31 October 2001 23:20:00(UTC)
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Posted By Ian Harper I have some strimming work and often found that the face shields are just about the only thing really suitable. We have ahad a similar incident, but the stone in question bounced off the individual and then up inside the face shield. I think that its about time alternatives to strimming were found. We continue to pose a risk to the public with our flying stones as well as damage to property and or course the HAVS keeps croping up as well. Is it possible you could spray instead of strimming?
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#3 Posted : 01 November 2001 13:21:00(UTC)
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Posted By Ken Taylor - although spraying is not very environmentally friendly either. Some issue goggles - but visors are usually more acceptable and easier to see through than goggles. The more expensive ventilated ones are much better. The method statement should warn of the need to check for stones and obstacles and remove them prior to strimming where reasonably practicable.
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#4 Posted : 01 November 2001 15:12:00(UTC)
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Posted By Darren Honeyford Try this web site www.jonsered.co.uk and then, I'm not sure if you can request Brush cutter!! anyway the file I have is a pdf file entitled grasseng.pdf, this is Jonsered the manufacturer's guidance and instructions on the safe use of. Hope this helps Darren
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#5 Posted : 01 November 2001 15:16:00(UTC)
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Posted By Bernard Angus Visors alone are no guarantee as has been demonstrated. Most manufacturers would rightly suggest use of clear goggles behind a visor. They need to be good quality though to prevent the 'misting problem'. Spraying is not environmentally friendly and can pose other risks to operatives and the public. As an 'gardening active' local authority, we have been through all of this; the complaints about damage to cars included. There is really little alternative to strimming, but the risks need to be controlled strictly.
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#6 Posted : 01 November 2001 16:12:00(UTC)
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Posted By Francis MSc MIOSH RSP How about fixing some cloth hanging down from the edge of the visor-taking care not to weaken the "perspex". If it's a light material it should not heat the face up- it would need to come part way up the sides too. Only a suggestion but...
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#7 Posted : 01 November 2001 20:48:00(UTC)
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Posted By Tony Gibson I would suggest the type of visor which has a 'lip' along the bottom edge which is angled towards the operator. I had the same problem suggesting a suitable alternative whilst employed by the Probation service (as County Safety Advisor), the offenders do alot of strimming! Hope this helps. Tony Gibson MIOSH
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#8 Posted : 01 November 2001 21:50:00(UTC)
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Posted By Ian Harper Just a quick note to those who commented on spraying. It isnt environmenatlly friendly, after all it is designed to kill part of it, but the point is the risks are greater to the members of the public from strimming roadside verges and such like. After all PPE is the last line of defence...........
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#9 Posted : 02 November 2001 14:56:00(UTC)
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Posted By David Brede Surely the answer does not lie at the operative end of the activity. It is the strimmer that is generating the flying objects. So why not choose one that has an shroud of some sort that effectively protects the operative, general public and adjacent property from the flying debris? No one would consider using wood turning or metal cutting machinery without elaborate guards to protect the operative so why not strimmers? As said before PPE is the last line of defence not the first or the only one!
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#10 Posted : 02 November 2001 20:27:00(UTC)
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Posted By Tony Gibson Strimmers normally eject material away from the operator & have a shroud which will direct stray material , the operator is (or should be!) trained to be aware of his/her surroundings/other personnel and then 'points' the ejected material away. The problem here (I suspect)is material which rebounds back towards the operator. The PPE is the last defence. Regards Tony Gibson
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#11 Posted : 06 November 2001 08:50:00(UTC)
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Posted By Ken Taylor PPE may well be the last line of defence but I would not accept anyone going out strimming without it. You have to look at the risks to both the operator and others. For the operator, even after all other measures there is always a remaining need for PPE as the other controls are invariably not fully adequate for all significant risks.
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#12 Posted : 06 November 2001 09:10:00(UTC)
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Posted By Andy Stokes Members of the Conservation Safety Group, including the National trust, BTCV and RSPB, have debated this at length. NT have started to use an improved safety helmet with a wrap round visor. The recommended unit is a Peltor Strimmer Unit V40FH9A with a clear polycarbonate visor (2766710).
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#13 Posted : 07 November 2001 12:06:00(UTC)
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Posted By John Webster Francis' idea is not so daft, as I have seen such an article in use by strimmer operators - I just can't remember where or even if it was in this country. It looked like a fabric or fine netting hood with a visor front. As for control measures other than PPE, the first line of defence is elimination, next is substitution. I'm not a green evangelist, but much strimming is completely unnecessary and other environment friendly methods of weed control, like mulching, can be used around obstacles and trees. Strimming itself should be a last resort. Apart from the risks to operators and public, the machines are a noise nuisance, pollute with their oil burning 2 stroke engines, and do untold damage to trees and shrubs by stripping the bark.
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