nj landscape contractor winter 2012-13 issue
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The New Jersey Landscape Contractor Magzine - Winter 2012-13 IssueTRANSCRIPT
The New Jersey
Landscape ContractorThe Safety IssueWhen it Comes to Safety, Lip Service is a Disservice
We Came, We Saw, We Cut Grass
Drivers Pre-Trip Checklist
OSHA: Checklist for Safety Audit
The Official Publication of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association
Winter 2012-13
ORDER NOWCALL NOW TO SCHEDULE YOUR DELIVERY
Price & DeliveryCALL -201.512.0001
We deliver to the following counties: New Jersey: Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Essex, Hudson & Sussex
New York: Rockland & Orange
Protect You and Your
Treated Rock Salt
Published By
The New Jersey Landscape Contractor magazine is the official publi-cation of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, dedi-cated to the professional landscape industry of New Jersey. NJLCA was founded in 1966 as the Bergen County Landscape Contractors Association, and is today comprised of six regions throughout the state of New Jersey.
New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association465 Boulevard, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407Phone | 201-703-3600 -- Fax | 201-703-3776E-mail | [email protected] our website at www.NJLCA.org
Publisher/EditorGail E. Woolcott
Contributing WritersJohn Ball | Louis Crisitello, Jr. | Bob HiblerDr. Albrecht M. Koppenhöfer | Landscape Safety TrainingJody Shilan | Paul Werner | Gail Woolcott
NJLCA Combined BoardExecutive Director | Jody Shilan, MLAPresident | Bob Pedatella, CLTVice President | Chris Hricik, CLTTreasurer | Richard Goldstein, CLTChairman of the Board | Robert HiblerDirector | Tom BarilloDirector | Tom Canete, CLTDirector | David HuberDirector | Nelson LeeAssociate Director | Richard Gaynor, CIC, CRMAssociate Director | Shay Leon, AAI, CICAdvisor | Dr. Bruce Clarke, Rutgers UniversityAdvisor | Dr. Steven Fischer, Bergen Community CollegeAdvisor | Dr. James Murphy, Rutgers University
The New Jersey Landscape Contractor magazine is published trian-nually. 4,500 copies are distributed to members and professionals in the Green Industry of New Jersey, as well as educational and govern-mental institutions. Subscription rates: $45.00 per year; $11.50 per copy. New Jersey residents only, please add 7% sales tax.
To advertise in The New Jersey Landscape Contractor, please contact Gail Woolcott at (201) 703-3600 or e-mail [email protected].
Article and photo submissions are encouraged and may be sent to NJLCA at the above address. Publisher assumes no responsibility for safekeeping or return of photos or manuscripts, and reserves all rights to edit material submitted for publication.
© 2012 New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.
PUBLISHED Winter 2012-13
Cover Photos Courtesy of Landscape Safety Training
contents WINTER 2012-13
FEATURES 19 When it Comes to Safety, Lip Service is a Disservice 21 Tree Work is Not for the Amateur
23 Reducing labor and ‘pesticide load’ of the environment through optimal use of newer insecticidal chemistries
26 We Came, We Saw, We Cut Grass
27 Drivers Pre-Trip Checklist - English/Spanish
29 Wintertime Driving
30 OSHA: Checklist for General Industry Safety Audit
COLUMNS 4 Executive Director’s Message
5 NJLCA News Briefs 5 NJLCA/IANJ Golf Challenge a Hole-In-One
8 Landscape Industry Certified Exam Stresses Safety 13 Welcome New Members
14 Contractor Focus: NJLCA Members Practicing Safety
17 Associate Focus: Gamka Sales Co.
20 NJLCA and ASCA announce a new partnership agreement
25 Index of AdvertisersNJLCA.ORG 3
ORDER NOWCALL NOW TO SCHEDULE YOUR DELIVERY
Price & DeliveryCALL -201.512.0001
We deliver to the following counties: New Jersey: Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Essex, Hudson & Sussex
New York: Rockland & Orange
Protect You and Your
Treated Rock Salt
4 WINTER | 2012-13
Executive Director’s Message
As 2012 is quickly coming to a close, we are very excited to bring you the latest issue of the New Jer-sey Landscape Contractor just be-fore the year ends. Great things have happened at the NJLCA this year and 2013 is going to our best year ever. With an even greater focus on business education, networking and membership value, combined with a targeted growth strategy for the rest of the state, we are continuing
to bring opportunities to our members throughout the land…from Oakland to Roseland to Vineland.
One way that we are able to do this, is by strengthening our relationships with other professional green industry associa-tions that understand the importance and value in working together. While we continue to develop and foster our exist-ing relationships with other state organizations, including the NJTA, IANJ, APLD-NJ and of course, Rutgers University, we are also partnering with national organizations such as PLAN-ET and ASCA. This allows us to help protect our members and our industry, locally and nationally, as we continue to grow our membership, our voice and our brand.
As you might have guessed from the cover of this month’s issue of the New Jersey Landscape Contractor, our focus is on safety, for you, your employees and the public. There are so many risks in the work that we do, that the topic of safety can never become boring. If you don’t believe me then you have not been to a membership meeting lately and witnessed a presentation by our own super hero “Captain Safety”. His article (I mean Bob Hibler’s article) both scolds us and gently reminds us of the importance of safety, not just for the pro-tection of you and your employees, but the importance of it to your bottom line.
In this issue, we are approaching safety in a variety of ways. From the importance of safety training through certi-fication programs like the Landscape Industry Certification Exam, to the recognition of our award winning members in the Safety Training Achieves Remarkable Success (STARS) program, to an article about tree work that protects amateur arborists from themselves.
You will also find an abridged version of the Occupa-tion Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) safety audit checklist provided by LS Training System and a “Drivers Pre-Trip Checklist” created by the NJLCA, written in both English and Spanish. Please tear them out and make copies for all of your employees and all of your vehicles. With winter just around the corner, now is the perfect time to review this information. Speaking of winter, CNA provides us with some important safety tips for winter driving.
Unfortunately, we also have a very important but tragic story about Louis Crisitello, Sr., owner of Lou’s Lawn Mainte-nance, who was killed in a hit and run accident while he was properly placing the orange safety cones alongside his truck.
Lastly, we have some great pictures of the first NJLCA / IANJ golf outing at the Neshanic Valley Golf course (Sorry Wade, it’s our magazine so we get top billing). As you will see, we had an incredible turnout and fun was had by all. Though I do have to say that after playing a round of golf with some of these guys, I think we may need to create a safety training class for green industry golfers.
Happy New Year!
Jody ShilanNJLCA Executive Director
Save the Date
New Jersey Landscape 201336th Annual Trade Show & Educational Conference
Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - 8:00 am - 4:30 pmMeadowlands Exposition Center - 355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, NJ 07094
NJLCA News Brief
NJLCA/IANJ Golf Challenge a Hole in One by Gail Woolcott, Director of Operations
The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association and the Ir-rigation Association of New Jersey held it’s first annual com-
bined golf outing on September 10, 2012 at Neshanic Valley Golf Course in Neshanic Station, NJ. The event was a hit with mem-bers of both associations, with 117 golfers in attendance and sev-eral more attending the awards dinner. Attendees received great giveaways from sponsors including NJLCA/IANJ Golf Challenge branded hats, red from The Toro Company and tan from Aquarius Supply, shirts from Hunter Industries, cooler bags and golf balls from Atlantic Irrigation Specialties, golf towel from Middleton and Company Insurance and large golf umbrellas from Bobcat of North Jersey and Scirocco Insurance. Other sponsors included John Deere Landscapes (Lunch), Halco Lighting Technologies (Bever-age Cart), Jesco/Ditch Witch (Hole in One), and Paige Electric (Hole in One).
Recognizing the value and importance of partnering with allied associations here in the Garden State, the NJLCA and IANJ worked together to create a wonderful opportunity for landscape contrac-tors and irrigation contractors to not only work together, but play together. And all who attended had a blast! “We are very pleased with the turnout of golfers, sponsor participation, and the great ca-maraderie exhibited at today’s event,” said Eric Nelson, president of the IANJ Board of Trustees. “We look forward to doing many more cosponsored events in the future.”
The $10,000 Putt-Off was a great start to the day, with John Cummins from Cummins Engineering coming closest. Although he didn’t win the $10,000, he did win the opportunity to make the $1 Million Hole-in-One shot. With a PGA pro and NJLCA Golf Committee members in tow, John headed out to the $1,000,000 hole. Alas, he did not make it in, but swears he will make it next time. We can’t wait for the day when an attendee makes this shot and goes home $1,000,000 richer!
The rest of the day provided beautiful (albeit windy) weather and a great day on the links. Some of the scores reflected the windy situation, but all had a great time and were talking about the event well after it was over.
Two teams slugged it out for first place with the winning score of -11 posted by Wade Slover, Walter Mugavin, Paul Anderson, and Kevin Lewis. The team from Morgan Stanley/Smith Barney (Wade Martin, Craig Alexander, and John Green) came in second with a score of -10. Most honest team was John Deere Landscapes with a score of +9. Other awards given out were for Closest to the Pin #3 Lake - Rob Corsini; Closest to the Pin #8 Lake Matt Sweatlock; Closest to the Pin #3 Meadow Dan Stapinski; Closest to the Pin #6 Meadow Laura DePrado; Straightest Drive Tom Pacheco; and Longest Drive Mike Gilmore.
During dinner, Neal Portnoy, comic caricaturist entertained guests and drew hilarious likenesses for all to take home with them. “Neal has a gift for finding the vulnerable part of all of us,” said Pat
Barckett, NJLCA golf co-chair, “and he always brings a smile to my face when I see the results of his caricatures.”
“Sincere thanks to members the NJLCA and IANJ Golf Com-mittees (Pat Barckett, Scott Gillinder, and Gail Woolcott (NJLCA) and Eric Nelson, Wade Slover, Dan James, and Pat Koziol) for their hard work and great efforts in bringing this 1st annual co-spon-sored golf outing to fruition,” said Jody Shilan, Executive Director of NJLCA. “We hope to continue this tradition in the future.”
For more information about the NJLCA, please contact NJLCA at (201) 703-3600 or visit www.NJLCA.org. For more informa-tion about the IANJ, please contact IANJ at (973) 850-3366 or visit www.IANJ.com.
NJLCA.ORG 5
New Jersey Landscape 201336th Annual Trade Show & Educational Conference
Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - 8:00 am - 4:30 pmMeadowlands Exposition Center - 355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, NJ 07094
NJLCA / IANJ 2012 Golf Challenge
6 WINTER | 2012-13
NJLCA News Brief
NJLCA / IANJ 2012 Golf Challenge
NJLCA.ORG 7
NJLCA News Brief
NJLCA News Brief
8 WINTER | 2012-13
Landscape Industry Certified Exam Stresses SafetyBy Gail Woolcott, Director of Operations
The Landscape Industry Certified Technician (previously CLT) program deserves your attention, if only for the safety require-
ments that it can teach you and your employees! The Landscape In-dustry Certified Technician Exam is an internationally recognized testing program that is exclusively administered by the NJLCA in New Jersey. Administered in conjunction with the Professional Landcare Network, the Landscape Industry Certified Technician Exam is the only hands-on testing program for landscape profes-sionals in the state.
Landscape supervisors, foremen, and field technicians who are certified are recognized as qualified professionals. To you and your employees, that might mean better wages and enhanced profits, as the public becomes more aware of the meaning of doing business with a certified professional. International certification gives com-panies a way of meeting increased consumer demand for profes-sional landscaping.
However, one of the most important aspects of the exam is that it addresses and puts emphasis on how important safety is. Candidates are tested by performing safety checks for tools and equipment, recording in logbooks, transporting equipment and materials properly (loading, securing and unloading), storing tools appropriately when not in use, performing site inspections to identify basic hazards and taking appropriate action to reduce ac-cidents, reading labels, MSDS, and operators manuals, establishing appropriate safe work areas, initiating emergency responses, and ensuring underground utilities have been identified, located, and marked prior to excavation.
At the company level, certification establishes credibility and the motivation to improve. By investing in employee’s certifica-tion, the company also provides their employees with a feeling of being valued. This professionalism shows in the projects the company completes.
The Landscape Industry Certified program can also offer com-panies a built-in training program. As employees study for the exam and pass each element, they are being trained for job suc-cess and in the safe way of operating. They come away from the test with a great sense of accomplishment, confidence and pride, having proven their qualification and knowledge of the job they perform. All employers value employees with the ambition to bet-ter themselves; and quality employees want to work for companies that emphasize and encourage advanced training. It is a win-win situation.
Professional Certification is one of the most important steps an individual can take to demonstrate knowledge and commitment to his or her career. Certified individuals are able to stand out from the crowd as examples of excellence in the Green Industry.
Therefore, certification is an easy choice for any landscape com-pany that takes pride in quality workmanship and professionalism.
Many landscape companies view the CLT testing program as a tool to take their company to the next level, as certification offers many benefits for the company, the employees, customers, and industry.
The NJLCA held its most recent certification exam on October 6, 2012 at Bergen Community College in Paramus, NJ. On hand were nearly 50 judges and volunteers, with over 50 registered can-didates for the test day.
Congratulations to the following for successfully completing all modules in their chosen designation and becoming Landscape In-dustry Certified Technicians:
Brian Blecher – Arrowwood Landscape Design, Fairlawn, NJScott Brewer – Environmental Landscape Design, Wall, NJPerry Greto – Ruppert Landscape, King of Prussia, PABrittney Hunter – R & S Landscaping, Midland Park, NJWalter Singer – YardApes, New Milford, CT
We look forward to many more individuals becoming certified, as they are just one or two modules away! The next Landscape Industry Certified Technician’s Exam dates are:
Written Exam Only: November 28, 2012Full and Retake Exams: October 2013
NJLCA.ORG 9
NJLCA News Brief
2012 National Landscape Industry Certified Technician ExamThe Landscape Industry Certified Exam is administered by the New Jersey Landscape ContractorsAssociation with the support of the Professional Landcare Network & Bergen Community College
Gold Sponsors
Test Site Sponsors
A & M Landscape Mgmt.Al D. Landscaping & TreeAmerican Beauty LandscapeAtlantic Irrigation SpecialtiesBartlett Tree ExpertsBobcat of North JerseyCentral Irrigation & Turf SupplyChris James LandscapingCutting Edge Landscape Maint.Gardens By DesignGreen Meadows LandscapingHorizon Landscape Co.Husqvarna
Impact Irrigation ConsultingJML LandscapingJody Shilan DesignsKodiak Landscape & DesignLupardi’s NurseryMichael Szczecina, CLTOtterstedt InsuranceR & S LandscapingRoad Runner ServiceRusso Lawn & LandscapeRutgers, The State University of New JerseyThe Standard Group
Bronze Sponsors
A big thank you to all of our sponsors, judges, and candidates for another successful certification exam!
Finding the proper balance between affordability and the right benefit package for you and your employees can be a challenge. The newly formed NJLCA Benefits Trust and Association Master Trust (AMT) are here to help.
With more than 9,000 participants from 14 member associations, AMT can tap into the same great benefit plans that larger employers enjoy while saving members money by providing self funded group benefit plans without outside broker commissions or shareholders demanding profits.
Plus, AMT contracts with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and the Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey to provide members with access to one of the largest health and or dental provider networks in the state; all at the lowest cost possible.
Who can ask for more, great rates, great coverage and a health benefit plan run by members for members. Contact AMT today to receive a quote and see how NJLCA and the AMT Benefits Trust can help you regain your health plan balance. You can reach AMT by phone at (973) 379-1090 ext. 229 or email [email protected]
Scan to visit our website
66 Morris Avenue, P.O. Box 359, Springfield, NJ 07081973-379-1090 ext. 236 • [email protected]
The NJLCA Now Offers Access to Health Plan Benefits!The NJLCA Benefits Trust and Association Master Trust
NJLCA Ad.indd 1 6/13/2012 7:25:30 AM
10 WINTER | 2012-13
Finding the proper balance between affordability and the right benefit package for you and your employees can be a challenge. The newly formed NJLCA Benefits Trust and Association Master Trust (AMT) are here to help.
With more than 9,000 participants from 14 member associations, AMT can tap into the same great benefit plans that larger employers enjoy while saving members money by providing self funded group benefit plans without outside broker commissions or shareholders demanding profits.
Plus, AMT contracts with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and the Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey to provide members with access to one of the largest health and or dental provider networks in the state; all at the lowest cost possible.
Who can ask for more, great rates, great coverage and a health benefit plan run by members for members. Contact AMT today to receive a quote and see how NJLCA and the AMT Benefits Trust can help you regain your health plan balance. You can reach AMT by phone at (973) 379-1090 ext. 229 or email [email protected]
Scan to visit our website
66 Morris Avenue, P.O. Box 359, Springfield, NJ 07081973-379-1090 ext. 236 • [email protected]
The NJLCA Now Offers Access to Health Plan Benefits!The NJLCA Benefits Trust and Association Master Trust
NJLCA Ad.indd 1 6/13/2012 7:25:30 AM
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NJLCA News Brief
Ace Outdoor Power EquipmentBrian LonerganBayville, NJ
Baker Brothers LandscapingEdward BakerCranford, NJ
The Bilingual GroupEdward CorreaDover, NJ
Central SaltBob PersichettiElgin, IL
Cousins Lawn MaintenanceAaron WilliamsStewartsville, NJ
Elite Design & LandscapingClaudia DelcidAllentown, NJ
Evergreen Valley ChristmasTree Farm, LLCAndrew AlpaughStockton, NJ
Genesis Turfgrass, Inc.Thomas DeFinoWilmington, DE
Green Valley LandscapeDesign & MaintenancePatrick McKennaVerona, NJ
Green Valley Lawn& LandscapeRoberta MooreSkillman, NJ
Greener ConceptsAnthony CorteseSparta, NJ
Green MachineTerry DeyParamus, NJ
Jersey Shore LandscapingBrian SullivanManahawkin, NJ
Kyle Wright’s Lawn Care LLCKyle WrightHaddonfield, NJ
Littlebird LandscapingEllen ThompsonFranklin Park, NJ
Morgan StanleySamuel ReedMorristown, NJ
National Weather StationDan VentolaLodi, NJ
Natures Touch PondsDarren LucasParamus, NJ
Pennella’s Landscape DesignsBill/Anthony PennellaTowaco, NJ
Property Details, LLCEverett FinkHillsdale, NJ
Raffiani’s Automatic SprinklerJohn RaffianiFair Lawn, NJ
A warm welcome to our newest members...Rutgers University – Office of Continuing EducationJoe CanzanoNew Brunswick, NJ
Smitty’s Landscape& IrrigationDan SmithCedar Grove, NJ
Sylbar Landscape& ConstructionBarry J. FreundParamus, NJ
Young’s Landscape Management, Inc.Mark Del PratoMoorestown, NJ
BULK HANDLERS, INC.PO Box 233, Allendale, NJ 07401
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Contractor Focus: NJLCA Members Practicing Safety!
This issue we thought we would celebrate those of
our members who recently won awards for their safe practices. At the Green Industry Confer-ence, held in Kentucky this past October, PLANET gave awards to companies that have proven their safety track record in the past year by participating in the STARS (Safety Training
Achieves Remarkable Success) program. The STARS Safe Company Program (Safety Training Achieves
Remarkable Success) is a free safety initiative designed for com-panies to set the precedent for safety throughout the industry. The STARS program helps green industry service provider companies lower their total costs of risk by reducing hazards and injuries. With this initiative, PLANET works to connect all green industry compa-nies in an effort to lessen the risks associated with the green industry.
This years program recognized eight NJLCA Members, with two of them achieving “Best of the Best” status, which was created to honor companies with Overall Safety Achievement Award–Gold Performance status for the last three years.
Best of the Best
Keep It Green Landscaping (Fairlawn), founded by Dyle A. MacGregor, has been working actively in the landscape field since its establishment in 1981. They offer complete landscape mainte-nance, lawn care, landscape design and construction, as well as commercial snow and ice management.
Keep It Green Landscaping is certified by the Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute (ICPI), the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) and the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET). They are members of the New Jersey Landscape Con-tractors Association, the Professional Landcare Network, the Ar-bor Day Foundation and a Charter Member of the Snow and Ice Management Association.
Owner, Dyle A. MacGregor, has held the positions of treasurer, secretary and vice president of the New Jersey Landscape Contrac-tors Association. As a nationally certified landscape professional (CLP), Dyle personally oversees all operations and brings over thirty years of proven experience to the table.
“In the green industry we tend to like new things, new trucks, new equipment and new technology; somewhat less glamorous is safety. At Keep It Green Landscaping we are always looking for new ways to talk about and implement safety because just as new equipment or new technology can, safety affects productivity, mor-al and ultimately the bottom line.” says MacGregor.
Best of the BestKodiak Landscape & Design, Inc. (Haskell) was born in 1994
with a handful of lawns and big dreams. Since then, Bob Pedatella has built the business into one of the most reputable companies in Passaic, Morris and Bergen counties. They are known for going the extra mile for customers by working with them to create a mainte-nance and/or design plan that satisfies their individual needs.
The Kodiak family includes a design staff, an office manager, and maintenance and construction teams that are Certified Land-scape Technicians (CLT).
Kodiak is also a supporter of the National Arbor Day Founda-tion and celebrates Arbor Day annually at local schools. Pedatella says, “I am proud of my employees and my company for winning this national award. I feel safety is very important and without a proper safety program, you’re not going to have a successful business today.”
Overall Safety Achievement
Gold Level
Jacobsen Landscape Design and Construction (Midland Park) has more than 30 years of experience in northern New Jer-
NJLCA News Brief
14 WINTER | 2012-13
NJLCA.ORG 15
NJLCA News Brief
If you would like to be considered for “Contractor Focus” or “Associate Focus” in our next issue, please contact NJLCA
at (201) 703-3600 or e-mail [email protected]
sey. They employ degreed professionals in Landscape Design and Landscape Architecture. Many of the employees also hold Indus-try Certifications in Landscape Design, Masonry, Irrigation, Light-ing and Pesticide Applications.
Jacobsen has won multiple Environmental Improvement Awards for Design/Build from the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) and New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) and was recognized as a Top 100 Landscape Company in America by Landscape Management Magazine.
Silver Level
Farmside Landscape & De-sign (Wantage) is a full service landscape contractor offering landscape design, installation and maintenance service, in ad-dition to specialty Plant Health Care & Turf Care services.
Farmside has been serving the Tri-State area for over 20 years and is led by a team of professionally-certified Landscape Technicians,
Arborists and Turf Care Managers.Raimondi Horticultural Group, Inc. (Ho-Ho-Kus) is a full-
service horticultural firm delivering environmentally sound, aes-thetically beautiful solutions for corporate and residential clients in the New York tri-state region. Areas of expertise include interior landscaping, full-service florals, high-profile creative events, holi-day decorating services, plant rentals and corporate gifts. Among its “green” initiatives, RHG is actively involved in the Green Plants for Green Buildings, US Green Building Council – NJ Chapter, PLANET, and the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association.
Bronze LevelDuke’s Landscape
Management (Hackett-stown) was founded in 1983 by Eric Cross, to serve the landscaping,
property maintenance, and snow removal needs of large com-mercial properties. Duke’s Landscape Management’s service area spans from Pennsylvania to New York City, covering Northern New Jersey. Over the past decades, Duke’s has grown to be one of the largest commercial landscape companies in Northern New Jer-sey, servicing over 7,000 condominium units and over 1,100 acres of commercial and residential properties from two offices.
Native Fields Landscaping, LLC (Landing) was established in 2005. Their staff is fully trained and certified in all areas of landscape management. Each
employee has completed a basic pesticide training course to insure that any chemical applied is done in a safe and proper manor. They also have ICPI certified employees on staff.
Native Fields Landscaping has previously won multiple awards from the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association Land-scape Achievement Awards program and the NJ Daily Record Award for 2011’s best landscaping business in Morris County.
Green Valley Lawn & Landscape (Skillman) was also recog-nized for No Vehicle Accidents, No Injuries or Illnesses, and No Days Away From Work. Owned and operated by certified Mas-ter Gardener Richard Mercurio since 2002, Green Valley offers
a comprehensive knowledge of plants, trees, lawn products, and maintenance strategies.
Green Valley is active in the community, sponsoring local or-ganizations and charities, as well as donating their services and ex-pertise pro bono to the local arboretum.
Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you for promoting a safe work environment in the landscape industry!
Contact NJLCA at (201) 703-3600 or email [email protected]
NJLCA News Brief
• PLANET’s esteemed Trailblazer mentoring program • Business education, including FREE webinars and 1,000+ resources on PLANET Universe• Consulting services
PLANET is the national green industry association with more than 3,800 member companies and affiliates. Our member companies represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals from all 50 states and internationally.
• Government representation• Non-competitive networking• Workforce development and safety training • Discounts on certification, supplier’s products and services, publications, events, and more!
SAMPLE OF PLANET MEMBER PROGRAMS
As a member of NJLCA, new members of PLANET may now join at
The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) and the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) have teamed up to offer you a special ...
... discount on membership dues!
Learn more at LandcareNetwork.org/membership/sap.cfm or call (800) 395-2522 to join!
50% off published rates! Members of both organizations already? Deduct 10% off your next membership renewal.
Associate Focus: Gamka Sales Co.Gamka Sales Company was established in April 1986 at a mod-
est 2,500 square foot facility in Edison, New Jersey by Karl Weiss and his eldest son, JR. Soon, Ron, Karl’s other son, joined the organization. Karl banked upon his three decades of knowledge in the construction supply and equipment distribution business, the assistance of his sons and some outside financial capital to get up and running. Many people ask how the name GAMKA came about. Karl’s backers were Gerry, Anthony, and Michael. They were the G,A and M. The KA is for Karl. The three backers were paid off in a short time and Gamka has been 100% owned and operated ex-clusively by the Weiss family for years now. Gamka Sales received the 2012 NJLCA Associate of the Year.
The company rapidly outgrew its birthplace and two others, all in Edison. This geographic location, Edison, was chosen be-cause it is central to servic-ing contractors working anywhere in the state and
just a stone’s throw from the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Interstate 287 and Routes 1, 9 and 18, etc. In 2002, Gamka again relocated within Edison to a 60,000 square foot, climate con-trolled warehouse, with offices and showroom on six acres. Gam-ka’s service department maintains and performs warranty repairs on what machinery Gamka sells with a complete shop and factory trained technicians. We use our own truck fleet to deliver all over New Jersey, Metropolitan New York and Philadelphia.
When asked how the economy has affected business this year, Bob Hibler, Director of Marketing replied, “Actually, this economy
started receding in 2008. It is no secret that construction activity has declined dramatically in the commercial, industrial and resi-dential areas. We reacted as did many of our customers by setting our sights lower, diversifying and economizing. Prior to this reces-sion we only followed job reports that were val-ued above $5,000,000. In parts of New Jersey that could be a couple of homes and there were too many awards that small to follow. Now when we see that a school is re-grouting tile in a lavatory we perk up. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration but we do listen closely when opportunity knocks! Another action we took was to broaden our product lines. Construction may have slowed but the grass still grows, leaves still fall, snow comes down and that must be addressed with outdoor power products. We became a full ser-vice, stocking Husqvarna dealer to gain access to both the landscape contractor and homeowner markets. As far as economizing, Gamka tightened its belt, watched expenses and worked harder – that is not genius, just survival common sense. We are still here, it works.”
Gamka is a distributor of a wide variety of construction and landscape products. Their business is in equipment sales and rentals, outdoor power equipment (lawn mowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, snow throwers, etc.), construction chemicals, geotextiles, thermal and moisture protection, diamond cutting, hardware, concrete accessories and safety equipment. Inside their warehouse are more than 46,000 line items including light to medium sized
equipment (from a drill to an ex-cavator), construction chemicals, hardware, supplies and over 1,700 pieces of rental machinery. There are 12,000 parts in stock for the equipment lines sold.
About what the landscape contractor is most overlooking in equipment purchases, Hibler states, “Generalizing is not prac-tical with such a mixed base but there are a few things that fit in many instances. For example, people, whether contractors or not, tend to stick with the brands they know: they find a certain comfort level that a closed mind sometimes brings. New technol-ogy, pioneered by other makers, might make them more profit-able, but it is hard to pry open that shell. It is ironic that millions are spent on R&D and advertising to bring this out but the results are spotty. This is where demos are
J.R. Weiss, Karl Weiss, and Ron Weiss - Gamka Sales leadership
16 WINTER | 2012-13
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hugely helpful to open eyes. And then there is not taking advantage of manufacturer-sponsored financing. Several of the companies we represent want to assist contractors in purchasing their products and they try to make it easy, financially, to do so with generous terms. One recent offer to qualified buyers was for no down pay-ment, no payments until next April, then no interest for the next 48 months. That is like free money. Then there are quantity buys. Husqvarna offers a substantial 20% discount for fleet buyers. We have also noticed that, in some cases, there has been a reluctance to purchase from a dealer not in their back yard. We feel that as long as the dealer will deliver and pick up, they might as well be next door.”
Not every competitor is alike, but Gamka tries hard to be more than an order taker. They ask questions, listen to the issues and offer solutions that fit the problem or task at hand. Sometimes they can suggest several alternatives. And if they don’t know enough, they will bring in the manufacturer to the party. Hibler likes to think of this as “applica-tion engineering”.
When asked about why they are a member of the NJLCA, Hibler replied, “In Gamka’s case belonging to the NJLCA and participat-ing in meetings and events has made it possible to access a new market. In construction, the jobs we visit are active and in one place. Most larger contractors have brick and mortar offices and staff. Their job sites and offices are open at standard hours. We can call upon them. Landscape work generally goes much quicker and if you blink, the crews are done and off to the next task. Landscape contractors are subjected to schedule changes by the weather, the season and the daylight. All that makes getting face-time very dif-
ficult, except at the regular the NJLCA meetings and events. Then there is time to talk, no noisy equipment and it is in a relaxed, social atmosphere. As an associate, we have had several op-portunities to host and sponsor events
at our world headquarters in Edison. The Great Chainsaw Tree Massacre and Zero Turn Mower Race Barbecues have brought us crowds, business and a lot of fun for all. Without being a part of the NJLCA this would never have happened.”
NJLCA News Brief
*Only available for qualified applicants. Only available through June 30, 2012. Financing available on new equipment in US only. Some restrictions apply. Available only at participating dealers. Visit your Husqvarna dealer for complete details.
Up to 20%
Discounts*
Copyright © 2012 Husqvarna AB (publ). All rights reserved. Husqvarna and other product and feature marks are trademarks of the Husqvarna Group as displayed at www.international.husqvarna.com
Performance. Durability. Innovation.Rugged by design, yet precise in handling, Husqvarna zero-turn mowers and commercial walk behind mowers not only offer high levels of productivity, but are engineered to withstand the demands of any mowing job. Cutting edge ergonomics and comfort features provide everything needed to meet the requirements of tough lawn maintenance.
www.husqvarna.com
*See your Husqvarna dealer for details.
Commercial Fleet Program
NJLCA.ORG 19
Feature Story
Closing the barn doors after the cows have escaped is too little, too late. The same thing goes for safety. Accidents should be
prevented, not attended to after the fact. Those of you that come to our NJLCA membership meetings already know this because our own super hero, Captain Safety, reminds us monthly that it is “bet-ter to be safe than sorry” (repeat after me). Although he mysteri-ously appears at each meeting to deliver his message, five minutes is not nearly enough time to cover the topic because according to Captain Safety, “Safety is a 24/7 necessity”.
Let me ask a few questions and we will pretend that your liabil-ity insurance agent is not looking you in the eye when you answer. I am willing to bet a nickel that all of you receive safety bulletins from time to time, right? Okay, and be honest now, how many of those have you actually read or shared with your employees? Let’s back it down a notch: How many of you have even opened and read a bit of their prose? Maybe you plan ahead and put them in a very safe place, in case you need it someday in the future? Or do you just put it in the recycle bin to prove how “Green” you are for bonus points? Last question: Do you owe me that nickel?
Would you run your business without seeing if your invoices have been paid? Being paid is on the mind of every entrepreneur all of the time, right along with scheduling jobs, selling your services and the other things it takes to be a success. And how do you know things are perking along nicely? Profits! Success is measured in profits.
Safety can affect your profits too! Many companies don’t put safety very high on their agenda. Why is that? Because as long as nothing happens, safety is boring. Why do people rubberneck on the highway? Accidents! Accidents are exciting. Yes!
I think we all agree that boring safety is better than exciting accidents. However, there is another reason that the safety of your employees should occupy the top rung of your priority ladder and that is money. Accidents cost money. Your money. It’s not just peo-ple that get hurt either. Drop that pallet of light bulbs and you can kiss them good-bye. Run a fork through a drum of diesel fuel and call in the biohazard clean-up team to mop up.
Landscape contractors are not in the same category as the peo-ple who run a Dollar Store when it comes to risks. The equipment you run every day cuts, slices, aerates, trims, grinds and chops. That equipment works on grass, trees, lawns, pavers, and people just the same. You deal with chemicals that have warning labels as long as your arm. Moreover, without highly flammable gasoline your equipment will not run.
Some of you climb trees to cut and trim them and it is no secret that Newton’s Law applies here, gravity will get you if you don’t watch out. You and your workers bake in the sun, risking heat stroke and skin cancer during the growing season. In the winter, when it is snowing, you are out there plowing when most people stay home to avoid slid-ing all over. Frostbite bites! Your trucks and trailers are on the road, driving from job to job. The more miles you drive, the better are the odds that something will happen to those vehicles. It is all about expo-sure. Landscape contractors operate in a dangerous world.
When It Comes to Safety, Lip Service Is A Disserviceby Bob Hibler, Gamka Sales Co.
Let’s also not forget that you are not func-tioning in a vacuum. Surrounding your work area are kids, pets, glass windows, things that can get hurt and bro-ken. That is part of your business too; you must look out for them.
One accident can wipe you out financially or a worker out physi-cally. Therefore, safety needs to have the same priority as being paid. If your company does not have a safety policy of its own, here is one short version for you to adopt! Post it where all of your workers can see it.
• All Injuries and occupational illnesses are preventable;• All workplace and operating exposures can be reasonably safeguarded;
• Safety is equal to cost, quality and productivity;• Working safely is an essential element of employee performance;• Safety is a line management responsibility;• Line management has a responsibility to train all employees to work safely;
• Safety adds value to your customers, employees and owners;• All injuries and accidents must be reported to the supervisor.
This credo needs to be drilled into your employees and it starts with the boss. Remember the “Monkey see, monkey do” princi-ple and set the example. A short cut that results in an injury saves nothing. Running a safe operation doesn’t just save you money from lost time, insurance claims and OSHA fines, it will actually help increase your profits.
Working safely must be part of your company mission. Re-member what Captain Safety says and repeat it to yourself: “Better safe than sorry!” Bob Hibler is the Director of Marketing for Gamka Sales Co., Inc, a distributor of construction products and equipment serving the state of New Jersey from their world headquarters in Edison, NJ. Bob is a close, personal friend of Captain Safety, who teaches our members that safety is our number one priority.*Only available for qualified applicants. Only
available through June 30, 2012. Financing available on new equipment in US only. Some restrictions apply. Available only at participating dealers. Visit your Husqvarna dealer for complete details.
Up to 20%
Discounts*
Copyright © 2012 Husqvarna AB (publ). All rights reserved. Husqvarna and other product and feature marks are trademarks of the Husqvarna Group as displayed at www.international.husqvarna.com
Performance. Durability. Innovation.Rugged by design, yet precise in handling, Husqvarna zero-turn mowers and commercial walk behind mowers not only offer high levels of productivity, but are engineered to withstand the demands of any mowing job. Cutting edge ergonomics and comfort features provide everything needed to meet the requirements of tough lawn maintenance.
www.husqvarna.com
*See your Husqvarna dealer for details.
Commercial Fleet Program
NJLCA and ASCA announce a new partnership agreementBy Jody Shilan, Executive Director
The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) and the Accredited Snow Contractors Association (ASCA)
are excited to announce a new opportunity for NJLCA members who provide snow and ice management services. NJLCA mem-bers who join ASCA will receive a 20 percent discount on ASCA membership dues. In addition to providing this great cost savings opportunity, the ASCA will also return 20 percent of these member dues back to the NJLCA, which will be specifically earmarked for legislative support.
ASCA Executive Director, Kevin Gilbride, reached out to Tom Canete, owner of Canete Snow Management, one of the largest Snow Fighting companies in New Jersey to discuss potential part-nership opportunities. Canete, who is both an active member of the NJLCA and the ASCA immediately recognized the potential, “As members of the NJLCA continue to expand into snow and ice management, a real need developed to provide our members with the best training, education, legislative support and protection to help grow and protect their businesses”, stated Canete.
The NJLCA board of directors immediately saw the benefits, value and importance of working together with an organization like the ASCA and how this re-lationship could benefit members of both orga-nizations. According to Jody Shilan, Executive Director of the NJLCA, “We are extremely ex-cited about working together with Kevin and the ASCA, as the
NJLCA continues to partner with professional trade organizations throughout the state of New Jersey and the country, bringing value and support to our members”.
The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA), a non-profit, trade association for landscape contractors, has been encouraging professional standards and promoting the green in-dustry for more than 45 years and are a valuable resource to the contractor and industry. They offer tools to increase sales and reduce expenses. The NJLCA takes an active advocacy role in protecting and furthering its members’ business interests at both the state and federal levels. The association is dedicated to advancing the integrity, proficiency, profitability, and personal growth of the landscape professional. Through educational seminars, trade shows, so-cial events, networking opportunities, membership meetings, emails, maga-
zines, and professionalism in all that we do, the Association is able to fulfill this mission.
The Accredited Snow Contractors Association is a trade asso-ciation with the purpose of advancing the professional snow and ice management industry and to promote its role in performing high-risk services to society including:
1. Providing educational programs and publications in all as-pects of snow and ice management, finance, business man-agement, marketing and other specialized areas of profes-sional interest;
2. Conducting meetings and other programs designed to pro-mote the exchange of ideas among members and to facili-tate the conduct of their business;
3. Collecting and disseminating information pertaining to the snow and ice management industry, including statisti-cal data and other statistical research;
4. Developing and maintaining professional accreditation programs to encourage high standards for snow and ice management professionals;
5. Advocating the interest of the snow and ice management industry to local, state/provincial, federal and international governmental bodies;
6. Advocating the interests of the snow and ice management industry to insurance companies and allied associations.
For more information and to join the Ac-credited Snow Contractors Association, visit www.ascasonline.org or call 330-523-5368. To take advantage of this 20% off discount, you must be a member of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA). For more information about joining the NJLCA, visit www.NJLCA.org.
NJLCA News Brief
20 WINTER | 2012-13
Photo courtesy of Kodiak Landscape and Design, Inc.
NJLCA.ORG 21
I often write articles for the tree care industry that focus on the various hazards associated with tree work. While there are cer-
tainly many more stories to write on the subject of safety (it would be hard to argue that you can have too much emphasis on safety), I thought this time I would focus on a class of Arborists we of-ten do not write about, the homeowner, aka, the amateur arborist. Professional Arborists might find this article provides some useful discussion points when faced with a homeowner deciding whether to hire a professional or do the work themselves. Homeowners might find in it lots of reasons why they should not to attempt some tree work themselves.
Tree work is among the highest risk professions in the United States, with a fatality rate ranked near commercial fisheries and logging, two industries widely acknowledged for their capabil-ity to kill those engaged in the work. Our high ranking is not too surprising, as any activity that combines large, heavy objects, power equipment and height creates a risk-filled environment. I re-fer to this as high risk, not dangerous, as danger implies there was an element of chance or luck involved in the out-come of an incident. We, as arborists, do not manage danger but we do, and can, manage risk. A tree crew is minimizing risk every day they are in the field by es-tablishing work zones, conducting pre-work inspections and brief-ings and wearing the proper personal protective equipment (PPE). If you want to see dangerous tree work, watch a homeowner.
The Internet is filled with stories and pictures of homeowners who have removed their dead ash or elm, sometimes using rental lifts but often just from ladders. “The money I saved!” is a frequent comment on these sites. However, with the exception of the comi-cal “tree removal gone wrong” videos that appear on YouTube, you rarely see any postings of the do-it-yourself removals that did not work out so well. If you want to hear about those, you need to look at homeowner insurance claims, emergency room admissions or the obituaries (or monthly in the “Accident Briefs” listed in Tree Care Industry Magazine).
Every arborist has probably heard a homeowner exclaim upon hearing the price for removing a particular large tree, “That’s rob-bery! I’ll do it myself!” (or the equally humorous, “How much can I save if I take the day off from work and come out to help you”).
Removals do look simple; after all gravity rules and a cut tree will fall. The trick, of course, is having it land in the correct space, a thought that often only occurs to the homeowner when they’re standing with their running saw watching the tree come down in precisely the wrong direction.
Each year thousands of homeowners are injured and more than 100 are killed while attempting to perform tree work. Tragically, many of these incidents involve children. No, the children were not felling the tree or climbing high on a ladder cutting branches, rath-er they were doing what children do outside – play. Unfortunately they were playing in what any arborist would recognize as a work zone, the area in which the tree or branches may land. There have been a number of incidents where children have been killed when the tree came down in a different direction than was anticipated.
One fatal incident involved a child play-ing in a sandbox in front of a 50-foot tree about to be felled. The homeown-er misjudged the height of the tree, a misjudgment that will probably haunt him for life. If the potential customer can refer to our removal price as “rob-bery,” then surely these tragic incidents done for the sake of saving a few dollars could be called far worse.
Another recent incident proved fatal to a homeowner who was attempting to remove a tree while standing on a lad-der. The person cut through the hinge and the tree fell on the ladder crush-ing him to the ground. Homeowners are killed each year because they fail to notch or back cut the tree properly, resulting in falls that come down in unanticipated directions or roll off the
stump, striking the feller. Even simple precautions, such as clear-ing escape routes or using lines or wedges to assist in directing the fall, are routinely ignored by homeowners who assume the work is simple and straight forward.
Another source of incidents is when homeowners rent a lift to remove the tree in sections. There are numerous portable lifts avail-able on the rental market today. Many are not designed for tree work and are better suited to and more maneuverable for painting the second story of a house or other duties. Most I have seen are not to be used as cranes or in the vicinity of electrical conductors, a thought lost on the renter. These portable lifts have been sub-jected to dynamic loading as large limbs, tied off to the cage, are cut. Overloading the capacity of these lifts can result in the collapse of the machine – the homeowner does not fall from the lift as much as falls with it. Failing to check the environment for power lines, or failing to understand their hazards, also has resulted in incidents and these incidents are almost always fatal. When a homeowner contacts a 14 kV line while standing in a metal cage, the outcome is as predictable as it is deadly.
Merely running the chain saw creates dangerous conditions for homeowners. A study of emergency room visits in the Midwest found that homeowners attempting to perform tree work were
Feature Story
Tree Work Is Not For the AmateurBy John Ball, South Dakota State University
22 WINTER | 2012-13
Feature Story
Tree Work Is Not For the Amateur (Continued)far more likely, in fact five times more likely, to be admitted than professionals, and with much more serious injuries. One reason for this difference was that professionals use personal protective equipment (PPE) – chaps and helmet among other equipment, while homeowners think nothing of running chain saws while wearing shorts and flip-flops.
Homeowners seem to have a very casual attitude toward run-ning chain saws. Despite the fact they are operating a machine that is capable of having 600 cutting teeth per second passing over a single point with each tooth capable of slicing through a quarter-inch of flesh; they seem unphased by this hazard. Improper chain saw use accounts for 20 to 40 fatalities each year and more than 40,000 emergency room visits among homeowners. Yet every day you can watch homeowners running saws without any PPE to re-duce the severity of a potential saw-body contact. And they are usually running the saw above their shoulders with their kids play-ing next to them. The fact we have incidents with homeown-ers running chain saws is not surprising; what is surprising is that most homeowners survive the experience!
Another danger occurs when the tree finally reaches the ground. I used to give quotes for tree removal that were “too expensive” only to be contacted again once the homeowner got the tree to the ground and did not know what to do with the brush. Sometimes after cutting up the branches and limbs (an-other task filled with hazards, spring poles being a leading source of incidents among ama-teurs), the homeowners pile the brush in a haphazard manner and then call the tree company back to do the clean-up. They are often surprised to learn, as were some of my customers; that removing the logs and brush may be a significant cost of the removal and a lot more if a mess of tangled branches has to be chipped. I even had some jobs that would have been cheaper had they called us to do the entire removal rather than just dispose of brush!
Homeowners faced with this unexpected clean-up cost (they thought only $50 in the $2,000 quote for the removal was associ-ated with clean-up) resort to renting a chipper in another do-it-yourself attempt to save money. Chippers have been a boon to tree businesses. Rather than having to cut branches and stack them in the backs of trucks or flatbeds, now almost the entire tree can be reduce to a pile of chips. But any machine that can reduce a tree to small fragments less than one-inch in size can do the same to a human being.
Chippers are involved in incidents each year in which hands or feet are pulled in accompanied quickly by arms, legs, torso and head. Homeowners (and professional arborists) are killed each year because they decided to use their foot to kick through a jammed
log, only to have their body inadvertently pulled in as the jam clears. A few years ago the youngest person killed by a chipper was only 14 years-old. Felling trees and cleaning up the brush is not for most homeowners and certainly is not an activity to involve the kids.
Homeowners may recognize that the work is beyond their ca-pability and hire someone to do the work. While this is the best op-tion, homeowners need to be cautioned in assuming anyone with a saw and a pick-up truck is an arborist. Any time you combine un-employment and storms; there will be a lot of folks who figure they might as well start a tree service. There is a steep learning curve to becoming experienced in tree removals and the homeowner may not want to have their property be the training ground. A good consumer will ask questions to determine the level of experience of a company. How long they have been in business, are they mem-bers of the Tree Care Industry Association and are their workers certified in the safe operation of equipment and the work, are all
good questions to ask. None of these credentials can guarantee nothing will go wrong, but they certainly are good indicators of a company that is professional and safe.
Homeowners should al-ways enquire about insurance. Good tree care companies maintain the proper insurance to protect the homeowner if an incident occurs on their prop-erty. Many homeowners are surprised to learn, sometimes too late, that a worker invited onto their property may sue them to cover the cost of any injuries resulting from an inci-dent in their yard. Even more a
concern, some homeowner policies will exclude coverage for these claims if the homeowner hires a company that did not have the proper workers’ compensation and liability insurance. I have seen instances where an injured tree worker sued the homeowner for the cost of the injury and the homeowner’s insurance did not pro-vide any coverage. The homeowner is expected to check for insur-ance and failing to do that leaves them vulnerable to a claim, not the insurance company.
Removing a tree is rarely a pleasant decision for a homeowner. Shade that may have taken a lifetime to create will be missed as well as the other amenities provided by mature trees. However, home-owners should not make matters worse by attempting to do this work themselves or hiring someone who is not qualified or insured to do the work. The loss of the tree should not be compounded by the loss of a life.
Dr. John Ball is a professor of forestry at South Dakota State Uni-versity, where he instructs courses in arboriculture and serves as the campus arborist.
NJLCA.ORG 23
Feature Story
Over the last few years several new insecticidal compounds, some of which also are in new insecticide classes, have become
available for turfgrass insect management. These new chemistries generally are safer to applicator, non-targets, and the environment than older chem-istries such as pyrethroids, car-bamates, and es-pecially organo-p h o s p h a t e s . While the better ecotoxicological profiles of these new compounds may come at the cost of a narrow-er spectrum of activity, many of the insect/mite pests that these new materials no longer cover are only rarely a problem in turfgrass in the Northeast. For the rare cases when these odd pests cause prob-lems, the older chemistries are still available for as-needed curative applications.
Most of the new materials cover most of the important turfgrass insect pests in the Northeast against which the vast majority of ap-plications go out. Moreover, these new materials can cover several of the important insect pests with one application if applied at the right time and rate. Optimized application of these new materials can therefore result in savings in labor cost with fewer applications and at the same time lower the ‘pesticide load’ of the environment.
The lower ap-plication rates and lower toxicity can combine to sig-nificant reduc-tions in ‘pesticide load’. For example, compared to the relatively new and safe neonicotinoid insecticide imida-cloprid (active in-gredient in Merit), the anthranilic di-amide insecticide chlorantraniliprole
(active ingredient in Acelepryn) has a more than 11.8-fold lower toxicity to mammals (lab rats) and is used at 1/3rd the rate for white grubs, resulting in more than 35-fold reduction in the amount of
toxicity applied. And compared to the organo-p h o s p h a t e t r i c h l o r f o n , chlorantranilip-role has a 12.5-fold lower toxic-ity to mammals and is applied at 1/82nd the rate, resulting in a 1025-fold reduction in the amount of tox-icity applied.
Below are some sugges-tion on how to use these new materials most
effectively in landscape turf scenarios representing different key pests and curative or preventive management approaches. For each scenario and material the application rate and window are given along with any control of other important potential pests that can be achieved with that application. The No. 1 key pest in New Jersey landscape turf is without doubt the white grub com-plex with other common pest being chinch bugs, billbugs, and sod webworms. Hence, most landscape turf insect pest management programs should prioritize white grubs when selecting applica-tion window and materials but attempt to adjust timing and rate to cover any other of the important pests if they have the potential to cause problems in a specific site. In doing so, good knowledge of the life cycle of the most important pests (Figure 1) is essential.
KEY PEST: WHITE GRUBS; APPROACH: CURATIVE MANAGEMENT
Most of the newer materials are effective for white grub control only if applied by mid-August. The exception is clothianidin (Are-na) which gives the option of curative control at least into mid-September; it might, however, not be fast-acting enough for rescue treatments after this time. When applied in August or September, clothianidin applied at the higher end of the rate spectrum (0.33 lbs ai/acre) will control most white grub species (Asiatic garden beetle might only be suppressed) while at the same time also suppressing (i.e., limited control) any present chinch bug, sod webworm and billbug populations.
Reducing labor and ‘pesticide load’ of the environment through optimal use of newer insecticidal chemistries
By Dr. Albrecht M. Koppenhöfer, Professor and Extension Specialist, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Fig 1. Seasonal life cycle of major turfgrass insect pest in New Jersey. WG = white grub; CB = chinch bug; SWW = sod webworms; BB = billbugs; A = adults; L = larvae; N = nymphs; D = turf damage.
Fig. 2. Third larval stage of white grub.
Feature Story
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KEY PEST: WHITE GRUBS; APPROACH: PREVENTIVE MANAGEMENT
Chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn) applied at 0.1 lbs ai/acre be-tween mid-April and late July effectively controls all white grub species. If this application is made during June and July, it will also control sod webworms for the rest of the season and suppress any present chinch bug population. If this application is made between late April and mid-May, it will also control sod webworms for 4-6 months and control billbugs (higher rate may be necessary for high populations - see below).
Clothianidin (Arena) applied at 0.2 lbs ai/acre between early May and mid-August effectively controls most white grub species (for Asiatic garden beetle 0.33 lbs ai/acre). If this application is made in July, it will also control any present sod webworm and chinch bug populations. If applied in June, it will also control bill-bugs, control any present sod webworm populations, and suppress any present chinch bug populations. If applied in May, it will also control billbugs.
Thiamethoxam (Meridian) applied at 0.2 lbs ai/acre between early May and mid-August effectively controls most white grub species (except Asiatic garden beetle). If this application is made in July, it will also suppress any present sod webworm and chinch bug populations. If applied in June, it will also control billbugs and
Reducing labor and ‘pesticide load’ (continued)suppress any present sod webworm and chinch bug populations. If applied in May, it will also control billbugs.
Fig. 3. Adult of billbug (hunting billbug) (Photo by Clyde Sorensen).
NJLCA.ORG 25
Feature Story
KEY PEST: CHINCH BUGS; APPROACH: CURATIVE MANAGEMENT
Note that preventive management of chinch bugs is not recom-mended. Where chinch bugs are a perennial problem, cultural methods including overseeding/renovating with endophytic grass-es and/or dethatching should be used for long term suppression of the problem.
Clothianidin (Arena) applied curatively in June/July at 0.2 lbs ai/acre controls chinch bugs but also white grubs and any present sod webworm populations. If this application is made in June it will also control white grubs, billbugs, and any present sod web-worms. Note that the residual activity of clothianidin against sod webworms and chinch bugs is only about 20 days.
KEY PEST: SOD WEBWORMS; APPROACH: CURATIVE MANAGEMENT
Indoxacarb (Provaunt) applied at 0.04-0.08 lbs ai/acre controls sod webworms but has only a short residual activity and will not control other important turf insect pests at this low rate.
Spinosad (Conserve) controls sod webworms (0.075 lbs ai/acre) but none of the other important landscape turf insect pests in New Jersey.
Chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn) controls sod webworms at 0.026-0.052 lbs ai/acre with a residual effect of 1-4 months. At the higher end of this rate range, white grubs should also be suppressed.
KEY PEST: SOD WEBWORMS; APPROACH: PREVENTIVE MANAGEMENT
Chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn) has enough residual activity, especially when applied at higher rates, to provide several months of caterpillar control. The residual activity is 1-2 months at 0.025 lbs ai/acre, 2-4 months at 0.052 lbs ai/acre, 4-6 months at 0.104 lbs ai/acre, and at least 6 months at 0.208 lbs ai/acre. The rate should be chosen depending on the time of year (the later the less required to cover the rest of the season) and any potential other pests that may warrant control. At 0.104 lbs ai/acre applied before August, white grubs will also be controlled. At 0.157-0.208 lbs applied in late April/early May, billbugs and white grubs will be controlled.
KEY PEST: BILLBUGS; APPROACH: PREVENTIVE MANAGEMENT
Curative management of billbugs is problematic due to the diffi-culty of detecting the larvae before damage starts to appear. And none of the new compounds is effective at that time. And where billbugs are a perennial problem, rather than using the preventive approaches listed below, overseeding/renovating with endophytic grasses for long term suppression of the problem should be considered.
Clothianidin (Arena) applied at 0.2 lbs ai/acre in May/June controls billbugs but also white grubs. If this applications is made in June it will also control any present sod webworm and chinch bug populations.
Thiamethoxam (Meridian) applied at 0.2 lbs ai/acre in May/June controls billbugs but also white grubs.
Chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn) applied at 0.1-0.26 lbs ai/acre in late April/early May controls billbugs but also sod webworms for 3-6 months and white grubs. Dr. Albrecht M. Koppenhöfer is a Professor and Extension Special-ist at Rutgers University for the Department of Entemology. His research interests and expertise lie in integrated pest management, biological control, insect pathology, entomopathogenic nematodes, white grubs, annual bluegrass weevil, sod webworm, cutworms.Dr. Koppenhöfer has written extensively for journals and Rutgers publications. More information can be found at http://rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/amk.htm.
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Reducing labor and ‘pesticide load’ (continued)
Fig. 4. Sod webworm larva (Photo by Frank Hale).
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26 WINTER | 2012-13
Feature Story
We Came, We Saw, We Cut Grass: The Untimely Death of My Father by Louis Crisitello, Jr.
On the morning of Monday, September 17, 2012, an unin-sured motorist in Middletown, New Jersey killed my father,
Louis Crisitello, in a hit-and-run accident. As the proud owner of Lou’s Lawn Maintenance for over 30 years, my father was greatly loved and appreciated by all of his customers and the com-munity. He was respected among the brotherhood of landscape contractors and considered himself a friend to everyone in the business. While on the job, my father was walk-ing alongside his box
truck to get his orange road cone to put on the driver’s side of his vehicle as a safety precaution. Before he was able to reach the back of his truck a young woman struck him violently with her vehicle and continued to drive, fleeing the scene.
According to the latest projections from the U.S. Bureau of La-bor Statistics (BLS) published in September 2012, approximately 16% of fatal transportation incidents in 2011 involved pedestrians who were struck by vehicles. Of the 312 fatal work injuries involv-ing pedestrians struck by vehicles, 61 occurred in work zones. As a result of the accident, my father’s body was so badly damaged that we were warned not to see him and forced to have a closed casket funeral. The aforementioned statistics symbolize individuals, like my father, who died unnecessary and undignified deaths.
My father was a selfless man who wanted nothing more than to provide for those around him. He was caring, supportive, and warm-hearted. He took great pride in his family and his career. When it came to work, my father was a bull. I always believed that it was impossible to knock my father down. Though he took some hard hits over the course of his career, I can’t think of a situation
where he didn’t just stand up, brush himself off, and return to work. There is no one, at any age, able to work as long and as hard as my dad worked. Now, at 62 years old, as he neared retirement, my father has become another sad statistic.
In 2011, according to the BLS, fatalities in the land-scape services industry in-creased to 167 from 133 in
2010, rising 16%. Fatal work injuries in the building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupational group were up 14 percent to 265 fatalities in 2011--the highest level since 2006. The biggest increases within this occupational group were among landscapers.
With over 30 years in the landscaping business, my father was always careful to exercise the proper safety precautions while on the job and encouraged his colleagues to do the same. I’ll never know all of the specifics regarding my father’s death, but I’m con-fident that it was the result of someone else’s carelessness. In this era of short attention spans and a seemingly endless number of electronic devices, distracted driving is becoming a more preva-lent danger every day. In 2010, 3,092 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver and an estimated additional 416,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver (www.distraction.gov).
My father truly appreciated the little things in life. He had a child-like innocence that was infectious; it only reinforces the fact that he died much too young. My dad taught me to live with grati-tude, and I am thankful for every day that I got to spend with him. How-ever, I cannot accept the manner in which he was taken from my family. I wonder what the driver was thinking as she drove away with a broken wind-shield; did she even look back in her rearview mir-ror? There is no answer that can excuse the lack of common human decency exhibited by the individu-al that morning.
The loss of my father has left a void in my life that I can’t imagine ever being filled. I urge everyone in the landscaping and lawn mainte-nance business to be extra careful when working nearby roadways and stay alert for distracted drivers. In short, protect yourselves and look out for one another. Together we can make safe driving a new priority and invigorate the public. We have the ability to strengthen local laws and enforcement efforts. Together we can prevent another senseless death from occurring, and in turn, make our roads safer for everyone.
In Loving Memory of Louis CrisitelloDecember 13, 1949 – September 17, 2012
Please visit www.distraction.gov and click on Get Involved, then Employers, for several excellent tools for your company.
Louis Crisitello Sr.
Louis Crisitello Sr. and Louis Crisitello Jr.
NJLCA.ORG 27
Useful Tools
Please make copies of this document and provide it to your employees for daily use. Provided by the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (201) 703-3600 www.NJLCA.org
Driver’s Pre-Trip Checklist Driver: ____________________________________ Vehicle: ________________________________________ Drivers Assistant: ___________________________ Supervisor Initials: ________ Date: __________________ Please review the following items and check off each item as it is reviewed on the vehicle. If there are any issues, please write them in the space provided next to the item with an issue. Write any additional notes in the space provided below this checklist. Exterior: Checked Issues Brakes: ______________________________
Lights: ______________________________
Blinkers: _____________________________
Tires: _______________________________
Windows: ___________________________
Mirrors: _____________________________
Exhaust: _____________________________
Coupling Devices: _____________________
Tie downs: ___________________________
Locks: _______________________________
Vehicle Body: _________________________
Fluid Leaks: __________________________
Fluid Levels: __________________________
License Plates: ________________________
Gas Cap: _____________________________
Trailer Lights: _________________________
Interior: Checked Issues Wipers: _____________________________
Steering: ____________________________
Horn: _______________________________
Instruments: _________________________
Fire Extinguisher: _____________________
Seat Belts: ___________________________
Warning Lights: _______________________
Flags, Flares, Cones: ___________________
First Aid Kit: __________________________
Proper Documentation: ________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Instrumentos útiles
Please make copies of this document and provide it to your employees for daily use. Provided by the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (201) 703-3600 www.NJLCA.org
Listado de ayuda al conductor para antes del viaje Nombre del Driver: ______________________________ Vehículo: _________________________________ Conductor Auxiliar: ___________________________ Iniciales del Supervisor: ______ Fecha: _______________ Por favor, revise los siguientes puntos y marque cada artículo que se revisa en el vehículo. Si hay algún problema, por favor escriba enel espacio provisto al lado del elemento con un problema. Escriba cualquier nota adicional en el espacio provisto debajo de esta lista de verificación. Exterior: Revisado Problemas Frenos: ________________________________
Luces: _________________________________
Intermitentes: __________________________
Los neumáticos: ________________________
Windows: _____________________________
Espejos: _______________________________
Escape: _______________________________
Los dispositivos de acoplamiento: _______________
Amarres: ______________________________
Bloqueos: ______________________________
Vehículo exterior: _______________________
Las fugas de líquidos: ____________________
Fluid Levels: ____________________________
Placas: ________________________________
Combustible Cap: _______________________
Luces del remolque: _____________________
Interior: Revisado Problemas Limpiaparabrisas: _______________________
Directivo: ______________________________
Horn: _________________________________
Instrumentos: __________________________
Extintor: _______________________________
Cinturones de Seguridad: _________________
Luces de advertencia: ____________________
Banderas, bengalas, conos: ________________
Equipo de Primeros Auxilios: ______________
La documentación adecuada: ______________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
NJLCA.ORG 29
Feature Story
Wintertime DrivingA CNA Risk Control Bulletin provided by Paul Werner, Risk Control Director
Fair or foul weather driving always presents hazards. But winter months curse drivers with conditions that are far different than those they face during the summer.
Tips for Winter Driving
1. Make sure that you are able to see and be seen. Clean all the snow and ice off of your windshield, other windows, outside mirrors, lights and reflectors. Make sure your vehicle is equipped with good wiper blades, and that wiper arms are exerting enough pressure on the blades to ensure a clean sweep. If moisture or ice builds up on the inside or outside of your windshield, stop and clean it off.
2. Tires with good deep treads are essential for good cornering and handling on slippery roads. Check the air pressure frequently to maintain the manufacturer’s recommended pressure.
3. Get the feel of the road. Occasionally try your brakes or gently depress your accelerator while driving. When you have found out just how slippery the road is, adjust your speed accordingly. Rising temperatures greatly increase the slipperiness of ice and snow.
4. Stretch your “following” distance. Knowing that winter surfaces increase stopping distance 3 to 12 times, the smart driver increases his normal dry road following distance. Heavy trucks require a longer stopping distance on slippery roads than passenger cars. And don’t tailgate.
5. Brake before curves. All vehicles are particularly sensitive to over-powering, over-steering, and over-braking on curves. Unseen hazards around the bend may require an evasive action, so turn your steering wheel slowly and smoothly, keep a constant speed in the turn, and tap your brakes carefully if it’s necessary to slow down or stop.
6. When you must stop suddenly on wet or slippery roads, do one of the following: a. If your vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System
(ABS), put your foot firmly on the brake pedal and allow the ABS to pump your brakes for you. This allows you to concentrate on steering.
b. If your vehicle does not have ABS - pump your brakes. The
key to stopping under control on slippery surfaces is to avoid locking the wheels. A rapid pumping of brakes will provide short intervals of braking and of rolling wheels alternately, and will enable you to maintain steering control while stopping.
7. Use proper lights. Never drive with parking lights instead of headlights in winter’s early dusk and poor visibility. Parking lights can cause an oncoming driver to think you are farther away than you are.. Keep headlights clean; dirty ones can greatly reduce your own seeing distance at night.
8. Be prepared in case your vehicle breaks down or slides off the road. Have the following items on hand: A charged cell phone, a working flashlight, a shovel, an ice scraper, blankets, any critical medications and water/food. Stay with your vehicle, make sure the exhaust pipe is clear and only run the vehicle as much as necessary, and place a bright marker on the antenna.
The information, examples and suggestions presented in this material have been developed from sources believed to be reliable, but they should not be construed as legal or other professional advice. CNA accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of this material and recommends the consultation with competent legal counsel and/or other professional advisors before applying this material in any particular factual situations. This material is for illustrative purposes and is not intended to constitute a contract. Please remember that only the relevant insurance policy can provide the actual terms, coverages, amounts, conditions and exclusions for an insured. All products and services may not be available in all states and may be subject to change without notice. CNA is a registered trademark of CNA Financial Corporation. Copyright © 2010 CNA. All rights reserved.
30 WINTER | 2012-13
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires many standards to be met by businesses and indus-
tries. OSHA sets standards to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women. OSHA authorizes en-forcement of the standards developed under the ACT; assists and encourages the States in their efforts to assure safe and healthful working conditions; provides for research, information, education, a n d training in the field of occupational safety and health.
A survey conducted by OSHA in 2009 revealed that more than 85% of
employers conduct voluntary self-audits of safety and health conditions. Self-audits are per-
formed by employers in order to reduce injury and illness rates within the workplace and reveal any hazards. By conducting self-
audits, employers reduce costs that may incur from workers com-
pensation and sick leave and reduce man-hours lost so productivity can re-
main high.In order to complete a thorough self-audit, use regulatory
checklists for each work area and OSHA-required record keep-ing. Although there is not a standard format for checklists, sev-eral key features should be included:
• Name of auditor and date inspected• Description and CFR cite for all pertinent regulations
with a space to note deficiencies• A feasible completion date for material deficiencies• Initials and/or date when all corrections have been completed The following are highlights of OSHA requirements that apply to
many general industry employers within work areas and record keeping.
WORK AREASAll work areas should be identified. Within these locations,
consider the applicability of each subpart of the OSHA standards.• Aisles, stairways, and ladders see Walking/Working Sur-
faces; 1910.21 to 1910.30 • Number of and ease of access to exits within each area and
emergency plans see Means of Egress; 1910.35 to 1910.38 • Lifting platforms see Powered Platforms, Manlifts, and Ve-
hicle-Mounted Work Platforms; 1910.66 to 1910.68• Ventilation, noise, and radiation see Occupational Health
and Environmental Control; 1910.94 to 1910.98 • Storing and handling of hazardous materials see Hazard-
ous Materials; 1910.101 to 1910.126 • Eye protection, protective clothing, respiratory protec-
tion, head protection, foot protection, electrical protective equipment and hand protection see Personal Protective Equipment; 1910.132 to 1910.139
• Spill cleanup, safe disposal requirements, permit-required confined spaces, lockout/tagout see General Environmen-tal Controls; 1910.141 to 1910.147 Appendix A
• First aid availability and training see Medical and First Aid;
1910.151 to 1910.152 • Fire extinguishers, fixed fire-suppression equipment and
other systems see Fire Protection; 1910.155 to 1910.165 • Air receiver installation and safety see Compressed Gas
and Compressed Air Equipment; 1910.166 to 1910.169• Use and care of forklifts, cranes, derricks, helicopters and slings
see Materials Handling and Storage; 1910.176 to 1910.184 • Guard requirements for moving machinery see Machinery
and Machine Guarding; 1910.211 to 1910.219 • Guarding and maintenance of hand-powered equipment
see Hand and Portable Powered Tools and Other Hand-Held Equipment; 1910.241 to 1910.244
• Oxygen-fuel, arc and resistance welding requirements see Welding, Cutting, and Brazing; 1910.251 to 1910.255
• Special Industries see 1910.261 to 1910.272 Appendix C• Design safety standards, safe work practices, maintenance
requirements see Electrical; 1910.301 to 1910.399 • Toxic and Hazardous Substances see 1910.1000 to
1910.1450 Appendix B
RECORD KEEPINGWritten records are often required by OSHA in addition to
work area checklists. These standards cite a required written plan or program in place where applicable:
• Emergency Action Plan • Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals• HAZWOPER Record Keeping • Respirator Program • Permit-Required Confined Space Program • Lockout/Tagout • Employee Alarm System • Forklift Inspection Log and Training Distribution • Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution • Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices • Blood borne Pathogens: Exposure Control Plan • Hazard Communication Program • Lab Standard: Chemical Hygiene Plan • Subpart Z - Specific Chemical Substances
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONQ. Would using checklists reduce levies from a formal OSHA inspection?A. Recently, OSHA sought public comments on a policy whereby an employer’s self-audit may be considered evidence of good faith.
CREATING AND MAINTAINING CHECKLISTSBelow is an example of what a portion of a workplace checklist
could look like for a flammable storage area. Appropriate compo-nents depend on individual situations.
LS Training System was started by Jay Murray, CLP, a 25-year (+) veteran of the landscape industry. After running a $8m landscaping business with 100 employees, he decided to change careers and help fill a gap that always existed in his own landscape business — create a modern, cost-effective training system. For more information visit www.landscapesafety.com.
Feature Story
OSHA: Checklist for General Industry Safety Audit Provided by Landscape Safety Training with Information from OSHA
INSPECTION REPORT FOR FLAMMABLE STORAGE AREALocation: __________________________________________Inspected By: _______________________________________Date of Inspection: __________________________________(Circle all numbers with deficiencies)
Containers1. Are approved containers and portable tanks used for the
handling and storage of flammable and combustible liq-uids? 29 CFR 1910.106(d)(2)
2. Are all connections on drums and combustible liquid pip-ing vapor and liquid tight? 29 CFR 1910.106(c)(3)
3. Are all flammable liquids kept in closed containers when not in use? 29 CFR 1910.106(e)(2)(iv)(a)
4. Are bulk drums of flammable liquids grounded and bonded to containers during dispensing? 29 CFR 1910.106(e)(6)(ii)
5. Are safety cans used for dispensing flammable or combus-tible liquids? 29 CFR 1910.106(d)(5)(iii)
6. Are storage tanks adequately vented to prevent the de-velopment of excessive vacuum or pressure as a result of filling, emptying, or atmosphere temperature changes? 29 CFR 1910.106(b)(4)(ii)
7. Are portable tanks equipped with emergency venting to relieve internal pressure from exposure to fire? 29 CFR 1910.106(d)(2)(ii)
8. Are storage cabinets that store flammable liquids labeled, “Flammable – Keep Fire Away” ? 29 CFR 1910.106(d)(3)(ii)
9. Are flammable liquids stored in approved safety cans? 29 CFR 1910.106(d)(2); 29 CFR 1910.144(a)(1)
10. Are “No Smoking” rules enforced in areas for storage and use of hazardous materials? 29 CFR 1910.106(e)(9)
Fire Extinguishers1. Are appropriate fire extinguishers mounted, located and
identified so that they are readily accessible to employees? 29 CFR 1910.157(c)(1)
2. Are all fire extinguishers inspected and recharged regularly, and marked on inspection tags? 29 CFR 1910.157(e)
3. Is there and adequate number or portable fire extinguishers of the proper type? 29 CFR 1910.157(d)
4. For a fixed extinguishing system, is a sign posted warning of the hazards presented by the extinguishing medium? 29 CFR 1910.160(b)(5)
Exits1. Are exits properly marked? 29 CFR 1910.37(q) 2. Do exit signs have an illumination of at least 5 foot-can-
dles? 29 CFR 1910.37(q)(6) 3. Are exits maintained free of obstructions? 29 CFR
1910.36(d)(1)
Correction completion date: ___________________________Corrections have been completed (initials and date): ________Supervisor: ________________________________________Date: _____________________________________________
The Top 10 OSHA Violations in 2011:1. Fall Protection. Falls continue to be the leading cause of
fatalities in construction.2. Scaffolding. In 2010, 37 workers died from scaffolding-
related incidents.3. Hazard Communication: 7,000 violations4. Respiratory protection5. Lockout/tagout6. Electrical7. Powered industrial trucks8. Ladders9. Electrical (general requirements)10. Machine guarding: 6000 reported amputations
4 key actions to Prevent OSHA CitationsHere are 4 key actions you can take to prepare your organiza-tion, make it a safer place and help to prevent citations in the event of an OSHA inspection:• Conduct self-audits and reviews• Implement an injury and illness prevention program• Prepare for an OSHA inspection in advance• Train your managers and employees about safety
Self –Audits and ReviewsBe sure to conduct your self-audits and reviews on a regular basis. Always correct and identify hazards immediately, and document the entire process, even if informally. When you find problems, assign responsibility to get them fixed and dis-cipline accordingly; this shows you’re taking the matter as se-riously as you would an external audit or OSHA inspection.Written safety programs are required under OSHA, and should be updated when necessary. Be sure all safety rules are in writing. Record keeping is one of the first things OSHA will ask for if they come to your facility. You want to audit it…look for any patterns and use the findings to determine patterns and problem areas to fix.There are however, some pitfalls to avoid in self-audits.1. Infrequent audits. If you have a self-audit program in
place, it is easy to get complacent and not complete it fre-quently enough to have real impact
2. Incomplete audits. It is also easy to only complete a par-tial audit instead of a full audit.
3. Not correcting hazards found. Once you identify a haz-ard, you now have knowledge of it…there’ a piece of pa-per that OSHA’s going to hold up in court. If you can’t fix something immediately, steps need to be taken to ensure employee safety until the time it can be fixed
4. Failure to document. Not only do you want to document your audits, you can use your audit to ensure documen-tation—both required records and your safety programs themselves—exist and are current. Also document cor-rective actions taken.
NJLCA.ORG 31
Feature Story
OSHA: Checklist for General Industry Safety Audit Provided by Landscape Safety Training with Information from OSHA
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CentralSalt_NJLCA_Nov_03.indd 1 10/3/12 10:26 AM