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© 2011, Safe Workplace Promotion Services Ontario,
publicly known as Workplace Safety & Prevention Services.
1 877 494 WSPS (9777) | 905 614 1400 | www.wsps.ca
Using Landscaping Equipment
Earth compactors
What Can Happen
Cut or crushed toes or other body parts
Hearing loss
Eye injuries
Numbness in hands
White finger disease
Illness or death from carbon monoxide or
nitrous oxide poisoning
Safe Work Guidelines
Before Use
Only trained operators are allowed to operate
compactors
Fill the fuel tank only up to the ¾ level
Make sure surface being compacted is stable and
will not cave in
Keep other workers and bystanders away from
the work area
During Use
Use a mechanical lifting device or ask another
person to help you lift a compactor; attach safety
straps if mechanically lifting a compactor more
than 60cm (2ft) off the ground
Keep your feel clear of the machine
Grasp the machine lightly but securely; let it –
not your back – do the work
Position your body to prevent contact with the
hot parts of the engine
After Use
Shut off the engine and disconnect the spark
plug wire before making adjustments or repairs
(except a carburetor adjustment), and before
leaving the compactor unattended
Store a jumping-jack type of compactor upright
power Tillers
What Can Happen
Cuts
Amputation
Eye injuries
White finger disease
Numbness of fingers
Illness or death from carbon monoxide
poisoning
Safe Work Guidelines
Before Use
Clear the work area of hazards such as wires,
stones, bottles, cans, sticks, etc.
Do not use the tiller near underground utilities,
irrigation pipes, trees, shrubs, etc.
Make sure there are no bystanders in the
working area
Before starting the tiller, make sure the depth
regulator is working
During Use
Keep your hands and feet clear of all moving
parts
If you hit an object, disengage the tiller and stop
the engine to inspect for damage; repair any
damage before using the machine again
