There’s a lot to consider when you’re about to hire a landscaping company.
Quality, cost, size, reputation.
But safety should be at the top of your list.
Here are five crucial safety questions you should ask your landscaping company — and why they’re so important.
Do You Have The Capacity To Handle Our Site?
If you want a company to manage snow removal or storm clean-up on a large campus, can they actually handle it? Many landscaping companies don’t have the equipment or crews needed for larger sites. You don’t want to be the customer who falls through the cracks on an icy day.
Do You Use E-Verify And Do Background Checks?
E-Verify is a web-based system that allows employers to confirm employees’ eligibility to work in the U.S. Be sure your landscaping company uses it, and also performs criminal background checks. Crews will be walking all over your campus — it’s important to know you can trust them. Beyond safety, your company’s reputation is also at stake.
Are Your Crew Members Trained?
Crews should be trained thoroughly on all landscaping equipment before working on your site. Training should happen both in the classroom and in the field, with workers demonstrating their proficiency. Proper training helps prevent accidents — like stray rocks hitting pedestrians — and ensures crews operate safely around people and property.
Will My Site Have A Dedicated Manager?
Ask if your property will be assigned a dedicated manager who regularly walks the site. This person should be checking for both quality issues and safety concerns, such as hazardous tree branches, holes in the ground, broken fences around retention ponds, or fire ant nests.
What Certifications And Insurance Do You Have?
Anyone can buy a truck and mower and call themselves a landscaper. Be sure the company is licensed, with pesticide and herbicide certifications for applying chemicals. Confirm they carry liability insurance of at least a million dollars. Any reputable landscaping company should be ready to provide proof of these credentials on request.
Why All This Matters
If crews are working in unsafe conditions — without proper gear or using equipment improperly — it endangers workers and passersby, and reflects poorly on your company. If someone is injured on your property, your company could face legal action and even damage to its safety rating, regardless of who employs the workers.
Safety Culture Matters
Some companies even dedicate time to company-wide safety events, where employees receive hands-on training in fire extinguisher use, equipment safety, chemical safety, and recognizing landscape hazards. A strong safety culture benefits everyone involved.
Trust Your Safety To Greenscape
Safety is a top concern at Greenscape, from the thorough training we require for our workers to the proactive attention our managers give your property.
We’ve been meeting the full-service landscaping needs of commercial customers in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary areas for more than 35 years.
We offer landscape management and lawn care, design and build services, irrigation, landscape lighting and more.
📞 Call us at 919-552-7742 or fill out our online form to request a free consultation and learn how we can transform your landscape.