Garden Sheds Dangers Don't Let It Be the Eastenders of You

4th September 2009

The latest episode of Eastenders shows the dangers which exist in the average garden shed. Lucas and his estranged wife Trina were argueing and she was pushed making her fall against the shed wall where a rake is stored prongs outwards. As in all the soaps there has to be a dramatic story line and the fork prongs go into Trina's neck. She is left dieing whilst Lucas sits outside uncaringly. Full marks to Eastenders for coming up with an original story line but it rather gruesome.

However this storyline does highlight the dangers that do exist in the garden sheds around the country. These dangers we don't think about but we should. If you think about all the gardening tools you store in your shed, such as forks, spades, scythes, sectaurs, hoes etc, all designed to cut through the ground with ease, but equally can cut through the human body. You need to ensure that all these tools are stored correctly with all sharp cutting edges covered and facing away from any area where someone could fall. You need to ensure that your garden shed is safe. You then need to think about all the other garden machinery, the hedge trimmers, the lawnmower, the mulcher, the shredder the dangers can mount.

Take a look on your shelves - what do you see? - rows and rows of chemicals, paints, preservatives etc all very dangerous, The half empty tins of paint you keep, just in case, the chemicals for killing the garden pests and the ever growing weeds. What about crescote, very popular in the olden days (when I was young), mixed in with some old engine oil this was the staple treatment used on the garden sheds, very effective and that unique 'smell' would linger for weeks. However, now illegal to store or use so get rid of it. There are many waterbased treatments available but unfortunatly these are not ideal for sheds, perfec on fences. My advice, after 30 years in the trade is to use a spirit or oil based presvative.

The rotary clothes line put away is also another potential danger with the threat of strangulation, again store safely, preferrably in its proper storage bag, it will only take a minute, it also only takes a minute for a child !!

You must keep the children away and out of harms way. All these chemicals are designed for their particular purpose and can be lethalif swallowed. Children by their very nature are inquistitive and like to copy what Dad does, but Dad it is down to you to keep them safe.