Safe Driving Training for Landscaping Teams
At Grunder Landscaping Co., we do weekly safety training with our teams on all kinds of topics, from preventing back injuries to how to use a fire extinguisher, and we methodically work through a schedule to ensure we're covering everything our team needs to know to work safely.
The most dangerous thing that our crews do every day is drive their vehicles. With trucks loaded with materials and often pulling trailers, it's even more dangerous for our production team. To help our team members who are behind the wheel stay aware and safe while driving, we covered safe driving during a recent training and reminded them to:
- Keep a safe, clear distance behind the vehicle in front of you
- Check tire pressure before you leave, especially this time of year
- Park with wheels turned toward the curb
- Be a defensive driver. Assume the worst of the drivers around you, and be prepared to safely get out of the way if someone else isn't paying attention.
- Drive slowly. We want all of our cars and trucks to be in the right lane when on the highway and to drive under the speed limit.
- Set up your GPS or directions before you start driving, not while on the road.
- Watch for school buses.
- Be courteous to other drivers. Remember the company name is on the side of your vehicle.
There is more we cover during safety training than what I've captured here, and we do more thorough training before any of our team leaders drive a truck for the first time, but I think you get the idea. Our goal with this training is to remind our team that we care about them, that we want them to be safe while they're out working, and that we want them to take care of their fellow team members and community by being safe drivers.
Training is multi-faceted, involving on-the-job teaching, classroom-style instruction, and even something as small as recap emails or quick reminders. To be successful in this industry, companies need to have a plan in place for training their teams, especially as it's become rarer and rarer that we can hire people who already have experience.
We'll be taking a deep dive into how we structure our training program at Grunder Landscaping next week during our virtual event: Build a Winning Training Program. Join us for help laying out a training program for your landscaping company that will account for both the skills and safety practices your production team needs to be successful. You'll leave with resources to build your own program and structure training so it's memorable and interactive.
I'll talk to you next week!
Marty Grunder
President & CEO
The Grow Group & Grunder Landscaping Co.