Landscape Contractors

Stay Safe As You Gear up for the Spring Season

OPEI offers these tips to get your crews and their equipment ready for a safe season:

• Identify the differences in your machines. Whether you’re using a zero-turn, ride-on, mid-mount, rearmount, garden tractor or other type of mower, make sure you and your crew members understand their unique design, requirements, weight classification, and other differences that impact how to use it safely.

• Review equipment with your work crews before the season gets rolling. Make sure all your workers understand the safety features of the equipment they are using, and that they are following manufacturer guidelines and on-product messages for safe operation. Do spot safety checks on job sites, and incorporate safety checks into your morning roll-out.

• Make sure safety features are operable. Figure out the safety features on all your equipment, and make sure they are operable. Do not disable or modify manufacturerinstalled safety equipment. Be sure that you review this with your work crews and check equipment when it returns from a work site.

• Keep children away from machines during operation. A child should never be on the equipment. Be aware of your surroundings and watch out for bystanders who may be nearby.

• Walk the areas you intend to mow and remind crews to do so. Slopes, wet grass and weather may impact the equipment’s performance, as well as safe handling procedures. Remind everyone to pick up sticks and limbs that may have fallen to the ground and any loose objects that could be hit by a mower. Inspect trees for damaged limbs that may get in your way when mowing.

• Identify slopes in advance. Follow all manufacturer guidance regarding operating machinery on slopes.

• Manufacturer-supplied owner’s manuals and guidance should be readily available. If you have lost the guidance supplied with the machine, look it up online and save a copy of it on your computer, print out a copy, in any language needed, for your employees and keep it in an easily-accessible location like the break room and trucks. Do not remove on-product safety messages.

• Look over equipment before use in the field. Check the air filter, oil level and gasoline tank. Watch for loose belts and missing or damaged parts. Replace any parts needed or take your equipment to a qualified service representative. Check to be sure that you have the appropriate, manufacturer-recommended batteries, if needed.

• Protect your power. Use only E10 or less fuel in gasoline-powered outdoor power equipment if it is not designed for higher ethanol blends. Add a fuel stabilizer if you don’t use up all the fuel in the tank right away. Burn off any fuel before storing the mower more than 30 days.

Also, for battery-powered equipment, only use battery packs specified by the manufacturer. Follow all charging instructions as outlined in the owner’s manual. Be sure to store fuel and batteries safely. Keep batteries away from other metal objects, store them in a climatecontrolled area, and never stack batteries. Look at your trucks and work trailers and determine how you will store batteries in the field, before the crews leave the garage or office.

• Keep your equipment clean. It will run more efficiently and last longer. Always remove dirt, oil or grass before using and storing, and store equipment in a dry place, avoiding damp or wet environments.

For information on safe fueling, go to www.LookBeforeYouPump.com

Kris Kiser is the President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), an international trade association representing outdoor power equipment, small engine, utility vehicle, golf car and personal transport vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. For more safety information visit www.opei.org

CNLA HR Webinar Series

The CNLA and the HR Committee understand that Labour is an issue for everyone. Now more than ever it seems and as such, they partnered with the Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council (CAHRC) to provide a series of one-hour webinars with a focus on labour.

Webinar 1: Understanding SAWP & TFWP including an overview of updated NOCs

Webinar 2: Dealing with labour agencies – best practices to ensure a successful outcome.

Webinar 3: HR toolkit overview

You can watch the replays here: https://youtu.be/kQOoZCXaopQ.

CRITICAL: Increase to TFW Wage Rates

Employers must pay TFWs the GREATER of the rate set by ESDC in the National Commodity List (NCL) wage list and the applicable minimum wage rate. Effective January 1, 2023, the minimum NCL rate for most commodities is more than the provincial minimum wage. Scan QR code for the Service Canada website for applicable minimum wage rates for your commodity and immigration stream that workers are being hired through. The minimum wage rate for most commodities on the NCL in Alberta is now $16.52. While the NCL wage rate does not apply to Canadian workers, it is good practice to pay all staff with similar experience doing the same function the same wage rate.

Alberta Construction Trade Definitions Updated for 2023

The Landscaping section of the Construction Trade Definitions for Alberta has recently been updated with input from members across the province. These updated documents will assist in the bidding process on commercial development projects and ensure landscape contractors are best able to compete on areas of work within the standard scope of practice.

To download a copy or to learn more, visit https://www.tradedefinitions.com/.

AB Garden Centres Claim 3 spaces in Top 100 list

Congratulations to Greenland Garden Centre (63), Salisbury Greenhouses (65) and Blue Grass Nursery, Sod & Garden Centre (93) for placing in the prestigious Top 100 Independent Garden Centres presented by Garden Center Magazine. The list is the top-grossing independent garden centers in the US and Canada, ranked by retail sales volume.

To see the full 5 page report please scan here.

Two Billion Tree Scoping Study

CNLA is currently engaged in a study, led by the Canadian Forest Owners (CFO)/ New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners (NBFWO) and in partnership with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), and the Canadian Ornamental Horticultural Alliance (COHA) to conduct a national scoping study under the 2 Billion Tree Program (2BT) of Natural Resources Canada. We are asking for your help to complete a quick 3-minute-long survey.

Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP)

CDAP can help get business online, give e-commerce presence a boost, and help digitalize business operations. CDAP provides funding and support to businesses, as well as training and work opportunities for young Canadians. Two funding streams exist:

1. Grow Your Business Online Micro-grants offered through partners BusinessLink and Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business

2. Boost Your Business Technology