Health Tip: Practice Gardening Safety

(HealthDay News) — Even in the garden, you should take precautions to protect yourself from injury, experts advise.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these gardening safety suggestions:

  • Dress in long pants, safety goggles and shoes with good support when mowing the lawn or using other yard machinery.
  • Protect your hearing when using motorized machinery.
  • Wear gloves to prevent cuts and irritation to the skin.
  • Apply an insect repellent that contains the chemical DEET, wear tall boots, and keep pants tucked inside socks/boots to ward off ticks and mosquitoes.
  • Protect yourself from the sun with long-sleeved shirts, a hat with a wide brim, sunscreen and sunglasses.