by Rex Coker

Created on: December 11, 2009   Last Updated: December 12, 2009

 A tool shed can be called the little house of horrors if you have trouble with things falling out at you when you open the doors. Nothing hurts more than having a stone rake hit you in the forehead because you laid it on the floor of the shed and forgot it was there. Most accidents happen because we do not take the time to replace our tools in an orderly fashion. Tool sheds are notorious for these type of accidents because they are small and we rarely think we will have to go into them to retrieve a buried tool that we rarely use.

Organization is the key in safety when strategically categorizing your tool shed. Rakes go to one side and power tools, like electric hedge trimmers, should be stored in drawers of a cabinet to keep them dry from humidity. Using peg board on the walls of the tool shed can help keep things, such as rakes and shovels, off the floor of the shed. Inexpensive to install, peg board lets a gardener have the flexibility to organize the layout of tools they use most often. Hanging tools above floor level ensures that the gardener will not accidentally step on a loose rake or shovel when they enter.

 STEPS FOR HAVING A ORGANIZED SAFE TOOL SHED:

1) Clean and take all the garden tools out of the shed and organize them into piles.

2) Buy a tool cabinet to house and store smaller hand tools and place them at the back of the shed.

3) Install peg board along the walls of the shed to hang rakes and shovels. Brackets for peg board are adjustable, letting a gardener determine the height and width for tool placement throughout the shed.

4) Build shelves or buy plastic shelving to hold fertilizer, paint and other hazardous materials up off the floor of the shed.

5) Make sure you have proper lighting inside the shed.

6) Avoid hanging sharp tools overhead, such as extension pruners, hand held saws or metal pipe.

7) Do a yearly inspection of the shed to ensure that tools are in place for the winter.

8) Oil or lubricate your work tools to keep them in good working condition and free from rust.

These are just a few safety things that are required to keep you safe. Really, it is up to the gardener to keep the work area safe and clutter-free. Believe you me, it will only take one time of stepping on a loose rake or shovel to bring you back to reality. The important thing to remember is, why wait until something like that happens. Be safe, and use you head for something other than a rake or shovel magnet.

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