Safety and work environment on site

Landscape gardeners carry, dig, compress, and handle heavy materials daily. Correct technique and the right protective equipment prevent the most typical injuries: strain and lifting injuries to the back and shoulders, cuts and crushing injuries from machinery and blades, and dust from cut and sawed stone.

• 01The Labour Authority's indicative weight limits for hand-held lifting (the lifting chart in the AT guidance on the ergonomic working environment, VEJ no. 10133 of 01/10/2026) are distance-based: under ideal conditions maximum about 50 kg close to the body, about 30 kg at forearm distance (~30 cm) and about 15 kg at 3/4 arm distance (~45 cm) — the limit decreases with distance, lifting height and frequency.
• 02Lift with bent knees and straight back; avoid twisting at the waist under load.
• 03Use a pallet truck, mini tipper or excavator for heavy stone and soil.
• 04Under fully optimal conditions and at forearm distance, two people may lift at most 42 kg together (approx. 70 % of what each could lift) — and a two-person lift does not replace work equipment (VEJ 10133/2026).
• 05Carrying over more than approx. 2 m: action must be taken if the load weighs more than approx. 20 kg close to the body, 12 kg at forearm distance or 6 kg at 3/4 arm's length (VEJ 10133/2026).
• 06Total daily lifting load per person: at most approx. 10 t close to the body, 6 t at forearm distance and 3 t at 3/4 arm's length — lifts in the green zone of the lifting model do not count (VEJ 10133/2026). 400 kerbstones of 25 kg each are already 10 t.

• 01Personal protective equipment (PPE) for plate compactor: ear protection — the plate compactor typically makes 90–99 dB(A) at the ear, and hearing protection is provided from 80 dB(A) and must be used from 85 dB(A) (Work Authority noise decree). Hand-arm vibrations are primarily dampened by low-vibration machines and shorter working time (action value 2.5 m/s²), supplemented by vibration-dampening gloves. The plate compactor does not produce dust, so respiratory protection is not a requirement when operating.
• 02Excavators' swing zone: no one may stand within the swing radius during operation; fencing and visual contact with the machine operator.
• 03Dead man's control (automatic stop) on plate vibrators with hand brake is checked before use.
• 04Operating manual and CE marking on rented machines; check oil level, couplings and guards before starting.

• 01Before digging: make a dig request in the Utility Owner Register (LER, ler.dk), and have the utility information with you on site (Act on the Utility Owner Register, LOV 564/2022 §§ 7-8). The exemption for digging at most 40 cm deep only applies when you dig on your own property — not at a customer's. If a utility owner has required the line to be located, you may only dig once it has been located.
• 02In stable soil a trench may have vertical sides down to at most 1.70 m — but not if work is done kneeling in it. From 1.70 m to 5 m the slope must be 2:1 (2 down and 1 across), and over 5 m 1:1 (1 down and 1 across), all the way to the bottom (AT guidance on building and construction work, VEJ 10135/2026, section 5.2).
• 03If there is no room for a slope: clamps with plywood boards on edge down to 2.25 m (the boards must stick up approx. 0.15 m above the edge), walings over 2.25 m, a trench box that reaches the bottom and sticks up at least 0.15 m — or sheet piling at great depths (VEJ 10135/2026).
• 04The edge is kept clear of materials, tools, large stones and traffic for at least 1 m, so the load does not make the excavation slide (VEJ 10135/2026).
• 05Soft bottom in the excavation is checked — can collapse under machine pressure.

The old AT guidance notes with letter codes (D.3.1, D.6.1, D.6.2, D.6.7 etc.) lapsed on 15-12-2025. Today the requirements are in the executive orders, which are binding, and in a few consolidated AT guidance notes explaining how to comply with the rules:

For noise and vibration, there are two levels: an action value, where the employer must take action to reduce exposure, and a limit value, which must not be exceeded. The values come from the noise regulation and vibration regulation (the Danish Working Environment Authority):

• 01Noise: from 80 dB(A) hearing protection must be provided; from 85 dB(A) it must be used and a noise action plan is made. The limit value 87 dB(A) applies to the ear behind hearing protection.
• 02Vibration between action and limit values: work may continue, but the cause of the high exposure must be investigated and reduced as much as possible.
• 03The limit value must not be exceeded — if you exceed it, the work must be changed (low-vibration machine, shorter time, job rotation).

Example — vibration dose A(8)

Den daglige vibrationsbelastning beregnes som A(8) = a_hv · √(T / 8 timer), hvor a_hv er maskinens vibrationsniveau (fra dens datablad) og T er den tid, du reelt holder maskinen. Antag, at et vibrationsdatablad angiver a_hv = 5 m/s² for en pladevibrator, og at du styrer den i 2 timer på en dag: A(8) = 5 · √(2/8) = 5 · 0,5 = 2,5 m/s². Det rammer netop aktionsværdien — så allerede ved to timers daglig kørsel med en kraftigt vibrerende maskine er der grund til at gøre noget. Brug maskinens faktiske databladsværdi, ikke eksemplets tal.