Sector guide · Horticulture & grounds
Grounds crews work every season on every surface — mowing gangs in June, leaf clearance in November, planting in February sleet. The kit is the outdoor trades' greatest hits: weather layering as the base, machine PPE per task, and the discipline of knowing when a job crosses into certified-kit territory.
The sector
The base wardrobe is weather logic: wicking base, mid-layers by season, EN 343 shells kept beading (reproofing is a grounds-trade habit), S3 boots for ground that alternates mud and mower clippings, and UV-season kit for the months spent entirely outdoors. Hi-vis joins wherever crews work verges, car parks or roadside contracts.
Each machine adds its PPE: ride-on mowing brings hearing protection; strimming and blowing add face visors and eye protection (flung stones are the classic claim); hedge cutters demand cut-aware gloves and forearm cover. Two tasks cross into certified territory: any chainsaw work — even 'just a small limb' — requires full chainsaw PPE and certification (the arborist guide covers the climbing trade proper), and pesticide application runs on spray-operator clothing and qualifications per the product label. The well-run grounds firm keeps those boundaries bright: the mowing gang's kit never quietly stretches to cover the saw job.
Kit by task
| Task | The kit that matters | The spec detail |
|---|---|---|
| Mowing (ride-on & pedestrian) | Hearing protection, S3 boots, hi-vis | EN 352 — mower decks run loud all day |
| Strimming & blowing | Face visor, eye protection, gloves | Flung debris is the sector's classic injury |
| Hedge work | Cut-aware gloves, forearm cover, eye protection | EN 388 against blades and thorns |
| Spraying | EN ISO 27065 clothing per label | Certification and product label lead |
| Tree & saw work | Full chainsaw PPE — certified operators only | The classes and types |
Management notes
Questions
Face visor or safety glasses (flung stones and debris are the signature injury), gloves, hearing protection, sturdy trousers and S3 boots — plus hi-vis where the work fronts roads or car parks. The visor earns its place on every verge.
Only if they use chainsaws — and then it's the full certified set (trousers, boots, gloves, helmet system) plus training tickets, per the chainsaw PPE standards. The important discipline is the boundary: saw work is never absorbed into general grounds kit.
The layering system: wicking base, insulating mid, waterproof shell kept reproofed, warm gloves with dexterity for machine controls, and S3 boots that handle mud months. Static tasks (goal-post repairs, planting) need warmer mid-layers than the mowing gang ever does.
Send the roles and headcount — we'll come back with a kit list per role, embroidered and priced.