Floral Design Safety Rules:
Handling Sharp Tools
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Florists use sharp knives, scissors and shears every day to cut flowers and
other materials.
Always cut away from yourself
Always walk when carrying tools
Keep hands, fingers, and hair out of the cutting area
Watch what you are cutting
You can only cut once make sure you measure and plan what you are cutting
Working with Water
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Florists work around water-filled buckets and vases every day, which can
result in dangerously slippery floors.
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Avoid spilling on table tops and floor clean up promptly
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Prevent falls and slips by putting sign up at work or letting others in your lab
area know you are cleaning the spilled substance.
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Wipe water up with paper towels and never just wipe on the floor.
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Avoid mixing water with electricity
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Always have dry hands when using any equipment
Protecting Skin/Lungs
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Many florists wear gloves to protect the skin on their hands from exposure to
numerous potentially harmful materials, including rose thorns, pesticide
residue on flowers, and bleach that is sometimes used to clean flower
buckets. Some florists also wear thick rubber gloves to protect their skin from
being cut by the sharp tools they use. Many times florists will wear face
masks to protect lungs when spraying various supplies.
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Always wear gloves when spraying chemicals or spray paint.
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Use only approved chemicals in a well ventilated area
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Only spray chemicals when wearing a disposable mask
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Avoid spraying any chemicals on any fixed object or inside building always ask
for permission on where to spray chemicals
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Always wear gloves when working with thorny or dangerous plant life
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Wear long sleeves and pants to protect body from contamination when using
and collecting live floral materials.
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Wear gloves when cleaning bucket and supplies
Preventing Body Aches/Injury
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Florists must strive to care for their bodies while they work. They tend to be on
their feet all day, so they typically stand on shock-absorbing rubber mats to
prevent foot, leg, back, and neck pain, and to avoid developing chronic pain in
any of these areas.
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Carefully lift items with your legs and not your back
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Take breaks at approved time to ensure you are working at a safe pace
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Avoid touching any surface that may be hot. Consider all glue guns and pans
on and hot. Never touch this equipment to see if it is on.
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Always carry glass and heavy objects with work gloves on to protect hands.
Avoiding Exposure to Harmful Substances
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Many florists use bleach to keep their water buckets clean, and powder or
liquid forms of floral preservative to maintain the freshness of flowers. Florists
must limit their exposure to these and other potentially harmful substances by
avoiding contact with skin, keeping them away from food or drink, and never
ingesting them.
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Avoid eating or drinking in the floral design lab
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Do not sniff or taste supplies or materials when in lab
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Use all materials in accordance to labeled directions
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Avoid putting materials in unlabeled containers
Teams/ Lab Time/ Clean-up
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You are responsible for staying with your team the entire time in the lab
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You will be assigned a roll for your group understand and maintain your duties
for each lab or via verbal directions.
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Stay in your assigned area and use assigned supplies throughout lab
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Assist in cleanup during all stages of lab