When it comes to touching up your trimming job or performing detailed cutting, turn to the HSA 25 battery-powered shrub shears. The HSA 25 combines ease of use with precision accuracy. The HSA 25 is lightweight with a rubberized handle for user comfort and secure grip. It features two attachments – grass shear and shrub shear – to meet specific trimming needs. The HSA 25 is ideally suited to maintain and contour small-leaved ornamental trees, shrubs and evergreen hedges. The grass shear is perfect for trimming lawn edges. With runtimes of up to 110 minutes on a single charge, the HSA 25 allows landscapers to complete tasks with clean, fast and efficient cuts. This product is the first STIHL tool designed for detail-oriented trimming tasks and is perfect for urban or suburban communities that have noise bylaws. The HSA 25 comes in a kit including a carrying bag, battery and charger for convenient transportation and storage.
power. Made by STIHL.
QUALITY AT WORK FOR OVER 90 YEARS. Battery
PRO-FLEET COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE PROGRAM
STIHL’s Pro-Fleet Commercial Landscape Program is designed to provide commercial landscapers a volume discount on major purchases of 5 or more landscaping power tools. Visit your STIHL Dealer today to find out more and take advantage of the savings!
For over 90 years, STIHL has been a world market leader and innovator in outdoor power equipment. German engineered products featuring the latest pioneering technologies make STIHL the preferred choice for professionals, consistently providing uncompromising quality. STIHL products are only available at independent STIHL Dealers who provide personal advice and expert service. Thank you for the continuous support and for making STIHL the brand you trust.
* “#1 Selling Brand in Canada” is based on an independent market share analysis of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment from 2018. Source: TraQline Canada.
DEPARTMENTS
at what’s ahead for Congress, OGSA, WCTA, OTS
By Mike Jiggens
New look website, new look magazine
As we close out 2019 and begin the third decade of the new millennium – has it already been that many years? –new and exciting things are taking place with Turf & Rec.
Those who visit our website on a regular basis will have noticed we have a completely different-looking presentation. It’s a cleaner look and one that presents visitors with an immediate glance at all the latest industry headlines. The news headlines on our former site were often incomplete sentences as space limitations tended to cut off words, rendering some headlines as being nearly incomprehensible.
Our new site prevents that from happening. In fact, each headline is stamped with a date to let visitors know how current the news item is and when it was posted, eliminating the guesswork as to its place in the timeline
In general, the site can be navigated much more easily than before, allowing access to all of our features including coming events, podcasts, digital editions, subscription services, new product information and social media postings.
Starting in the new year, it is our plan to introduce new rotating columns in print that will address such topical matters as innovative technologies in the industr y. This includes everything from business software to robotics to GPS’
role in the industry and to keeping up with equipment maintenance practices.
In this issue, we take a detailed look at where we are toda y with battery-powered tools manufactured for the professional landscaping industry. These tools were born out of a need to address noise complaints associated with gasoline-powered equipment, not to mention a heightened sensitivity to emission levels.
Tools powered by batteries came onto the scene a number of years ago to address such concerns, but they weren’t the be-all and end-all – at least not at the time. Their most significant shortcomings came in the form of shorter run times and considerably less power. But
The site can be navigated much more easily than before, allowing access to all of our features
that is changing, and battery-powered equipment has rapidly caught up with gasoline -powered machinery to the point where its run times and power output are almost on an even keel.
Manufacturers of such equipment suggest we are on the cusp of seeing gasoline-powered equipment overtaken by battery power as engineering advances in lithium ion technology has improved by leaps and bounds in just the past couple of years.
Not only has the technology sufficiently addressed noise and emission concerns, battery-powered tools are lighter in w eight to pr omote enhanced jobsite efficiency and reduce worker fatigue, and the cost of charging the batteries versus that of continually replenishing fuel have resulted in batter y-powered tools getting a closer look by professionals.
Once run times and power output match those of gasoline-powered tools – and we’re almost there – that should pretty much seal the deal.
It’s not just handheld equipment that is benefiting from battery power. Zero-turn mowers are also making the scene, and undoubtedly w e’ll be hearing a lot more about these in the not-too-distant future.
In this day and age of unprecedented concern for climate change and how emissions are contributing to this global crisis, the industr y is doing its part to help matters.
You may notice that the Duffer , a fixture on the back page of this magazine for more than three decades, has disappeared. We made a decision to r eplace it with content more relevant to the industry and the needs of professionals. In this issue, we look at an important safety concern of all outdoor workers and, beginning in the new year, we plan to explore issues related to maintenance and troubleshooting of equipment and the ever- expanding technology that can help you run your operations more effectively and efficiently. We hope you like it.
www.turfandrec.com
Editor Mike Jiggens mjiggens@annexbusinessmedia.com
National Advertising Manager
Rebecca Lewis 519-400-0322 rlewis@annexbusinessmedia.com
COO Scott Jamieson sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com
President & CEO Mike Fredericks
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WHEN YOU BUY AN RTV + SNOWBLOWER / BLADE / SWEEPER DISCOUNT $1,000
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*Dealer may sell for less. Dealer order/trade may be necessary. Prices, payments and models featured throughout may vary by dealer. Some restrictions apply. See your dealer for complete details. Offers valid only at participating dealers in Canada and are subject to change, cancellation or extension at any time without notice or obligation. For all offers: taxes, applicable fees (including, but not limited to, governmental environmental fees, administration fees, set-up fees, dealer fees, and delivery fees), insurance and registration are extra. Freight is included. Dealer order/trade may be necessary. The minimum down payment of 10% required for financing offers on RTVs. Specifications and features shown in this ad are based on the latest available information at the time of publication. Although descriptions are believed to be correct, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. We reserve the right to make changes at any time, without notice or obligation, specifications, accessories, materials, models, prices, payments and other information. Financing offer or cash discount available. RTV-XG850G-A with an MSRP of $17,067.38 financed at 0% APR equals $255.00 per month for 60 Months $1,767.38 down payment required. Cost of borrowing is $2,173.22 for a total obligation of $17,067.38. With an additional discount of $1,000 applicable on purchases of snowblower, blade and sweeper model included in the promotion are V5296/V5295A/V5294/ V5266/V5291/V5290/V5260/V4308A/V5008a/V0840. The cash discount will be deducted from the price before taxes; and (ii) may not be combined with special lease and finance rates offered by Kubota as part of a low rate interest program. All advertised finance rates are special rates. Cash Discount offers to take place at the time of purchase and are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Offer valid until December 31, 2019. See your participating Kubota dealer or visit www.kubota.ca for details.
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Extra measures needed to protect landscaper’s property
A Leduc, Alta. landscape contractor finds himself having to go through an extraordinary ordeal at the end of each workday, simply to protect his business against theft. To prevent the theft of expensive equipment from his compound, he must place 4,000-pound concrete blocks at both the inside and outside of his gate.
During the summer, thieves broke into his compound, stealing a wheel loader valued at about $120,000.
Alberta’s rural crime rate was 38 per cent higher than in urban areas in 2017.
Salmon Arm GC joins GolfNorth stable of courses
GolfNorth Properties has added the Salmon Arm Golf Club to its stable of golf courses. The golf course ownership group now owns properties from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. The golf ownership group now owns 32 golf properties in Canada. The Salmon Arm Golf Society put the 18-hole championship course and nine-hole heritage course up for sale in April. The 90-year-old course’s estimated value was more than $4 million.
Protect Winnipeg’s tree canopy, city hears from coalition
More money needs to be set aside for Winnipeg to preserve its urban forest canopy, a newly formed coalition suggests in the wake of recent weather conditions and insect infestations that have devastated the city’s tree cover. The coalition is asking for the city to increase its budget for dealing with trees.
The group wants the city to increase its funding toward the urban forest.
Year-round practices can occur with new air-supported shelter
Calgary’s Shouldice Athletic Park is getting a new air-supported shelter to be placed atop one of its football fields to allow for year-round practice. The shelter is a Grey Cup Legacy Project involving the city as a partner.
The shelter will allow for year-round practice sessions for both football and soccer players, including the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders.
“It’s something the city really needs,” Greg Peterson, president of the Greater Calgary Amateur Football Association and a backer of the project, told the media. “Calgary has brutal cold winters and if any city needs it, we need it as much as anybody. The fact that we don’t have one is not good for the city and the fact that we’re finally getting one is a great uplift for minor sports and for the Stampeders.”
$7.6M amount of increased tree funding coalition is seeking
Five different partner groups help to fund the shelter project: the City of Calgary, the Calgary Stampeders Football Club, the Greater Calgary Amateur Football Association, the Calgary Minor Soccer Association and the Calgary
Blizzard Soccer Club.
The shelter is expected to provide about 1,850 “programmable hours” of field use each year from October to May.
“By these groups coming together and now partnering with us, it gives us the financial ability to get this project up and then these groups have the commitment to use it and pay rentals, so the life cycle and the renting is going to happen on a regular basis without it being a drain on the system,” city Coun. Ward Sutherland said. “It’s a really good new model that we want to use in the future.”
The partner groups will have first priority for using the newly sheltered field, but the facility will also be open to other teams and groups.
The indoor practice facility will give the Stampeders the chance to conduct their rookie camp free of bad weather and will allow team members who remain in the city year-round a place to work out away from the elements.
Project officials have yet to announce a start-up date for the sheltered field.
Battery-run tools nearing pick of pros
Power output and run times are rapidly catching up with gas
By Mike Jiggens
Professional landscapers have been using battery-powered tools for several years now, even though gasoline-powered equipment is still hanging on as the preferred choice. Outside forces such as noise bylaws, emission concerns, tool weight and operating costs have been driving up sales of battery-powered equipment in recent years and, with vast improvements made to power output and run time, sales and usage of battery-powered tools are catching up quickly to their gas-powered cousins.
“The landscape contractor wants a tool that will run longer, and obviously he wants more power,” Hugh Munn, Ontario and Western Canada sales manager for Stihl Limited, says. “The challenge now is to develop batteries that will give us longer run times and more energy.”
That day is already on the horizon, manufacturers of outdoor power equipment believe.
“If you’re a contractor using gasoline today, you will be using battery in the future,” Munn suggests. “I can absolutely guarantee that. If you think of the traditional landscape contractor who does a cut, trim and blow, he or she is going to be transitioning his or her business over the next year to five years to battery.”
Power output and run times associated with battery-powered equipment are catching up with their gas-powered counterparts.
Dave Boyce, Western Canada regional sales manager for Echo Power Equipment (Canada), says the “plug and play” aspect of battery-powered equipment makes the tools more simplistic and user-friendly.
“There’s no need to have a fuel and oil mixture like a 50-to-one or a 40-to-one
ratio as we and our competitors’ equipment require. It removes any kind of error.”
The ease-of-use attribute of battery-powered equipment is perhaps its best selling point until power output and run time take over.
“Ease of use is literally flipping a
switch on and pulling the trigger as opposed to priming, purging, choking, pulling a cord until it starts, and then keeping the machine from not stalling,” Mike McConnell, national sales manager for Echo, says. “Ease of use is definitely high.”
Nevertheless, power and run time remain the key concerns among professional landscapers when shopping for new equipment. McConnell said the first question he is invariably asked by commercial customers at such industry events as Landscape Congress is, “How long is it going to run?” It’s an easy question to answer, he said, when the query is directed toward gasoline-powered equipment. When referring to battery-powered equipment, however, there isn’t a “quick tell” answer.
It’s easier, he said, to explain run time versus working time. If an operator opens the throttle wide open (rabbit mode) on most models of cordless trimmers and then walks away from it, the machine will continue to run for between 45 minutes and an hour. The commercial customer will respond by saying that amount of time isn’t long enough.
“But you explain to them that you don’t do that with that tool and walk around with it with the throttle wide open,” McConnell said. “You walk to the spot and you trim it and you walk to another spot and you trim it. It’s on and off constantly whereas a gas-powered piece of equipment is idling continually, so it is continually burning fuel, although at a lower rate than a wide-open throttle. But the difference with the cordless is that it’s off. It’s not actually consuming any power at that point.”
Munn said the battery-powered business is pulling a point or two away from the gasoline-powered business on an annual basis, “but at some point in time – and I don’t know when that’s going to be – there will be a tipping point and then you’ll see a mass exodus (of gasoline-powered equipment). I can envision a day when a forester will be using a battery-powered chain saw and he’ll be quite happy with it.”
Noise output
The major criticism against gasoline-powered equipment is its noise output, and many municipalities have imposed bans or bylaws regarding their use. Noise bylaws are “different animals” in every single municipality, McConnell said.
“We’ve been involved with a number of different noise bylaws in some pretty key markets throughout Canada.”
Boyce said professional landscapers have come to learn that battery-powered
equipment is more of a need than a want when the properties they maintain include schools, hospitals and municipal buildings where high noise levels aren’t tolerated.
In addition to their higher noise levels, gasoline-powered tools have other limitations that prevent their use in certain situations. This has allowed emission-free, battery-powered tools to be used in greenhouses, nurseries and other indoor venues.
“It’s a whole different opportunity,”
Battery-powered
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Boyce said.
Women and many older workers have come to appreciate the comparatively lighter weight that battery-powered equipment offers, although Munn admitted some older employees remain set in their ways and are reluctant to switch to the newer technology. He added that superior ergonomics associated with battery-powered tools prevent operators from experiencing a lingering tingling sensation afterwards in their hands and fingers once the equipment is put away. Battery-powered tools are designed to allow the same battery to be used to power a landscaper’s array of equipment.
The same battery used in a trimmer can be used in a hedge trimmer or pole pruner, for example.
McConnell said battery-powered technology is poised to take a significant step forward if it is able to draw itself away from packs of batteries situated in a backpack apparatus.
“We can get extended run times just by strapping more batteries on our back, but the landscaper doesn’t want to wear a backpack to trim or run a chain saw. They want to have it in that same package that a 10-ounce fuel tank will do for them.”
He added that when cordless equip -
‘If you’re a contractor using gasoline today, you will be using battery in the future’
Clean-up in this Fall with
ment reaches the point of being comparable with gasoline’s efficiency, operating costs are likely to diminish. Batteries, spare battery packs and chargers come with a cost, but that is apt to change once battery technology catches up with the efficiency of gasoline.
Less maintenance
Munn said battery-powered tools have all but replaced gasoline-powered equipment in the housing construction industry. The lesser maintenance costs associated with battery-powered tools is a further appeal, he said, “because you don’t have carburation and fuel and things like that to mess with. Pull a trigger and away it goes.”
Not having to constantly replenish a gasoline-powered tool’s fuel supply throughout the season makes battery-powered equipment a cheaper option.
“Another way of looking at the battery is all you’re doing is pre-purchasing your fuel, and you can re-energize the battery for pennies,” Munn said, acknowledging that although the battery itself is expensive, the cost of charging it over the course of a summer is much less than the cost of fuel. “The math works in favour of batteries because you can re-energize them very inexpensively and you have to factor in maintenance costs (associated with gasoline-powered equipment).”
McConnell said as power, output performance and run times continue to increase, “it’s raising the eyebrow of a lot more commercial landscapers and commercial customers that they can put it in their lineup and see it as a viable piece of equipment.”
Battery-powered tools have few limitations, and even bigger products powered without gasoline are currently available on the market.
“You can do everything today with a battery tool, including mowing the grass,” Munn said. “You can edge, you can trim, you can blow, you can do a hedge, you can use a pole pruner, you can use an extended reach trimmer, you can push a lawn mower, and there is even a manufacturer of battery-powered zero turns.”
Landscapers see batteries’ benefits
Noise bylaws, emissions awareness driving battery technology By
Mike Jiggens
Battery-powered landscaping equipment has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent years, and its future is “very exciting,” those attending Sports Turf Canada’s Ontario sports field training day last September in Oakville were told.
Gasoline-powered equipment has typically been used in both landscaping and sports turf maintenance, but it’s on the cusp of being surpassed by newer technology that is powered by rechargeable batteries.
“Anything you’ve done with gas before, you’ve got a battery alternative,” GreenWorks Tools Canada’s Kevin Perpete said. He said battery-powered equipment has advanced to a point where it can perform at the same level as gas-powered equipment. Batteries continue to increase in capacity, resulting in longer run times, shorter charge periods and lighter weight. A battery powered string trimmer, for ex-
ample, with a run time of a couple of hours, will be no heavier with a battery than its two-stroke gas-powered counterpart, he added.
Perpete said battery-powered equipment is one of the industry’s hottest trends, and the technology isn’t slowing down. It’s not only taking off with handheld equipment, but is making its mark with zero-turn mowers and utility vehicles. The electric vehicle market is being credited for pushing battery-powered equipment, he said.
“It’s benefiting the outdoor power equipment market.”
Some industry professionals have expressed concern that battery-powered equipment can’t generate the power or run time necessary to meet their needs at a jobsite, but Perpete said that’s changing as a result of significant advancements in lithium ion technology. Driving zero-turn mowers are 13.8-kw batteries.
“That thing’s going to run six or seven
hours before you need a charge.”
Stihl, Echo and Husqvarna are also among the major landscaping equipment manufacturers to offer their customers battery-powered products. The major selling points of battery-powered equipment include quieter operation, emission-free performance, peak efficiency and cost savings.
“We’re finding that the municipalities are driving the need for landscapers to purchase battery-powered equipment.”
More than 500 U.S. cities have banned gas engines for blowers that Perpete said are often referred to as “the devil’s blow dryer.” This has forced major corporations to ensure their commercial properties are being maintained now by battery-powered equipment.
“It’s mostly for the quiet aspect of it, but again they’re not overlooking the savings that’s involved with this.”
One of the biggest factors impeding the acceptance of battery-powered equipment
Battery-powered equipment is seen as essentially “plug and play” tools. Pictured, battery and charger.
is “sticker shock,” Perpete said, acknowledging the products aren’t cheap. But, he added, gas-powered equipment is going to have to meet certain EPA guidelines in the years to come and that will drive up the price of that equipment.
Perpete urged anyone who has never used battery-powered equipment to try the technology.
“The performance will wow you. There’s definitely a cost savings on battery versus gas. The average gas price of late if about $1.15 per litre for regular grade fuel.”
He said it costs about $1.40 to charge a zero-turn mower each night. Gasoline, by comparison, at a cost of $1.15 per litre and at a consumption rate of six gallons a day, comes to about $26 a day or about $132 a week.
Driving battery-powered equipment for school boards and municipalities is the
significant reduction in noise. For much of the pieces of equipment, the decibel output is half that of gas-powered machinery.
“What does it mean for people using this product? You don’t have that drone in your ears constantly. It’s a bit of a higher pitched noise, but it’s not as deafening as it is with gas-powered equipment. If you use a string trimmer for a length of time and you put it down, there’s very little vibration in battery-powered equipment. When you put it down, you won’t have that tingling sensation in your hands which can last for quite a bit of time after you put the unit down.”
A typical gas-powered chain saw puts out about 110 decibels while an average battery-powered saw delivers about 67 decibels.
When using battery-powered equipment in the heat of summer, an operator
equipped with a backpack blower won’t be nearly as hot and “won’t smell like a gas station” when he’s finished using the equipment, Perpete said.
Gas-powered products that aren’t used frequently and stored for significant periods of time in a truck or a depot are apt to experience starting problems from time to time due to carburetor residue and clogged fuel lines. Perpete said battery-powered equipment doesn’t require much more maintenance than keeping it clean and ensuring cutting parts remain sharp.
“It’s basically plug and play.”
Perpete urged his audience to try battery-powered equipment, suggesting users will be “stunned” by the performance.
“We’re doing something good for the environment, we’re doing something good for our kids, and we’re also doing something good for ourselves.”
50+ learning hours at Congress 2020
Conference is largest of its kind in Canada
Landscape Congress has been running for nearly as long as Landscape Ontario itself, and will be marking its 47th year in January. More than 15,000 people are expected to attend the annual conference and trade show at Toronto’s Congress Centre, giving those in the industry a chance to further their education, see the latest equipment and supplies, and network with their industry peers.
The largest event of its kind in Canada and ranked as one of North America’s finest conferences for the green industry, Landscape Congress is aimed at landscape contractors, lawn care professionals, snow and ice contractors, grounds management personnel and those employed in the fields of landscape design, hardscaping, irrigation, lighting, garden centre retail and interiorscaping.
More than 45 presenters will provide more than 50 hours of professional development during the three-day conference Jan. 7-9. Featured speakers and their topics include:
TUESDAY, JAN. 7
A guide to restoring the little things that run the world. (Dr. Douglas Tallamy, University of Delaware). The presentation is a reminder of the role that insects play and the changes the world must make in its landscapes and its mindset toward keeping insects on the ground and in the air. The ins and outs of managing four generations in the workplace. (Jeff Butler, JButler International, Cohasset, Mass.). Butler will provide a guide to show how companies can thrive with employees spanning the four generations of baby boomers, Generation X, millennials and Generation Z. Topics include strengthening cross-generational communication, handling generational conflict and leveraging multi-generational opportunities. Integrated pest management of trees, shrubs and lawns: a holistic approach. (Dr. Max Schlossberg, Penn State University). The presentation will review categories and examples of control methods and identify practical applications related to residential and commercial landscape
management. The presentation will also include being able to identify indicator weeds and nutrient deficiency symptoms in grasses and ornamentals.
Art of scaling: building a company without working impossible hours. (Mark Bradley, CEO, LMN, Markham, Ont.). Bradley will show how to build a business and not a job and how to reduce a company’s reliance on just the founder. The presentation will allow attendees to understand why customers do business with their company, will show how to prioritize quarterly strategic planning, will demonstrate how to spot the difference between an opportunity and a distraction, and show how to work smarter and not harder by knowing when to delegate.
Marketing systems for attracting homeowners. (Robert Murray and Vanessa McQuade, Intrigue Media Solutions Inc., Guelph, Ont.). The presentation will provide proven marketing systems to create a steady inflow of the right customers, allowing the business owner to work smarter, not harder, and watch his busi-
Speakers include, from left, Andrew Wall, Beth Edney, Elizabeth Calabrese and Jeff Butler.
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21st century leadership: how to cultivate leadership in today’s workplace. (Jeff Butler, JButler International, Cohasset, Mass.). The presentation will look at the psychology of leadership works, debunking the biggest myths that are often preached about leadership. Butler will demonstrate how anyone can develop leadership traits to create life-changing adjustments to get extraordinary results.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 8
Stormwater management: the role of the landscape and horticulture profession. (Michael Albanese, Avesi Stormwater and Landscape Solutions, Hamilton, Ont.). This session will provide an update on current storm water challenges, as well as an inspiring overview of the opportunity for the landscape and horticulture profession to play a significant role in keeping communities safe.
Landscape contractors: the new eco warriors. (Dr. Lynda McCarthy, Ryerson University, Toronto). The landscape contractor is seen as a key participant in developing solutions to mitigate damage to municipal ecosystems. The presentation will take a closer look at such solutions as well as integrated landscape management strategies.
Speed networking. (Beth Edney, Designs By the Yard, Toronto). Attendees will move around the room, make new connections and discuss hot topics, providing a more personal and interactive setting for exploring key issues pertaining to horticulture and the landscape profession.
The art of ruthless execution. (Nathan Helder, Gelderman
Landscape Services, Waterdown, Ont.). His presentation follows the idea that being successful hinges on being consistent 100 per cent of the time. Attendees will learn how to create the right environment, have the right focus and build the right team.
Working with difficult clients. (Andrew Wall, Sandler Training, Milton, Ont.). The presentation will look at effective strategies for changing perceptions and creating mutual beneficial business relationships as a means of winning back difficult customers.
Biophilia: the roots of landscape design. (Elizabeth Freeman, Calabrese Architects, Burlington, Vt.). The session will explore the implications of biophilia and biophilic design in the landscape design industry.
THURSDAY, JAN. 9
Demystifying soil specifications: a practical guide to soil. (Jose Haig, Earthco Soil Mixtures, Toronto). The session will cover understanding soil specifications, types and uses of soils, things that make Ontario soils unique, practical applications, and the future of soils.
Understanding the 2019 Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide. (Dr. Darby McGrath, Vineland Research and Innovative Centre; Ian Bruce, Bruce Tree Expert Company; and Dr. Glen Lumis, University of Guelph). The presenters will explore the Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide that is made up of summaries of upto-date research and a series of corresponding field sheets that refine the information to actionable items.
For more information or to register, visit locongress.com.
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Talking baseball field upkeep at OTS
Symposium will offer education aimed at four industry sectors
One of Turf & Rec’s Top 10 Under 40 honourees from 2019 will be stepping up to the podium on a couple of occasions in February to speak at the Ontario Turfgrass Symposium in Guelph.
Ross Baron, head groundskeeper for the Vancouver Canadians professional baseball team, will speak in the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 19 about managing the field at Vancouver’s Nat Bailey Stadium and then will focus on seasonal management and repair of baseball infields later in the afternoon.
Both addresses are part of the OTS’ sports and recreational facilities education program. Golf, lawn care and nursery sod are the other sector-specific programs offered over the two-day symposium at the University of Guelph.
Speakers and their sessions include:
Wednesday, Feb. 19
Golf sessions
• Strategies to manage organic matter on golf course playing surfaces – presented by Zach Nicoludis, USGA
• New product and development research at the GTI – presented by Dr. Eric Lyons and John Watson, Guelph Turfgrass Institute
• Using plant growth regulators to maintain a quality creeping bentgrass playing surface and to suppress poa annua – presented by Zach Nicoludis, USGA
• Turf disease management in the era of reduced fungicides – presented by Dr.
Tom Hsiang, University of Guelph
Lawn care sessions
• Building an effective fertility program – presented by Mark Schneider, Nutrite
• Cultural practices and strategies to enhance soil and plant health – presented by Dr. Katerina Jordan, University of Guelph
• Tips and tricks to survive 37 years as an independent landscape maintenance contractor – presented by James Walke, Total Gardening Services
Sports turf/recreational facilities sessions
• A look at managing the Vancouver Canadians baseball field at Nat Bailey Stadium – presented by Ross Baron, Vancouver Canadians professional baseball club
• Sustainable management of ABW in view of insecticide resistance issues –presented by Albrecht Koppenhofer, Rutgers University
Lawn care
• Exploring the value of biosolids in turf – presented by Dr. Katerina Jordan and Vighnesh Suhku, University of Guelph
• Seasonal management and repair of baseball infields – presented by Ross Baron, Vancouver Canadians professional baseball club
• Permitting hours: how much play is too much? – presented by Bet Smith and Pam Charbonneau, DCS Consultants
Thursday, Feb. 20
Golf sessions
• What’s old is new again: a modern take on traditional greenkeeping at Otter Creek Golf Club – presented by Randy Booker, superintendent, Otter Creek Golf Club, Otterville
• Green rebuilding for success – presented by Bill Green, superintendent, Cutten Fields Golf Club, Guelph
• Natural and native turf for roughs and parks – presented by James McCurdy, Rutgers University
• TWCA certified grasses for lawn care – presented by Jack Karlin, Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance
• What’s the deal with endophytes? – presented by Cam Shaw, University of Guelph
Sports turf/recreational facilities
• BMO Field’s hybrid field installation –presented by Robert Heggie, BMO Field head groundskeeper
• Turf cricket: to be or not to be – presented by Chris Chappell, the Cricket Guy
• Synthetic turf repairs – Cam Lawrie, University of Guelph
Nursery sod
• Fostering a relationship with soil – presented by Alan Dolick, Lawn Life Natural Turf Products
• Improving sod harvest characteristics and shelf life – presented by Jay McCurdy, Mississippi State University
• Recognition and management of common diseases in sod production – presented by Dr. Tom Hsiang, University of Guelph
For more information or to register, visit https://opened.uoguelph.ca/Ontario-Turfgrass-Symposium.
‘Grass is not a foe’
WCTA adopts theme for its 57th annual conference in Richmond
The Western Canada Turfgrass Association’s annual conference and trade show is returning for a third straight year to the River Rock Casino in Richmond, B.C., Feb. 11-13.
Two days of education seminars are planned for the 57th annual conference as well as a trade show on both days. The theme for the conference’s educational component is, “Mythbusters: grass is not a foe.”
Four pre-conference education sessions will be presented on Tuesday, Feb. 11, addressing such topics as fertility, synthetic turf and an introduction to turf management.
The conference is aimed at golf superintendents, sports turf managers and professionals working in other areas of recreational turfgrass management.
Speakers and their topics for the conference include:
Wednesday, Feb. 12
• Keynote address: A journey on the turf –Carl Valentine, Vancouver Whitecaps FC
• Mythbusters: grass is not a foe – Dr. Michael Brownbridge, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
• Community value of golf courses project – Dr. Brian Horgan, Michigan State University
UPCOMING EVENTS
• Focus on potassium nutrition – Dr. Doug Soldat, University of Wisconsin
• Turfgrass stress physiology – Dr. John Sorochan, University of Tennessee
• The good turf manager – Dr. Michael Brownbridge, Vineland Research and
• Innovation Centre
• What is natural capital? – Dr. Brian Horgan, Michigan State University
• The new IPM manual has arrived – Mario Lanthier, Crop Health Advising and Research
• Bee boulevard – David Misfeldt, City of Calgary Transportation Department
• Game of drones – Darrell Lindhout, Ctech, City of Chilliwack
• A guide to invasive species management for turf managers – Gail Wallin, ISC of B.C.
LANDSCAPE CONGRESS Toronto, Jan. 7-9 locongress.com
OGSA CONFERENCE
Niagara Falls, Ont., Jan. 14-16, ogsa.ca/HOME.aspx
Thursday, Feb. 13
• Disease management in the era of reduced fungicide use – Dr. Tom Hsiang, University of Guelph
• Lab tests confirm pink snow mold fungicide resistance – Dr. Tom Hsiang, University of Guelph
• The latest on snow mold research – Dr. Paul Koch, University of Wisconsin
• Making the step to superintendent– Chris Carson, Echo Lake Country Club, Westfield, N.J.
• Forward thinking – Larry Gilhuly, USGA (retired)
• Functional urban landscapes – Dr. Paul Koch, University of Wisconsin
• Hybrid turf install and other really cool stuff – Robert Heggie, head groundskeeper, BMO Field
In addition to the education sessions and trade show, other highlights of the conference include a president’s welcome reception on Tuesday, Feb. 11, the WCTA’s annual general meeting
Whitecaps FC’s Carl Valentine to deliver keynote address at WCTA
on Wednesday, Feb. 12, the Great Canadian Pub Night on Wednesday, Feb. 12 and a closing conference keynote session by Wes Barker, “Stunt Magician” on Thursday, Feb. 13.
For more information or to register, visit www.wcta-online.com.
OGSA conference returns to Niagara Falls
Following a year in Ontario’s ski country, the Ontario Golf Superintendents Association’s annual conference and trade show is returning in 2020 to its familiar grounds in Niagara Falls.
The three-day event is scheduled for Jan. 14-16 at the Sheraton on the Falls.
Highlighting the conference’s opening day is a keynote address by Jack Armstrong, broadcaster and voice of the NBA’s 2018-19 champion Toronto Raptors.
Speakers and their topics for the conference include:
Tuesday, Jan. 14
• Assistant’ symposium featuring Bobby Cook, Andrew Krek and Ken Tilt – to be moderated by Scott White, Syngenta
• Basic tactics for in-house drainage – Steve Ami, Kelly Ami Drainage
• The process: renovating greens at North Shore Country Club –Dan Dinelli, superintendent, North Shore Country Club, Glenview, Ill.
• A muddy situation: managing problematic earthworms – Dr. Ben McGraw, associate professor of turfgrass science, Pennsylvania State University
Thursday, Jan. 16
• Managing severe turfgrass insect pests in an ever-changing environment – Dr. Ben McGraw, associate professor of turfgrass science, Pennsylvania State University
• Winterkill: causes, prevention and re-establishment – Dr. Kevin W. Frank, professor and state turf extension specialist, Michigan State University
For more information about the conference or to register, visit www.ogsa.ca.
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The PRO Z 972 SD and the NEW PRO 972 SDL offer unmatched hillside confidence and maximized comfort to provide the ultimate mowing solution for municipalities, commercial cutters and properties with varying terrain. Visit cubcadet.ca/pro to discover our newest additions to the The PRO 972 SDL and PRO X 600 rounding out a complete line-up of unmatchable power, strength, and comfort.
Ranger features many electronics
Features include automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist and lane departure warning
By Howard J. Elmer
For 28 years the Ford Ranger was a key player in the midsize pickup truck market. Its size and price were an attractive alternative to the full-size trucks available in the decades from 1983 to 2011 – and, as it got older, its steadily dropping cost kept driving sales.
In 2010, I was attending an industry event in San Diego, Calif. when I read a newspaper advertisement for a Ford Ranger sale at a local dealer. A barebones, new Ranger was going for $9,999 (US funds). I remember one of my colleagues remarking, “I could put one on my credit card at that price.” Maybe he should have.
The next year, Ford ended the Ranger run and for the next seven years kept telling auto journalists that the F-150 served “all” the needs of truck buyers –there was no longer a need for a midsize pickup. Well, they were almost right.
In the early part of this decade, one by one, each of the American manufacturers dropped production of their midsize trucks. The only exceptions were the Japanese Toyota Tacoma and the Nissan Frontier. For a short time, they were the only mid-size pickups on the market and they sold well.
Then, after a short break, GM reconsidered and brought back its midsize twins – the Colorado and Canyon – and sales took off. Frankly I think there was
always a demand for mid-size trucks –there was just a lack of product. Now that the new Ranger is back we once again have a decent selection of midsize trucks and that’s good for Canadian truck buyers. Now, if only Ram would resurrect the Dakota.
The 2019 Ford Ranger was recently driven for the first time in San Diego, not far from where I remember staying a decade ago and reading that discount Ranger sales ad. Mind you, this new Ranger has nothing in common with that earlier model; and neither does its new price.
The Canadian base price on the entrylevel model is pegged at $30,969 for a XL SuperCab 4x4. It’s also available in an XLT trim (SuperCab or SuperCrew) and the top Lariat SuperCrew 4x4 will cost you $42,289. Of note, only 4X4 models (regardless of trim package) are offered in Canada. Truck bodies are available in a SuperCab (four doors; clamshell configuration) or as a SuperCrew (four normal doors). In addition there are two box sizes – either a five or six-foot.
In addition Ford is making its wellknown FX4 off-road package available on the new Ranger. It adds protective skid plates, upgraded tires, off-road-tuned shocks and suspension. Also Ford’s standard Terrain Management System and Trail Control will help navigate challenging conditions.
On the outside the 2019 Ranger evokes a muscular body with a high beltline that emphasizes strength, while a raked grille and windshield are said to give it an athletic appearance. This raked feature also aids in aerodynamics and reduces wind noise. From the rear, the Ranger identifies itself loudly with its name stamped into the tailgate. New headlamps and tail lamps are available as LEDs.
Inside, Ranger blends comfort and functionality with room for up to five people, their gear and accessories. The centre stack is home to an eight-inch touch screen for the available SYNC 3 system, while the instrument cluster features dual LCD screens for real-time vehicle, navigation and audio information.
It’s important to note that while Ranger
The Ford Ranger played a key role in the mid-size pickup truck market from 1983-2011.
was absent from the North American Ford truck line-up these past eight years, there was always an “international Ranger” being sold around the world.
Developed for N.A. market
However the model that we saw in San Diego was developed exclusively for the North American truck market, says Ford. It’s being built alongside the F-150 at the Michigan truck plant – and tested in the same way.
This new Ranger is built with a highstrength steel frame, fully boxed with six cross-members, modern parabolic leafspring rear suspension, front and rear steel bumpers, short overhangs for offroad clearance and a hitch platform that is through-welded to the frame.
This Ranger has a 126.8-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 210.8-inches (compared to the full-size F-150’s 157-inch wheelbase and length of 243-inches).
The standard powertrain consists of a 2.3L EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. This new engine is designed with direct fuel injection, a twin-scroll turbocharger and a 16-valve design. For durability, the engine features a forged-steel crankshaft and connecting rods, and chain-driven dual overhead cams. It also comes standard with auto start-stop. This engine makes 270 hp and 310 foot pounds of torque. This chassis and powertrain combination offers bestin-class (gas) towing of 7,500 pounds. Payload is a very respectable 1,860 pounds.
Where this new Ranger certainly differs from its extinct former version is in the realm of electronics. It incorporates smart driver-assist features not even thought of a decade ago. These include standard automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, a reverse sensing system and class-exclusive blind spot information system with trailer coverage. Most are standard on XLT and Lariat trim levels.
Howard J. Elmer of PowerSports Media Service and Truck King Media Group is based in Norval, Ont. He is among those who test drives the entries in the annual Canadian Truck King Challenge.
Multi-spiked roller
850 perforations per square yard
Honda engine with Eaton Hydrostatic Drive
Rear smooth packing roller
Cam-adjusted seed gate
User-friendly controls
Seed calibration tray
Addition of Optional rear multi-spike roller increases to 1700 perforations
24” SELF PROPELLED AERASEEDER
Equipment Showcase
The Max-Snow snow blower from Agrimetal offers high performance under the worst conditions. Developed in conjunction with professional snow removal contractors, it has been designed to increase productivity as a heavy-duty, light and more manoeuvrable snow-clearing machine. It is also more efficient than other two-stage snow blowers, enabling snow to be removed faster. The frame’s structure is made of high-quality steel. The high-strength QT-400 steel is used in strategic areas to increase structure rigidity while reducing overall weight. The design of the snow deflector makes it virtually impossible to clog the chute, even under wet snow conditions. agrimetal.com/en/max-snow-snow-blower
Bannerman’s Debris & Stone Burrier Machine (Model B-IS-F145)
can renew walking trials, warning tracks and baseball diamonds. Prepare areas around new building sites prior to sodding or seeding with no need to remove dead sodded areas, one pass will bury all debris. This machine renews the surface. Available with a new optional seeder box attachment that lets you prepare the soil to receive seed, and the rear “Nett” roller presses the seed into the soil. “One Pass Light Renovation” for goal mouth and centre field ware areas.
sportsturfmagic.com
Dakota Turf Tender 310
The NEW Dakota Turf Tender 310 will change the way you work. We brought the worldclass performance and reliability of our 400 series to a new compact machine. Spreads light and frequent to heavy, whether material is wet or dry. dakotapeat.com
Echo’s New SRM-2320T Commercial-Grade Trimmer
The SRM-2320T – is the newest addition to ECHO’s commercial trimmer line-up, providing a significant step up from the current SRM-225. The 21.2cc professional-grade engine comes with chrome cylinder plating and 2-stage air filtration system to deliver long engine life and a full wrap tank stand, plus insulator plate to improve hot restartability. The lower end delivers class leading 2.07:1 torque and a flex-cable drive to reduce vibration and ensure a smooth cut. The larger D-shaped handle provides improved precision and user comfort for extended day-long commercial use and the SpeedFeed® trimmer head saves landscapers valuable time by loading in seconds.
echo.ca
Bauman Drop Spreaders
deliver uncompromised product quality. The spreaders prevent waste and property damage with the most accurate deicing equipment on the market. Bauman drop spreaders are available with hydraulic, PTO or electric drives. Options include hopper extensions, galvanized or vinyl covers and a number of mounting brackets to fit most makes and models of compact tractors and skid steers. Backed by a tradition of quality for over 40 years and with ten models to choose from, including a towable model, Bauman drop spreaders can cover all your de-icing needs. Baumanmfg.com
Pro-Roll: A New Concept in Wide-Area Rolling
The Pro-Roll 10 and Pro-Roll 15 are versatile wide-area turf rollers with 10’8” or 15’ rolling widths. Ideal for flat or contoured turf, they have been shown to aid in reducing disease pressure and permit a reduction in mowing frequency and chemical usage, while still being gentle enough for use on new growth.
Both models produce consistent compaction as multiple short rollers are able to independently track changing contours. Solid ballast is easily addaed to or removed from each roller deck providing compaction between 5.8 to 11.6 psi.
The Pro-Roll 10 and Pro-Roll 15 can be used with either a compact tractor or a wide range of utility vehicles. progressiveturfequip.com/pro-roll_details.php
TrailPro
Groom your trails faster with one machine, one operator and in one pass! 3-in-1 heavy-duty unit from Reist Industries. Unique edging discs removes the weeds and grass from the sides of the trail leaving it with clean edges. It reclaims the gravel and stone dust built up along the edge and redistributes it across the trail, eliminating the cost of regravelling. Angled blades remove high spots and level trail, spinning motor pulverizes and separates root balls and stone dust, carbide tipped teeth spin at 540 RPMs, leveling blade leaves the trail smooth and ready for the public. reistindustries.com
Do you know of a young, energetic and entrepreneurial person working in the turfgrass industry who deserves to be included among our 2020 class of the Top 10 Under 40?
If so, visit our website ( www.turfandrec.com ) and click the “Top 10 Under 40” button to learn more about how to nominate such a person. Nominees can come from any sector of the industry.
GLAGS whips KEGS to get cup, belt back
GLAGS’ 16-5 victory at Syngenta Cup match play showdown gives team 6-5 series edge over KEGS
The Greater London Association of Golf Superintendents (GLAGS) has reclaimed the Syngenta Cup after a two-year drought.
The annual match play tournament, contested in October at the St. Thomas Golf & Country Club, ended a two-year reign by the Kent-Essex Greenkeepers’ Society (KEGS).
GLAGS’ recaptured the trophy and the accompanying championship belt following the most lopsided victory in the event’s 11-year history, giving the home team association an overall 6-5 edge in wins.
Losing only one of seven matches, GLAGS made the most of the other six to overpower KEGS by a 16-5 score.
“After two years of us holding the belt, it’s time to hand it over to GLAGS,” KEGS captain Gregg Menard, superintendent at Wildwood Golf & RV Resort, lamented.
The seven individual matches pitted twosomes from each association squaring off against the other in a competition for three points (one point apiece for six holes of best ball, six holes of alternating shots and six holes of a scramble). GLAGS swept two of the matches and scored 2½ to one-half wins in three others.
The St. Thomas Golf & Country Club in Union served as the venue for the inaugural Syngenta Cup event in 2009. Participants who hadn’t visited the private club since then or in recent years noticed a dramatic difference in the golf course’s
look. In order to improve sunlight penetration and air flow to parts of the course that had been suffering, the club undertook a tree removal project a half-decade ago to address those challenges.
• Match 1: Fred Schmoelzl (Blue Water Golf Course) and Steve Phillips (Mt. Elgin Golf Club) of GLAGS lost 2-1 to Ryan Beauchamp (Syngenta) and John Pickard (Maple City Golf Club) of KEGS.
• Match 2 : Doug Wilson (Black Horse Golf & Country Resort) and Dan Lavis (Taradowah Golfers Club) of GLAGS won 2½-½ over Dan Friesen (Orchard View Golf Club) and Chris Andrejicka (Essex Golf Club) of KEGS.
• Match 3 : Mike Jiggens ( Turf & Rec ) and Patrick Brennan (The Fox and Ironwood golf clubs) of GLAGS won 2½-½ over Dan Ardly (Woodland Hills Golf Course) and Mark Ives (Fox Glen Golf Club) of KEGS.
• Match 4 : Kyle Brodhagen (Stratford
Municipal Golf Course) and Kevin Collier (RiverBend Golf Community) of GLAGS tied 1½-1½ with Steve Hatch (Seven Lakes Golf Club) and Gregg Menard (Wildwood Golf & RV Resort) of KEGS.
• Match 5 : Tim Hornick (Arkona Fairways) and Deanna Dougan (River Valley Golf Club) of GLAGS won 3-0 over Randy Hooper (Beach Grove Golf & Country Club) and Mike Toth (Erie Shores Golf & Country Club) of KEGS.
• Match 6 : Kirk Stewart (Goderich Sunset Golf Club) and Jamie Spencer (Westminster Trails Golf Club) of GLAGS won 3-0 over Steve Percy (Ambassador Golf Club) and Josh Mallot (Belleview Golf Club) of KEGS.
• Match 7: Randy Booker (Otter Creek Golf Club) and Todd Currie (West Haven Golf & Country Club) of GLAGS won 2½-½ over Derek Brown (Talbot Trail Golf Club) and Greg Brown (Essex Golf & Country Club) of KEGS.
Jamie Spencer, left, captain of Team GLAGS, accepts the Syngenta Cup championship belt from Team KEGS captain Gregg Menard.
Canada’s five-year winning streak ends
Fall Classic Cup returns to U.S. soil for first time since 2013
Afive-year run of Canadian victories came to a grinding halt on Oct. 29 when the Western New York Golf Superintendents Association soundly defeated its western Ontario counterparts in the teams’ 19th annual match play golf clash.
New York’s 19½ to 13½ win gave the American side an overall 10-9 edge since the Fall Classic began in 2001. This year’s event was played at Fort Erie’s Cherry Hill Club.
Canada managed only two victories among the eight matches played, but the points earned from one of them could easily have been transferred to the U.S. team due to a significant difference in the teams’ roster sizes. The Western Ontario Golf Superintendents Association fielded a team of 22 superintendents and industry affiliates while the Western New Yorkers managed to recruit only a dozen team members.
Consequently, five Canadians were “loaned” to the U.S. team to even out the rosters at 17 golfers aside. Two of the matches had Canadian twosomes competing against each other while another saw a Canadian paired with an American to compete for the Western New Yorkers. Prior to the start of the matches, it was decided that if the final score were going
to closely favour either side, then a card would be flipped to see where the points from the all-Canadian matches would go.
The lopsided scores from the matches involving bona fide members of the U.S. team rendered the card draw unnecessary.
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The determined American team avoided a sixth straight loss, jumping into an immediate 9-0 lead after the first two matches. For the first time in the event’s history, one of the matches featured three golfers against three others, competing for five possible points. Four points were at stake in each of the remaining matches.
The matches consisted of six holes of a scramble competition for one point, six holes of best ball for another point, and six holes of one-on-one singles play for a
After keeping the Fall Classic Cup in his office the past five years, WOGSA captain John Taylor, left, returned the trophy to the Western New York superintendents association. Accepting for the winners is Thad Thompson.
point per winning golfer. The outcome of the Fall Classic was determined after the first four of the eight matches.
Cherry Hill was chosen as the venue for the 2019 matches to coincide with superintendent John Gall’s retirement at the end of the season. In odd-numbered years, the event is traditionally played on U.S. soil. Buffalo’s Park Country Club has already been selected as the Fall Classic’s 2020 site.
WOGSA captain John Taylor paid tribute to Gall after the matches.
“You’ve been a fantastic supporter of our organization over the years,” he said.
Fittingly, Gall and partner Jerry Richard, superintendent at Woodstock’s Craigowan Golf Club, managed Canada’s only 4-0 sweep of a match, even if it proved to be too little, too late.
Heavy rains in the days prior to the competition prompted Gall to outlaw the use of carts on the course, forcing all golfers to walk – a first in the history of the Fall Classic.
Match results:
• Match 1 : Bill Glashan, Brandon Nadeau and Dennis Piccolo (Canada) lost 5-0 to John Fleck, Brian Conn and Adam Mis (U.S.A.)
• Match 2 : Craig McCutcheon and Corrie Almack (Canada) lost 4-0 to Gary Hughes and Peter Leising (U.S.A.)
• Match 3: Gavin Kellogg and Mike Jiggens (Canada) lost 3-1 to Eric Tuchols and Nick Ciaccio (U.S.A.)
• Match 4 : Ian McIsaac and Angelo Capennelli (Canada) tied 2-2 with Andrew McQuillan and Don Liska (U.S.A.)*
• Match 5: John Taylor and Mike Slack (Canada) lost 2½ to 1½ to Scott Dodson and Thad Thompson (U.S.A.)
• Match 6 : Duane Schmitz and Scott Bowman (Canada) won 3-1 over Dan Sliasis and Mike Giblin (U.S.A.)*
• Match 7: John Gall and Jerry Richard (Canada) won 4-0 over Bob Kelly and Steve Phillips* (U.S.A.)
• Match 8 : Stephen Hicks and Trevor Hunter (Canada) tied 2-2 with Matt Plosila and Gary Keppell (U.S.A.)
* Canadian golfers on “loan” to the U.S.
Health & Safety
By the CCOHS
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) promotes the total well being of workers in Canada by providing information, training, education, systems and solutions that support health and safety programs and injury and illness prevention. www.ccohs.ca
Think about your feet working in winter
Every day, and with every step, we expose our feet to potential physical injury. Foot problems can occur in almost any workplace and under a wide variety of working conditions. In Canada, the winter introduces unique hazards. Canadian Standards Association (CSA)-approved safety footwear provides protection from workplace hazards such as crushes, burns and punctures, but during the colder months there are cold weather afflictions that can also have painful and sometimes serious consequences. Learn more about the harm that working in cold weather can cause your feet.
EXPOSURE TO COLD (NOT JUST COLD FEET)
During the winter, working at outdoor jobs can mean working in freezing temperatures, or in low temperature wet conditions, which can put feet at risk of frostbite, chilblains, and trench foot.
Frostbite
Frostbite is caused from freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. First your skin becomes very cold and red, then numb, hard and pale. Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin.
Symptoms of frostbite include reduced blood flow to hands and feet, numbness or a loss of feeling, tingling or stinging, aching, and bluish or
Boots should not only include the necessary safety features, they should be warm and dry in winter.
pale, waxy skin. Frostbite can permanently damage body tissues, and severe cases can lead to amputation.
Chilblains
Repeated exposure to cold, but not freezing, air can result in chilblains, the painful inflammation of small blood vessels in your skin. Chilblains can cause itching, red patches, swelling, and blistering on your feet and hands.
Chilblains usually clear up within one to three weeks, especially if the weather gets warmer or exposure stops. Chilblains don’t usually result in permanent injury. But the condition can lead to infection, which may cause severe damage if left untreated.
Trench foot
Trench foot is an injury of the feet resulting from prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions. Trench foot can occur at temperatures as high as 15
degrees Celsius if the feet are constantly wet. Injury occurs because wet feet lose heat 25 times faster than dry feet. Therefore, to prevent heat loss, the body constricts blood vessels to shut down circulation in the feet. Skin tissue begins to die because of lack of oxygen and nutrients, and due to the buildup of toxins.
Symptoms of trench foot include reddening of the skin, numbness, leg cramps, swelling, tingling pain, blisters or ulcers, bleeding under the skin, and gangrene (the foot may turn dark purple, blue, or grey).
Wearing appropriate footwear and socks is an important step in protecting the feet from cold.
Appropriate footwear
“Normal” protective footwear is not designed for cold weather while “insulated” footwear may give little temperature protection in the sole, where
there is no insulation. Loss of heat through steel toe caps (commonly blamed for increased heat loss) is insignificant.
Insulating the legs by wearing thermal undergarments, wearing insulating overshoes over work footwear, and wearing insulating muffs around the ankles and over the top of the footwear can help provide foot protection against cold weather.
Felt-lined, rubber bottomed, leather-topped boots with removable felt insoles are best suited for heavy work in cold since leather is porous, allowing the boots to breathe and perspiration to evaporate. Leather boots can be waterproofed with products that do not block the pores in the leather.
For work that involves standing in water or slush, waterproof boots must be worn. However, while these boots protect the feet from getting wet from cold water, they also prevent perspiration from escaping. The insulating materials and socks will become wet more quickly than when wearing leather boots, and increase the risk for frostbite.
Socks
Always wear the right thickness of socks for your boots. If they are too thick, the boots will be tight, and the socks will lose much of their insulating properties when they are compressed inside the boot. If socks are too thin, boots will fit loosely and may lead to blisters.
