New H&S Guidelines May Save Lives

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New H&S Guidelines May Save Lives: An updated set of health and safety guidelines aimed at turf professionals ‘could save lives’ in the wake of a major review.

The Greenkeepers Training Committee (GTC) has launched a free-to-use web-based platform created by the Xact Group that aims to ensure golf club employers un­derstand their roles and responsibilities towards health and safety with regard to golf course maintenance.

New H&S Guidelines May Save Lives

In 2017, the GTC’s Board of Directors commissioned a review of the highly-acclaimed Health and Safety Guidance Notes and the committee is pleased to announce the release of the updated guidelines.

The GTC first worked together with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 1994 to produce the first edition of the Health and Safety in Golf Course Management and Maintenance booklet. By 2000, the health and safety consultants to the GTC, Jon Allbutt and John Davies, were commissioned to review the materials, in line with the many changes in legislation that were happening at that time.

While much of the guidance and best practice was still relevant, the GTC felt it appropriate to review and update and refresh the look and accessibility of the guidance notes.

The GTC consulted with Chris Hammond, health and safety director at The Xact Group, to build on what has been produced before and help to design and implement a web-based platform. The Xact Group work with BIGGA, England Golf, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf in the build and support of their health and safety online systems and provision of additional onsite health and safety and human resources services to member clubs.

GTC Chairman Alistair Booth said: “The aim of the newly-published guidance notes has been to give anyone at a golf club, or associated with a golf club, an overview of their roles and responsibilities towards health and safety and best practice. They have been moved to a web-based platform, making them easier for everyone to access.

“With increasingly-complex machinery and other tools being used on golf courses, these guidelines are hugely important in ensuring all involved in the management of a golf club understand their specific responsibility in keeping staff and golfers safe. As such, if these new guidelines are followed correctly, they could save lives or at least reduce the risk of serious incidents taking place around the golf course environment.”

The web-based platform is packed full of information and guidance on all aspects of golf course management and maintenance, covering areas such as: roles and responsibilities; legislation; greenkeeping safety; events; clubhouse management; establishing a health and safety management system.

The new website can be accessed by visiting the GTC’s website and clicking on the Health & Safety link. Visitors who require further guidance, such as risk assessments and template documentation, can consult their relevant full guidance Health & Safety website, such as BIGGA, England Golf, Scottish Golf or Wales Golf.

The GTC Work Equipment – Record of Training and Competencies wallchart has been a feature in greenkeeping facilities for a number of years. The wallchart is used to aid with the recording of staff training and competence and will continue to be a useful tool. The wallchart can be purchased from the GTC shop online.

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Valladolid Pitch Investigated

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Valladolid Pitch Investigated: An investigation has been opened by La Liga into Real Valladolid’s pitch following their defeat by Barcelona on Saturday, which has been described as “deplorable”.

Players had to replace clumps of turf that became dislodged during the Spanish champions’ 1-0 win at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla.

The pitch was relaid on Tuesday and began to tear up early in the game.

“There were areas that seemed more like a beach,” said Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets.

“It’s incredible that no-one from La Liga felt they should come and check the grass. You can’t play on that.”

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said: “It was deplorable.

“I hope those in charge get their house in order and fix this, because it was lamentable.”

La Liga issued a statement after the game to confirm it is investigating why the pitch “did not meet the minimum conditions demanded by the competition”.

Real Valladolid are playing in La Liga for the first time since 2013-14 after winning promotion via the play-offs last season.

Manager Sergio Gonzalez said the club had done “everything they could” to get the pitch ready.

“We were the last team to get promoted and we’ve had issues getting the pitch ready on time,” he said.

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Kubota’s Perfect Match

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Kubota’s Perfect Match: Boasting over 2000 pitches for touring, holiday and residential mobile homes across seven separate sites throughout the UK, Partingtons Holiday Parks is a nationwide leisure company that has firmly established itself as a popular household name, and is next year celebrating its 75th anniversary.

The successful business is overseen by the 4th generation of the Partington family. Robert Partington Kearsley and his sister Andrea Challis run the business and employ over 250 individuals as part of their ‘family first’ approach.

Kubota's Perfect Match

With six Visit England accredited holiday sites and one residential site in the Partingtons portfolio, it’s imperative that each park is kept in the best condition possible to ensure visitors continue to return year after year. This is a challenge Robert and Andrea’s grounds maintenance teams face on a daily basis and easily achieve through their longstanding relationship with high quality suppliers, working closely with Kubota and local dealer Dennis Barnfield over the last 15 years.

Currently boasting a 25 strong Kubota fleet, maintenance of the various sites is headed up by each individual park manager and their dedicated grounds maintenance teams.

Speaking of the partnership, Robert said: “With seven different parks to contend with, it’s vital that our grounds maintenance is consistent across the board to ensure we achieve the highest standard at every park. The service we receive from Dennis Barnfield and the varying models of quality Kubota machinery they provide, ensures each of the sites are kept in premium condition.”

From transporting seven tonne caravans across the park to mowing and mulching of the lawns, Kubota machinery plays an essential role in the running of the sites. The parks have been home to a multitude of machines over the years, with its current fleet including a number of G Series high dump mowers and F Series ride on mowers for regular grass cutting.

For the more heavy duty site work, two L Series compact utility tractors, four larger scale M6040 tractors and two L3200 tractors are used to help the maintenance teams move the holiday homes and complete essential upkeep. With such substantial loads to transport across the parks, the high performance tractors are the perfect solution for the task, safely and carefully helping the team to transport the caravans around the site.

The sites are also home to five recently acquired RTV-X1140’s. Robert continued: “We recently purchased the new RTVs because the option to have an additional two seats in the back or a larger cargo bed is useful for the team when transporting equipment around the vast sites. The RTV-X900 we previously purchased was so robust and resilient that I knew we needed more Kubota RTVs to help the maintenance team complete their tasks easier and quicker.

“Past generations of the Partington family has used Kubota machinery for decades based on the quality and reliability of the brand, as well as its first class aftersales services. Our confidence in the performance of the machines means that Andrea and I have one less thing to worry about as we know the maintenance of the sites will continue to run like clockwork.”

For more information on Kubota and its range of solutions for the groundcare sector, visit www.kubota.co.uk/groundcare or call 01844 268 000.

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Preventative Treatments Impress In STRI Trials

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Preventative Treatments Impress In STRI Trials: It has been proven in recent STRI research trials that preventative disease control programmes outperform curative options when analysed for turf quality, colour and presence of Microdochium Patch.

STRI research manager, Mark Ferguson, explains these results and stresses the importance of preventative programmes in light of the recent loss of curative active ingredient iprodione.

Preventative Treatments Impress In STRI Trials

“When measuring disease presence, the STRI team looked specifically at the level of Microdochium Patch cover on the plots. As expected, the preventative treatments performed significantly better than the curative ones.

“The trials ran over the course of eight months, comparing nine preventative and three curative programmes, as well as one untreated plot.

“The first three programmes used purely preventative fungicides from Bayer. The rest of the preventative plots used a combination from Rigby Taylor and Headland Amenity teamed with plant health products to reflect a more realistic approach,” says Mark.

In general, preventative programmes five to seven showed the most consistent results across turf colour, quality and Microdochium Patch presence by using an integrated approach with both fungicides and plant health products.

Preventative Treatments Impress In STRI Trials

“The fungicides within the curative programmes (11 -13) were applied as and when disease developed to an unacceptable level, mimicking traditional control strategies.

“It’s important to note that none of the trial plots had any cultural controls or biological practices applied prior to or during the trial, other than mowing and switching, which was carried out when necessary,” adds Mark.

Bayer technical manager, Dr Colin Mumford, says the trial results show that even the most ‘bullet-proof’ curative programme was significantly outperformed by the preventative options.

“The disease control landscape has changed and it’s more important than ever before that greenkeepers don’t wait for disease to appear as they may have done in the past,” he says.

For further information please visit www.environmentalscience.bayer.co.uk or contact the Turf Solutions Team on 00800 1214 9451, at turfsolutions@bayer.com.

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Sherriff Launches E2 Pro Elicitor

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Sherriff Launches E2 Pro Elicitor: Sherriff Amenity has announced the launch of E2 Pro Elicitor, a new and unique soluble plant biostimulant containing Harpin aβ. E2 Pro is a brand of turf care products which is viewed as being synonymous with quality, and the ever-growing portfolio includes a range of both high performing water soluble and liquid fertilisers.

There are currently five different analyses within the water soluble range and eight in the liquid portfolio, ensuring that there is a solution to suit a wide range of nutrient requirements throughout the year.

Sherriff Launches E2 Pro Elicitor

Elicitor is the latest product to be welcomed to the E2 Pro family and by all accounts it appears that turf managers will be more than pleased with addition.

This unique soluble biostimulant contains an elicitor that stimulates gene expression in plants, delivering improved abiotic stress tolerance and better plant growth. Elicitors are known to activate a variety of biosynthetic pathways within the plant and the inclusion of Harpin aβ can significantly enhance results. Rigorous trial work has concluded that Harpin aβ specifically stimulates plant growth (above and below ground), nutrient absorption and tolerance to abiotic stress, including drought, temperature stress and pesticide detoxification. Further benefits include increased photosynthesis and enhanced root development.

Harpins are acidic, heat-stable, glycine-rich proteins produced by Gram-negative bacteria, which trigger defence responses in diverse plant species. When applied as a foliar spray, the Harpin proteins bind to plant receptors, initiating jasmonic acid and ethylene dependent signalling pathways; known as a Hypersensitive Response (HR). Harpins induce the expression of genes involved in cell wall development, cellular communication, and signalling and defence responses.

Harpin aβ proteins can be applied as either a seed treatment, or as a foliar spray. When used as a foliar spray, application every 3-4 weeks during growth is recommended. As Harpin aβ activates genes within the plant, there is no requirement for full coverage at the time of application. Once the genes are activated, the plant response is initiated within 24 hours.

For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 01638 721 888 or visit www.sherriffamenity.com

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