Falling may cause back injuries or wounds from tools. Steel-toed footwear provides extra protection. Never carry tools in your pockets because you can easily injure yourself in a fall, Runyan said. Wear a leather holster or pouch to hold small hand tools. To protect hands, always wear gloves when pruning.
Gloves provide a better grip on tools and prevent cuts and scrapes from sharp branches.
Make sure hand and power tools are well sharpened. Sharp saws and cutters require less stamina and reduce fatigue. Take several breaks while pruning and use the rest time to sharpen your tools, he suggested. Pruning alone allows you to pay attention to your own work without being distracted by others, Runyan said. You may not see when someone else is jeopardizing your safety.