Lawn and grounds equipment can be heavy, have sharp blades and/or contain a fuel engine. All these things have the potential to cause serious bodily harm, reminds Rose Mary Becker, rental sales manager for Schiller-Pfeiffer Inc., manufacturer of Classen, Little Wonder & Mantis brand equipment including core aerators, sod cutters, lawn dethatchers, turf seeders, blowers, debris and leaf vacs and mini-tillers.

Not only does operating equipment incorrectly pose a danger to the person renting it, Becker adds, but improper use can also damage the product - resulting in downtime, lost rentals and decreased ROI.

Following good safety procedures is not only a moral responsibility, and in some cases it's a legal responsibility, it's a way to avoid unnecessary expenses, encourage repeat business and add profit through PPE sales.

Don't ask, just show
If you ask customers if they know how to operate a piece of equipment, chances are they'll say yes, even if the answer is no - so don't ask them, suggests Gray. Don't put customers on the defensive. Instead, he advises employees to say, "I know you know how to operate this, but let me show you just one or two features and benefits."

Demonstrating basic equipment operation and introducing a couple new or advanced features doesn't take long, he says. (But don't forget to have your employees wear protective equipment when they're demonstrating equipment, reminds Jackie Barker, vice president of sales for ERB Safety.)