teven Smith Landscape is recognized has having the following certifications, as well as following a very strict protocol on employee training and safety.

CERTIFIED LANDSCAPE TECHNICIANS OF MAINTENANCE & CONSTRUCTION:
The CLT-M and CLT-C are certifications awarded by the California Landscape Contractors Association - CLCA, to applicants who have proven expertise in extensive written and demonstrative examinations. The CLT-M is a Certified Technician in Maintenance and the CLT-C is for Certified Technician in Construction. Currently on staff we have 5 CLTs. All of our employees participate in our own in house training program including pesticide safety and application, equipment safety, pruning, plant identification, irrigation repair, and fertilizer application, and on an on-going basis we send those who qualify to test for their own CLT.

CERTIFIED WATER AUDITORS AND RECLAIMED WATER SITE SUPERVISORS:
Steve Smith and Chris Cutler are certified by the Irrigation Association and recognized by the State of California's Dept. of Water Resources to perform Water Audits, as well as certified by the San Diego County Water Authority to provide Supervision in Reclaimed Water Sites. Steve and Chris are available to troubleshoot all irrigation problems and professionally manage irrigation systems. Steve served on the water board for 10 years.

CERTIFIED PESTICIDE APPLICATORS:
Chris Cutler, our Maintenance Superintendent, and Armando Diaz, Chris’s assistant, are licensed by the State of California to handle and apply pesticides professionally. We are members of California Agricultural Pest Control Association.

IN HOUSE TRAINING PROGRAMS:
Steven Smith Landscape, Inc. has constructed an extensive and in-depth training program for our field employees that covers every aspect of the landscape industry. We are committed to improving and educating our employees on the latest techniques and equipment. After work sessions and rain days are utilized for these class sessions. Training areas have been set up where workers can practice skills including pruning hedges and low hanging trees, mowing, edging, pesticide application, fertilizer application, irrigation troubleshooting and repairs. An extensive plant identification course has been created using hundreds of photo cards, actual plantings, and computer programs. A class on plan reading was one of the most well received. The enthusiasm of our employees for learning more skills, earning certificates and for being challenged has been a driving force in our company.

SAFETY PROGRAMS:
Safety is a priority at Steven Smith Landscape, Inc. Every truck is completely outfitted with all necessary safety equipment from safety goggles, ear plugs and gloves to paper suits and rubber boots. Each has a first aid kit. Every foreman conducts bi-weekly tailgate safety meetings with his crew from his own safety manual that is OSHA approved. There is a lesson for each meeting and they are provided in spanish and english. There are 50 topics in this manual therefore it is quite thorough. Topics include back protection, how to work in the sun and the cold, lung protection, foot safety, and fire extinguisher instruction. Each employee is checked out on the equipment before use- pruning and hand tools, line trimmers, mowers etc. We also work together with our workers compensation carrier on seminars in spanish on accident prevention and reporting. We have a thorough accident investigation and reporting procedure designed to rectify any problems and prevent future occurrences. We've had to use this procedure very rarely in our 25 years of operation. Our safety program is a big contributor to this success.

more