SAFETY & EDUCATION:

Developing Educational Materials and Safety Standards

The very foundation of OPEI was built upon safety and education and that will continue to be a primary focus amidst other concerns.

From its earliest days, OPEI was committed to ensuring consumer safety. The outdoor power equipment industry, working through OPEI and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), has developed numerous voluntary standards, used by virtually all manufacturers, to ensure that major hazards associated with the use of equipment are addressed.

In addition to publishing a series of safety standards for outdoor power equipment , OPEI collects, maintains, and distributes a library of written, audio and video materials for consumers to ensure equipment is properly handled and maintained.

Now, our tradition of education and cooperation moves forward to tackle our next great challenges: water, climate change and alternative fuels.

OPEI is committed to developing a strong and multi-faceted educational program aimed at consumers, young men and women, preparing for careers in the science, business and technology of urban agriculture.

One example is our sponsorship of a Webinar series for agricultural educators in conjunction with the National Future Farmers of America Foundation on a range of topics from global climate change, agricultural policy and turfgrass management to alternative fuels.

Most importantly, and now more than ever, we realize how interconnected we are. Working with other stakeholder associations, we intend to educate and affect policy when it comes to one of our country’s best, and until now, overlooked assets: turfgrass and the equipment that helps it grow better, faster and with enhanced environmental benefits.