Picks & Mattocks

Picks and mattocks break up hard soil, clay, roots and rock. Their sharp heads and full swings can strike your feet, legs or coworkers, and they can hit buried utilities.

• Construction
• Landscaping

Before you start

• Utilities located and marked. Hand-dig carefully in the tolerance zone. See Call 811.
• Head tight on the handle (handle fully seated through the eye)
• Handle not cracked or splintered
• Blades and points not chipped or mushroomed
• Swing zone clear: at least two tool-lengths from anyone else, and nothing overhead

Swinging safely

• Wear safety glasses, gloves and safety-toe boots.
• Stand with feet apart and the target in front of you, not between your feet.
• Use controlled, partial swings. Let the tool’s weight do the work.
• Take breaks. Swinging tools are tiring, and tired swings miss.

• Don’t swing in a trench where other workers are nearby or where the walls aren’t protected.
• Don’t use a pick to pry rocks. Use a digging bar.

Last updated: October 1, 2026