Health & Safety Policy — Gardening Sanderstead

Gardening Sanderstead is committed to providing a safe working environment for all employees, contractors and members of the public affected by our gardening and landscaping activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out the approach we take to prevent accidents, control risks and promote safe practices across our service area. Our aim is to integrate safety into every job we undertake, from routine garden maintenance to larger landscape projects, ensuring that Sanderstead gardening services are delivered responsibly and professionally.

Purpose and scope

This policy applies to all operations carried out by the gardening company in the Sanderstead area and nearby service locations. It covers routine lawn care, hedge trimming, tree work, planting, hard landscaping support and waste disposal. The policy defines roles and responsibilities, risk management procedures, training requirements and emergency arrangements. It is designed to be practical and proportionate while complying with general health and safety principles and good industry practice.

The responsibilities below ensure clear accountability: management will ensure adequate resources and oversight; supervisors will enforce safe systems of work; and every worker is required to follow instructions and report hazards. Key responsibilities include:

• Risk assessment: completing written assessments before work begins;
• Permit to work: using permits for high-risk tasks such as tree felling or working close to utilities;
• Personal protective equipment (PPE): ensuring appropriate gear is supplied and used.

We emphasise that safety is everyone's duty. All staff are expected to take reasonable care for their own safety and for others, to co-operate with managers, and to use equipment safely. Supervisors will carry out pre-start checks and toolbox talks to ensure clarity of tasks and hazards.

Risk assessment and control measures are the foundation of our safe working arrangements. We will: identify hazards, evaluate the level of risk, and implement suitable controls using the hierarchy of risk control (elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE). Common hazards in gardening work include slips, trips and falls, manual handling injuries, contact with moving machinery, exposure to pesticides and allergic reactions to plants.

Control measures include safe systems of work, restricted access zones during high-risk operations, secured storage of chemicals, safe lifting techniques and mechanical assistance for heavy loads. Written method statements will be used for complex or non-routine tasks. Regular inspections of equipment and site conditions are mandatory before and during operations.

Training and competence are crucial. All team members will receive induction training covering site-specific risks, emergency procedures and safe use of common tools and machinery. Ongoing training will include chainsaw certification, pesticide handling where applicable, first aid and manual handling refreshers. We will keep training records up to date and review competence when new equipment or techniques are introduced.

Incident reporting and investigation: every injury, near miss or unsafe condition must be reported promptly. We will investigate incidents to identify root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence. Records of incidents and subsequent actions will be maintained and reviewed as part of continuous improvement.

Accident response includes ensuring trained first aiders are available on sites, evacuation routes are clear and that emergency services can access the location if required. We will provide suitable first aid kits and ensure vehicles are equipped to assist in the event of an incident.

Equipment and safe working practices

All machinery, from ride-on mowers to handheld strimmers and chainsaws, will be maintained according to manufacturer guidance and checked before use. Lock-out procedures will be used during maintenance. Safety guards and emergency stop devices will always be in place. Tools will be stored securely and inspected regularly to prevent failures that could cause injury.

Monitoring, review and audits are conducted regularly to ensure the policy remains effective and up to date. Management will arrange routine site audits, spot checks and reviews of risk assessments. Findings will be shared with staff and used to update procedures. We will set measurable safety objectives and monitor performance against these targets.

Communication is central to a positive safety culture. We will hold regular team briefings, encourage open reporting of hazards and maintain clear signage where required. New employees and subcontractors will be briefed on this policy and site-specific arrangements before starting work. Supervisory checks will verify compliance during operations.

Review and continuous improvement: this policy will be reviewed at least annually or when there are significant changes to operations, legislation or following an incident. The review will consider feedback from workers and incorporate lessons learned. By embedding safety into all aspects of our work, the gardening services in Sanderstead aim to protect people, the environment and property while delivering high-quality landscaping and maintenance services.