Health and Safety Policy — Gardening Services Sanderstead

Gardening Services Sanderstead is committed to maintaining a safe working environment for employees, clients and members of the public. This health and safety policy describes the standards and procedures that govern our day-to-day garden maintenance and landscaping operations in and around Sanderstead. Our objective is to reduce risk through planning, training and the consistent application of safe working practices. We recognise that safe gardening and grounds maintenance requires ongoing attention, clear responsibilities and practical controls on site.

All staff engaged in Sanderstead garden care and related gardening services are expected to follow safe systems of work. Management will allocate sufficient resources to implement this policy, including training, appropriate tools and personal protective equipment (PPE). Line managers and team leaders must ensure that work is planned, risk assessed and supervised. Workers must report hazards, near misses and incidents promptly so corrective action can be taken without delay.

Risk assessment is central to our approach to garden safety. For each task — hedge cutting, lawn mowing, tree pruning, chemical application, or hard landscaping — a documented assessment identifies hazards, likelihood, and controls. Typical controls used across our garden maintenance Sanderstead projects include exclusion zones, lock-off procedures for machinery, safe manual handling techniques and responsible use of permitted pesticides and fertilisers. The key responsibilities are:

• Employer responsibilities: provide safe equipment, training and supervision.
• Supervisor responsibilities: implement risk assessments and maintain oversight.
• Worker responsibilities: follow instructions, use PPE and report hazards.

Risk Management and Safe Working Procedures

Control of hazards when delivering Garden Services in Sanderstead includes safe selection of tools, regular maintenance of machinery, and clear exclusion zones for power tools. For example, petrol-driven mowers, chainsaws and shredders are inspected before use and checked against a maintenance log. Electrical equipment used for garden maintenance is PAT tested where required and used with RCD protection. We emphasise safe storage of fuels and secure transport of machinery to and from sites to prevent spillages and accidental ignition.

Personal protective equipment is mandated where risk assessments identify need: high-visibility clothing, hearing protection, eye protection, gloves and appropriate footwear. Staff are trained in the correct fitting and care of PPE. Employees must not remove PPE while working within an exclusion zone. Machine guards and safety features must remain intact; where guards are removed for maintenance, machines are isolated and secured by authorised personnel only.

The company maintains clear procedures for hazardous substances used in garden and grounds care. Substances are labelled and stored safely. Staff receive training on control measures and safe application; Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) information is made available. An incident reporting procedure and near-miss review process ensures lessons are learned and improvements are implemented promptly.

Training, Monitoring and Emergency Arrangements

Training forms the backbone of our safe service delivery. All operatives undertaking Sanderstead gardening services receive induction training, task-specific instruction and periodic refresher training. Competence checks are carried out for high-risk activities such as tree work, operating ride-on mowers and using elevated platforms. Supervisors are trained in risk assessment and site-specific safety planning. Regular toolbox talks reinforce safe behaviour and the importance of reporting faults and hazards.

Emergency response and first aid arrangements are in place for every site. A designated first aider is identified on each job, and first aid kits are provided on vehicles and at larger sites. Procedures for dealing with serious incidents, including emergency services liaison and site isolation, are clearly outlined to staff. Vehicle and route planning take into account safe access for emergency vehicles and minimise risks when working near roads or public thoroughfares.

Implementation, review and continual improvement ensure the policy remains effective. We conduct routine site inspections, audit compliance with safe systems of work, and update risk assessments following any significant change in work activities. This gardening safety policy applies to all operations under our control and supports the delivery of professional, reliable and safe garden maintenance in Sanderstead and surrounding areas. By following these principles, the company and its workers reduce incidents, protect health and demonstrate a strong safety culture across all gardening services and grounds care work.