Health And Safety Policy

Gardeners Shirley Health and Safety Policy

Gardeners Shirley is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, clients, visitors, contractors and members of the public who may be affected by our gardening activities. We aim to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health through careful planning, risk control and continual improvement in our health and safety performance.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

We aim to identify and manage hazards associated with gardening and grounds maintenance work, with particular focus on the safe use of machinery, tools, and substances, as well as the management of green waste. Our objectives are to minimise risks, comply with applicable health and safety legislation, and promote a positive safety culture within our team.

We will review these objectives on a regular basis and update them as our services, equipment and working methods evolve.

Responsibilities and Management

The overall responsibility for health and safety rests with the management of Gardeners Shirley. Management will ensure that appropriate resources, information, instruction and training are provided so that work can be carried out safely and without risk to health.

Supervisors are responsible for implementing this policy on site, monitoring safe working practices, reporting hazards, and ensuring that all employees and subcontractors follow the agreed procedures.

All employees, whether full-time, part-time or temporary, have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. They must cooperate fully with management in all matters relating to health and safety.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Prior to starting work at any property or site, we will assess potential hazards associated with the tasks to be undertaken. This includes considering terrain, access routes, weather conditions, the presence of children or pets, and any existing site features such as ponds, steps, overhead lines or confined spaces.

We will implement appropriate control measures based on our assessments. These may include using specific tools or machinery, restricting access to work areas, altering methods of work, scheduling tasks to avoid higher risk times, and providing additional supervision where needed.

Safe systems of work are developed for recurring tasks such as lawn cutting, hedge trimming, tree pruning, planting, clearance, waste handling and application of treatments. These systems will be reviewed periodically and whenever new equipment or methods are introduced.

Training, Information and Supervision

Gardeners Shirley will ensure that all employees receive suitable induction and ongoing training relevant to their roles. This includes the safe use of gardening machinery, hand tools, ladders and access equipment, as well as manual handling, use of personal protective equipment, and awareness of environmental and weather-related risks.

Only individuals who have been trained and deemed competent are permitted to operate powered machinery such as mowers, strimmers, hedge cutters, chainsaws and blowers. Where specialist work is required, such as certain tree operations, appropriately qualified personnel or contractors will be used.

Supervision levels will be appropriate to the experience and competence of staff and the complexity of the tasks being undertaken. Additional guidance will be given to newer staff until they are considered fully competent.

Personal Protective Equipment

Gardeners Shirley will provide and maintain suitable personal protective equipment where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means. Depending on the task, this may include gloves, safety footwear, high-visibility clothing, eye and face protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection and protective clothing.

Employees are required to use PPE as instructed, to take reasonable care of it, and to report any loss or damage immediately so that replacements can be provided.

Machinery, Equipment and Maintenance

All machinery and tools will be selected, used and maintained in line with manufacturer instructions and relevant safety standards. Pre-use checks will be carried out to ensure that equipment is in good working order and that safety guards and devices are correctly fitted.

Defective or damaged equipment must not be used and will be removed from service until it has been inspected and repaired or replaced. Records of maintenance and inspections will be kept as appropriate.

Manual Handling and Physical Wellbeing

Gardening work often involves lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling. To reduce the risk of injury, we assess manual handling tasks and use mechanical aids, team lifting and safe working techniques wherever practical.

Staff receive guidance on correct lifting and handling methods, working at a sensible pace, and taking suitable breaks. We encourage employees to report any discomfort or early signs of strain so that adjustments can be made.

Use of Chemicals and Hazardous Substances

Where treatments, fuels or other substances are used, Gardeners Shirley will assess the risks and ensure that they are stored, handled, applied and disposed of safely. We use the least hazardous products that are suitable for the task and follow the instructions on product labels and safety data sheets.

Only trained personnel may handle or apply such substances, and they will use the appropriate protective equipment and precautions to protect themselves, clients, neighbours, pets and wildlife.

Public, Client and Property Safety

We plan our work so that risks to clients, visitors, neighbours and passers-by are minimised. This may include cordoning off work areas, using warning signs, controlling access while machinery is in use, and timing noisy or higher-risk tasks to reduce disruption and exposure.

We will take care to protect property, including buildings, vehicles, garden structures and utilities, by using safe techniques and maintaining situational awareness at all times.

Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, near misses and hazardous incidents must be reported as soon as possible to management. We will investigate incidents to identify causes and implement measures to prevent recurrence.

Where necessary, we will ensure that first aid arrangements are in place for our teams on site. Staff are made aware of emergency procedures, including how to respond to injuries, equipment failures, fires, and severe weather events.

Consultation, Communication and Review

Gardeners Shirley recognises the value of open communication on health and safety matters. Employees are encouraged to raise concerns, suggest improvements and participate in discussions about working practices.

This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and updated whenever there are significant changes to our operations, equipment, legislation or best practice. The latest version will be made available to employees and to clients who wish to understand how we manage safety in our gardening services.