Health & Safety Policy — Garden Maintenance Hackney

This document sets out the purpose and commitment of our team to maintain safe working practices across all garden maintenance operations. It applies to all staff, contractors and visitors involved in garden care and landscape services. Our aim is to protect people, property and the environment while delivering professional garden maintenance Hackney and surrounding service work. We take a proactive approach to risk management, emphasising clear responsibilities, practical controls and ongoing improvement. Safety is integral to how we plan and carry out grounds maintenance and horticultural services.

Scope and Responsibilities

This policy covers routine lawn care, hedge trimming, planting, pruning, seasonal tidy-ups and other groundskeeping activities. Senior management has overall responsibility for health and safety, while supervisors and team leaders are responsible for day-to-day implementation. Operatives must follow safe systems of work, use provided personal protective equipment and report hazards promptly. Contractors engaged for specialist works must demonstrate suitable competence and comply with the same standards that govern our Hackney garden maintenance operations. Everyone has a role in preventing harm.

Risk assessment and planning are core to safe delivery. Before work begins we conduct site surveys and documented risk assessments to identify hazards such as uneven ground, buried services, overhead lines and public access. Tasks with higher risk — for example working at height for tree work or operating powered equipment — require specific controls and supervision. We maintain clear work method statements and ensure that safe operating procedures are communicated to all staff and visiting contractors. Planning reduces incidents and supports efficient, safe garden care in Hackney and nearby areas.

Training, Competence and PPE

All operatives receive induction training, on-the-job instruction and refresher training as needed. Training covers equipment use, manual handling, traffic awareness and environmental precautions. We require correct PPE for each task to be worn at all times — hard hats, eye protection, hearing protection, high-visibility clothing, gloves and appropriate footwear. Supervisors monitor compliance and replace damaged PPE promptly. Staff competence is reviewed during routine performance checks to ensure standards are met for every garden maintenance in Hackney contract.

Equipment, Machinery and Chemicals

Powered tools and machines are inspected, maintained and serviced to a high standard. Mowers, strimmers, chainsaws and blowers are visually checked before use and serviced according to manufacturer guidance. Where chemicals are used for weed control or plant health, safe storage, handling and application procedures are strictly enforced. All containers are labelled and Material Safety Data information is available to operatives. Equipment isolation and lock-off procedures are used when performing maintenance. Good equipment management reduces the risk of accidents and environmental harm.

Traffic management and public safety are essential in urban and residential settings. We deploy barriers, signage and safe exclusion zones where works may expose the public to hazard. For verge and roadside work we use high-visibility markings and coordinate with local traffic as required. Lone working is assessed and controlled with check-in procedures; manual handling is addressed through task-specific risk controls. Waste produced by garden maintenance services is handled and disposed of responsibly to avoid contamination and nuisance.

To support safe delivery we use simple operational controls, including:

• Pre-work briefings and toolbox talks
• Daily equipment checks and maintenance logs
• Permit-to-work where required for hazardous tasks
• Clear signage and public protection measures

These measures are applied consistently across our Hackney garden maintenance and wider landscaping services to maintain predictable, safe outcomes for staff and the public.

Incident reporting, first aid and emergency response procedures are in place for all operations. All incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions must be reported immediately so that corrective actions can be taken and lessons learned shared. Trained first-aiders are available on-site when practical; emergency contacts and procedures are kept clear for operatives. Records of incidents and first-aid treatment are maintained and reviewed as part of a continuous improvement process.

Monitoring, audit and review are built into the policy. Health and safety performance is monitored through regular site inspections, documented audits and periodic policy reviews. We encourage worker engagement in safety improvement and hold regular meetings to review findings from inspections. The policy is reviewed annually or after significant incidents to ensure it remains effective and aligned with best practice in garden and grounds maintenance. Commitment to improvement helps us deliver reliable, safe garden maintenance services across the Hackney area and beyond.