Health and Safety Policy for Gardening Services

This Health and Safety Policy sets out the commitments and practical measures that govern safe working for our gardening services and garden maintenance teams. The policy applies to all staff, contractors and anyone engaged in landscape and horticultural operations under our management. Its purpose is to establish clear responsibilities, reduce risk through good practice, and promote a culture where safety and wellbeing are treated as essential to quality groundskeeping and landscaping work.

Our approach to safety in garden work emphasises proactive risk management, regular training and the correct use of personal protective equipment. We recognise that providing safe garden services requires ongoing assessment of tools, plant machinery, chemicals and manual handling tasks. The policy also supports the provision of safe systems of work for small-scale maintenance as well as larger landscape projects, and encourages staff to raise concerns without delay.

This document covers core topics relevant to gardening and grounds maintenance: risk assessment, equipment safety, pesticide and fertilizer handling, manual handling, working at height, traffic management on sites, lone working, emergency response and incident reporting. It is intended to be read alongside operational procedures and job-specific safe work method statements that outline how tasks must be carried out day to day.

Responsibilities and Roles

Managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that safe systems are implemented, that staff are competent and that equipment is maintained. Employees and subcontractors providing garden care services must follow instructions, use protective equipment and report hazards. Everyone on site has a role in preventing accidents and preserving health.

Key responsibilities include: conducting pre-start checks, ensuring that tools and machinery are inspected, confirming that pesticide use follows instructions and safety data sheets, and ensuring that appropriate signage and barriers are used where there is a risk to the public. Contractors must supply evidence of competence and relevant training before commencing work on any landscaping or horticultural project.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Risk assessments must be documented for all regular and non-routine tasks. Assessments identify hazards, evaluate risks and set out control measures that are proportionate to the task. Controls follow the hierarchy: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative actions and finally PPE. Job briefings should reinforce the controls and confirm competence for specific garden tasks.

Tools and powered equipment used in garden maintenance services must be suitable for the task and maintained in safe condition. This includes mowers, brushcutters, chainsaws, pressure washers and compact loaders. Operators must be trained, and equipment must have guards and safety devices in place. Fuel storage and refuelling procedures should minimise spill and fire risk, and batteries for electric tools must be charged in designated safe areas.

Safe handling of chemicals used in landscaping and gardening is essential. Only authorised personnel should apply pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Product labels and safety data sheets provide instruction on mixing, application, PPE and disposal. Spill kits and decontamination arrangements must be available where hazardous substances are stored or used.

• PPE: gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, hi-vis clothing and safety boots where required.
• Manual handling: adopt mechanical aids and team lifting for heavy loads.
• Traffic and public safety: cordon work areas, place signage and supervise pedestrian routes.

Training, Competence and Supervision

Staff providing gardening and landscaping services must receive induction, task-specific training and refreshers. Training covers safe use of equipment, hazard recognition, chemical safety and emergency procedures. Supervisors should verify competence and provide coaching where gaps are identified. Records of training and certifications must be maintained.

Incident reporting and first response arrangements are vital. All injuries, near-misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported promptly so that causes can be investigated and corrective actions taken. First aid provision should be appropriate to the scale of operations and include accessible kits and trained first-aiders in garden teams.

Monitoring, review and continuous improvement are central to this health and safety policy. Regular site inspections, toolbox talks and audits help ensure that garden maintenance and landscape work remain safe. Where incidents occur, lessons learned should be shared and procedures updated. This policy will be reviewed periodically to reflect changes in practice, equipment or emerging risks in horticultural and groundskeeping services.

Emergency Preparedness and Welfare

Emergency plans must be in place for each site, covering fire, major injury, chemical spill and environmental incidents. Welfare provisions for staff working on gardens include access to drinking water, sanitary facilities and sheltered rest areas. Lone workers should have check-in arrangements and means to summon help.

We are committed to a continuous culture of safety in garden services and landscape maintenance. This policy forms the framework for practical procedures that protect workers, clients and the public while enabling efficient delivery of planting, pruning, turf care and other horticultural activities. Compliance is a condition of employment and contracting.

Implementation of this policy will be supported through leadership, training, resourcing and regular review. Staff are encouraged to contribute to safety improvements and to identify safer, more sustainable ways of delivering garden care and landscaping services.