Health And Safety Policy

Gardeners Addington Health and Safety Policy

This Health and Safety Policy sets out how Gardeners Addington manages the wellbeing of employees, subcontractors, clients, visitors and members of the public while we deliver professional gardening services. Our work often involves the use of powered equipment, manual handling, working outdoors and accessing gardens of different sizes and layouts, so a clear and practical safety framework is essential.

Our Commitment to Health and Safety

Gardeners Addington is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. We aim to prevent injury, ill health and property damage arising from our gardening operations. Health and safety is regarded as a core part of our service delivery and quality, and we allocate appropriate time and resources to manage it effectively.

Management is responsible for leading on health and safety and for ensuring that robust arrangements are in place. All workers are expected to cooperate fully with these arrangements and to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.

Scope of This Policy

This policy applies to all activities carried out by Gardeners Addington, including but not limited to routine garden maintenance, lawn care, hedge cutting, planting, landscaping preparation, clearance work and the transportation of tools and materials to and from sites across our service area.

It covers permanent and temporary staff, subcontractors working on our behalf, and any other individuals who may be affected by our operations, such as clients, neighbours, visitors and members of the public near our work areas.

Health and Safety Responsibilities

Management at Gardeners Addington is responsible for implementing this policy, setting objectives, and reviewing performance. This includes ensuring that risk assessments are carried out, safe systems of work are in place, and that workers receive suitable information, instruction and training.

Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for day to day health and safety on site. They must ensure that work is properly planned, appropriate equipment and personal protective equipment are used, and that any incidents or near misses are reported and investigated.

All workers are required to follow safety instructions, use tools and machinery correctly, wear issued protective equipment, report hazards promptly, and never undertake tasks for which they are not trained or authorised.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We carry out risk assessments for our gardening activities and review them regularly to reflect changes in working methods, equipment and seasonal conditions. Before starting work on any garden or outdoor site, a dynamic assessment is made to identify site specific hazards, such as uneven ground, weather conditions, access issues, overhead lines or the presence of third parties.

Control measures include planning the sequence of work, cordoning off work areas where necessary, ensuring safe distances when operating machinery, maintaining clear communication between team members, and adjusting work to account for weather and lighting conditions.

Use of Tools, Machinery and Equipment

Gardeners Addington ensures that all gardening tools, powered equipment and machinery are suitable for their intended use, properly maintained and inspected at appropriate intervals. Only competent and trained individuals may operate powered equipment such as mowers, strimmers, hedge trimmers, blowers and cutting tools.

Safety features and guards must never be removed or bypassed. Equipment must be switched off, isolated and allowed to come to a complete stop before adjustment, cleaning or transportation. Fuel and lubricants are handled and stored safely, and spillages are controlled and cleaned promptly.

Personal Protective Equipment

Where risks cannot be eliminated by other means, suitable personal protective equipment is provided and must be worn as instructed. Depending on the task, this may include safety boots, gloves, eye and face protection, hearing protection, high visibility clothing and weather appropriate clothing for outdoor work.

Workers are responsible for caring for their personal protective equipment, reporting defects, and ensuring that it is used correctly whenever required by our procedures or by the supervising person in charge.

Manual Handling and Physical Wellbeing

Many gardening tasks involve lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling. We aim to minimise manual handling risks by planning work, using mechanical aids where possible and avoiding unnecessary lifting. Staff receive guidance on safe lifting techniques and are encouraged to share loads, break heavy tasks into smaller stages and avoid awkward postures.

We promote general wellbeing by encouraging appropriate rest breaks, hydration, sun protection and weather suitable clothing, recognising that gardening work can be physically demanding and is often performed in varying outdoor conditions.

Chemicals, Substances and Environmental Considerations

When using any chemicals or horticultural products, Gardeners Addington assesses the risks and follows manufacturer instructions. Only trained personnel are permitted to handle such substances. Storage, mixing and application are controlled to reduce exposure risks to workers, clients, pets, plants and wildlife.

We take reasonable steps to minimise environmental impact, including careful disposal of green waste and other materials, and by preventing contamination of soil, drains and watercourses during our gardening operations.

Public Safety and Site Management

We plan our work to protect clients, visitors and members of the public near our working areas. Where appropriate, we display warnings or barriers, schedule higher risk activities at quieter times, and ensure that tools and materials do not obstruct pathways or create trip hazards.

Vehicles and trailers used to transport gardening equipment are driven and parked responsibly to avoid unnecessary risk to pedestrians, other road users and property.

Training, Communication and Consultation

Gardeners Addington provides information, instruction and training appropriate to each role, including induction training for new starters and refresher training when needed. Workers are encouraged to raise health and safety concerns, suggest improvements and participate in safety discussions.

We communicate policy updates and safety procedures clearly, ensuring that all workers understand what is expected of them and have the opportunity to ask questions or request clarification.

Accidents, Incidents and Continuous Improvement

All accidents, incidents, near misses and hazardous conditions must be reported as soon as practicable. We investigate these events to identify root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains suitable, effective and aligned with best practice for gardening and grounds maintenance services. Lessons learned from experience, incident investigations, staff feedback and changes in our operations are used to drive continuous improvement in our safety performance.