Health and Safety Policy — Garden Maintenance Kenton

This Health and Safety Policy sets out the approach of Garden Maintenance Kenton and associated teams to managing workplace risks across garden and grounds care operations. It applies to routine garden maintenance, seasonal projects and one-off landscaping activities carried out by our Kenton gardening teams and sub-contractors. Our aim is to protect employees, clients, members of the public and the environment by embedding a safety-first culture in every task.

Scope and application include lawn care, shrub maintenance, hedge works, soft landscaping and general upkeep services provided by the gardening company across its service area. The policy outlines responsibilities, risk assessment procedures, control measures, training requirements and emergency arrangements. It complements best practice in horticulture and garden safety and is designed to be proportionate to the hazards encountered on typical Kenton garden maintenance jobs.

Management commitment: senior staff and site supervisors will ensure adequate resources, appropriate plant and protective equipment, and timely training. Management will: lead risk assessments; allocate competent supervisors; and ensure that safe systems of work are planned and recorded. Staff are expected to cooperate, follow instructions and report hazards promptly.

Responsibilities and Duties

The duty-holder for each contract must confirm that all operatives have read relevant risk assessments and method statements before work starts. Employees and operatives must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE), maintain tools, and avoid improvisation that can create risk. Sub-contractors engaged for specialist work are required to demonstrate equivalent safety arrangements and must comply with this policy while on site.

Risk assessment is central to safe gardening operations. All sites will receive a pre-start survey to identify hazards such as uneven ground, overhead cables, underground services, invasive plants and nearby public access. Control measures may include exclusion zones, traffic management, safe access platforms and use of hand tools rather than powered equipment where appropriate. The policy promotes the hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE.

Training and competence are essential. Operatives must receive induction training covering emergency procedures, manual handling techniques, pesticide awareness where relevant, chainsaw safety (if applicable) and safe use of ride-on mowers. Regular refresher sessions and toolbox talks reinforce safe working practices. Records of training will be kept and reviewed during site supervision checks.

Plant, tools and equipment are inspected and maintained on a planned schedule. Portable equipment (e.g., strimmers, hedge cutters) will be visually checked before use and maintained by competent technicians. Where powered machinery is used for grounds maintenance, appropriate guards, kill-switches and emergency stop measures will be in place. Battery-operated tools are adopted where feasible to reduce noise and emissions.

Chemicals and substances used in horticulture are handled in accordance with product instructions and COSHH principles. Fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides are stored securely, labelled clearly and used only by trained personnel. Spill kits and wash facilities are available on larger jobs and contractors are instructed to avoid spraying near watercourses, play areas and where public exposure is likely.

Emergency procedures, first aid and incident reporting: suitable first aid provision is identified for each contract based on task risk and team size. Incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions must be reported immediately to a supervisor and recorded in the site log. Investigations are carried out to identify root causes and to implement preventive actions. This systematic approach supports continuous improvement of our Kenton garden maintenance safety standards.

Operational controls and good practice

Standard safe working measures include: clear exclusion zones around powered operations; erecting signage during public access times; safe manual handling techniques when lifting turf, soil bags and containers; and appropriate footwear and hi-visibility clothing. Supervisors will ensure that young workers and those with limited experience are closely supervised.

Key controls and administrative measures include:

• Pre-start site briefings and documented method statements.
• Daily inspection checklists for machinery and PPE.
• Permit-to-work for high-risk activities such as working near overhead services or using pesticides.
• Clear communication channels for reporting hazards and stopping unsafe work.

Monitoring, review and continual improvement: the policy and associated procedures are reviewed annually or after any significant incident or change in activities. Audits and site inspections are used to check compliance and to share lessons learned. Garden Maintenance Kenton is committed to learning from experience, updating risk controls and investing in safer tools and training as part of its ongoing duty of care.

Legal compliance and best practice are observed without being quoted verbatim here; the policy is designed to align with widely accepted safety frameworks for landscaping and grounds maintenance. All employees are encouraged to suggest improvements to procedures and equipment that reduce risk and improve wellbeing on the job.

Implementation of this policy ensures that everyone engaged in maintenance and gardening work recognises their role in protecting health and safety. Managers will measure performance through inspections, incident records and feedback from operatives to verify that control measures are effective.

By maintaining clear responsibilities, adequate training, safe equipment and robust emergency arrangements, Garden Maintenance Kenton aims to deliver high-quality horticultural services while keeping people and property safe. Safety is an integral part of our service delivery and a shared responsibility for every member of the team.