Health & Safety Policy — Garden Maintenance Sydenham

Garden Maintenance Sydenham is committed to protecting the health, safety and well-being of our staff, clients and the public while delivering high-quality gardening and garden maintenance services. This policy sets out our approach to risk management for all garden maintenance in Sydenham activities, including routine lawn care, hedge trimming, planting, mulching, and landscape maintenance. Our objective is to prevent accidents, reduce hazards, and maintain a safe working environment through consistent standards, staff training and effective communication.

We adopt a proactive approach to safety that emphasises responsibility at every level of the business. Employees are encouraged to report hazards immediately and to contribute to safety improvements. Supervisors will ensure that safe systems of work are followed and that personal protective equipment (PPE) is used correctly. The policy applies across all our service areas, addressing both commercial groundskeeping and residential gardening needs in and around the Sydenham area, while remaining focused on broad safe practice rather than jurisdictional detail.

Scope and Purpose

This document covers the scope of our gardening services and the measures we take to control risks associated with routine garden care, shrub pruning, tree work limited to low branches, soil handling, use of handheld power tools and small ride-on machinery. It is intended to guide staff, subcontractors and clients on what to expect from our Sydenham garden maintenance teams and how we manage health and safety across projects of varying size and complexity.

We identify hazards through pre-work site assessments and ongoing monitoring. Typical hazards include trip hazards from tools and debris, noise and vibration from equipment, manual handling, interaction with members of the public and exposure to chemicals such as pesticides and fertilisers. Control measures include risk assessments before work starts, designated tool storage, clear exclusion zones for mechanical operations, and regular maintenance of all equipment to prevent malfunction. Safety briefings and toolbox talks are conducted routinely to reinforce safe working practices.

Responsibilities

All staff engaged in gardening services are expected to understand and carry out their responsibilities. Key responsibilities include:

• Management — provide leadership, resources and training; ensure risk assessments and safe systems of work are in place.
• Supervisors — monitor compliance with procedures and support incident investigations.
• Operatives — follow instructions, use PPE and report hazards or near-misses immediately.

These duties help ensure that our gardening teams operate safely when delivering maintenance across properties and public spaces.

Training is central to our health and safety strategy. Staff receive induction training covering safe operation of powered tools, COSHH awareness, manual handling, working near pedestrians and traffic, and first aid basics. Additional and refresher training is provided for specific tasks such as pesticide application or machinery operation. We keep records of training and competence to make sure that all operatives meet our standards for safe working in gardening and landscape maintenance activities.

Safe equipment use and maintenance are essential. All powered tools and ride-on equipment are inspected before use, serviced regularly and stored securely. Electrical tools are checked for damage and PAT-tested where applicable. Where machinery presents significant risk, exclusion zones are set and clear signage used to protect members of the public. We maintain records of inspections and repairs to ensure ongoing compliance with our internal safety standards.

Manual handling controls include mechanical aids for lifting heavy items such as soil bags and planters, team lifting where appropriate, and training in safe lifting techniques. We require operatives to assess loads and choose the safest method to move materials. Ergonomic considerations and appropriate scheduling help to reduce fatigue and repetitive strain injuries among our gardening staff, contributing to long-term workforce health.

Incident reporting and investigation form part of our continuous improvement process. All accidents, injuries, near-misses and unsafe conditions are reported, documented and reviewed. Investigations identify root causes and lead to corrective actions to prevent recurrence. We also run periodic safety audits and performance reviews to confirm that policies are effective and that garden care operations align with our commitment to protect people and the environment.