Health and Safety Policy for Gardeners Barking and Surrounding Areas
Introduction: This policy sets out the commitment of Gardeners Barking and associated gardening services in the Barking area to provide a safe working environment for employees, contractors and the public. It explains responsibilities, safe working practices and the preventative measures we apply across horticultural, landscaping and routine garden maintenance work. All staff and sub-contractors engaged by our gardening company must read and follow these provisions to reduce risk and promote safe, sustainable grounds care.
Scope and Responsibilities
The scope covers arboriculture, turf management, planting, pruning, hedge cutting, use of hand tools and powered equipment, and small-scale landscaping. Senior management is responsible for policy development, resourcing and review; supervisors must ensure safe systems of work are followed; operatives and contractors must work safely and report hazards promptly. Everyone has a duty to cooperate and to take reasonable care for their own and others' safety while carrying out gardening services in Barking and nearby neighbourhoods.
Risk assessment is mandatory before starting any task. Typical hazards include moving machinery, plant and hand tool injuries, working at heights (trees and ladders), manual handling, hazardous substances (pesticides, fuels), traffic and site access issues. Control measures are developed using the hierarchy of controls, and are documented in method statements where required. Example controls include guarding, PPE, exclusion zones and traffic management with clear signage.
Training, Competence and Supervision
We ensure operatives have the appropriate training, licences and qualifications for their roles. Induction training covers this health and safety policy, emergency procedures, and task-specific safe systems. Ongoing competence is maintained through toolbox talks, refresher courses and on-the-job supervision. Gardeners Barking emphasises mentoring for new staff and verifies competence for use of chainsaws, brushcutters and ride-on mowers.Personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided where risk assessments identify a need. Required PPE can include chainsaw trousers, helmets, eye and hearing protection, gloves and high-visibility clothing. Staff must use PPE as instructed and report any defects immediately so replacements can be supplied and hazards controlled effectively.
Plant, Tools and Equipment
All powered equipment is subject to routine maintenance and pre-use checks. Faulty tools are taken out of service and recorded. Safe operating procedures are in place for all plant and machinery, including lifting and transporting materials. Fuel and chemical storage follows safe handling and COSHH-style principles: containers are labelled, stored securely and spill response measures are available.Risk Assessment and Work Planning - Our job planning process includes written risk assessments for higher-risk tasks and dynamic assessments for changing site conditions. We use simple, clear documentation tailored to small teams to ensure that method statements are practical and proportionate. Weather and access constraints are considered so tasks are delayed or altered if conditions would create unacceptable risk.
Incident reporting and first aid are integral. All incidents, near misses and injuries are reported and investigated to identify root causes and prevent recurrence. First aid provisions are appropriate to the workforce and site context, and staff are trained in emergency response and casualty care. Fire and evacuation procedures are established for storage compounds and client properties where applicable.
Environmental and Waste Management - We adopt practices that minimise environmental harm: correct disposal of green waste, safe use of fertilisers and herbicides, and erosion control. Spill kits are available when working with fuels or chemicals. Wherever possible, we favour sustainable products and techniques that reduce the need for hazardous substances while maintaining high standards of garden maintenance and landscaping.
Contractor and Visitor Control - Sub-contractors and visitors on site must comply with this policy. We assess contractor safety arrangements and ensure that any third-party individuals are briefed on site-specific risks. Delivery and vehicle movements are coordinated to protect operatives and members of the public, and traffic management measures are implemented for roadside and high-traffic environments typical of town and suburban gardening assignments.
Training records, equipment inspection logs and risk assessments are retained and reviewed regularly. Garden maintenance Barking operations are audited internally to check compliance and identify opportunities for improvement. Where non-conformances are identified, corrective actions are assigned, implemented and tracked to completion to ensure continuous improvement in safety performance.
