Health and Safety Policy — Gardening Services Norbiton

Purpose: This Health and Safety Policy sets out the standards, responsibilities and procedures that govern safe working for our Norbiton gardening services and garden maintenance Norbiton operations. The policy applies to all staff, subcontractors and visitors engaged in grounds maintenance, landscaping, hedge trimming, tree works, turf care and other horticultural tasks carried out by our company.

Scope and Commitment

Our organisation is committed to reducing risk and preventing injury, ill health and damage to property or the environment. We will comply with relevant health and safety requirements, maintain safe systems of work and provide the resources needed to implement this policy across all gardening services in Norbiton and adjacent service areas. All activities will be planned and managed with risk control as a priority.

Roles and Responsibilities

Management holds overall responsibility for safety: ensuring risk assessments, safe working procedures and training are maintained. Supervisors and team leaders must ensure workers follow instructions, wear required personal protective equipment and report hazards. Employees and operatives are responsible for working safely, using equipment correctly and reporting incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions to their supervisor.

We encourage a proactive safety culture where everyone can raise concerns. Norbiton landscape maintenance teams will be briefed at the start of each task, with recorded toolbox talks where significant or unusual hazards are expected.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Before work begins a site-specific risk assessment will be carried out identifying hazards, evaluating risks and specifying control measures. Controls will include elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and personal protection. Safe systems of work will be documented for routine and non-routine tasks, including pruning at height, stump grinding, use of petrol-driven equipment and chemical applications.

Training, Competence and Supervision

We will ensure staff are competent for their roles through induction, on-the-job training and periodic refresher courses. Qualifications and certificates will be checked for chainsaw work, NPTC-type tasks, pesticide application and any specialist machinery. Supervision levels will match task risk and worker experience to reduce the likelihood of accidents.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory where identified by risk assessment. Typical PPE includes:

• Protective footwear and high-visibility clothing
• Gloves appropriate to the task and cut-resistant gauntlets
• Eye and ear protection when using power equipment
• Chainsaw protective trousers and helmets where relevant

Equipment, Tools and Maintenance

All tools and machinery will be maintained in a safe condition, with pre-use checks recorded. Petrol storage, refuelling and battery charging are controlled to reduce fire and environmental risk. Faulty equipment will be removed from service immediately and reported. Lifting aids and mechanical assistance should be used where manual handling risks are significant.

Control of Hazardous Substances

We will manage hazardous substances (including pesticides, fertilisers and fuels) under safe handling procedures and relevant safety data sheets. COSHH assessments will be completed and controls implemented to prevent exposure, environmental contamination or accidental release. Only trained operatives will handle or apply chemicals and all storage will follow secure, labelled and ventilated arrangements.

Manual handling, working at height and confined spaces are treated as higher-risk activities and require specific risk mitigation, such as using mechanical aids, harness systems and permit-to-work measures where appropriate. Regular competency assessments help ensure staff remain capable and aware of best practice.

Public Safety, Traffic Management and Lone Working

When working near public rights of way, roads or residential properties our teams will implement exclusion zones, clear signage and physical barriers as required. Traffic management plans will be used for roadside works. Lone working is permitted only under strict controls, including check-in procedures and emergency response plans to ensure adequate support for individuals working alone.

First Aid, Incident Reporting and Investigation

First aid provision suitable for the nature of the work will be available on site. All incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions must be reported promptly. Reported events will be investigated to identify root causes and corrective actions. Findings will be shared with teams to prevent recurrence and to improve safer working methods.

Monitoring, Audits and Continuous Improvement: Regular site inspections, safety audits and performance reviews will assess compliance and effectiveness of this policy. We will monitor accident statistics, near misses and audit findings to drive continual improvement across our gardening operations.

Environmental and Waste Management: We will take steps to prevent pollution and minimise waste, using appropriate disposal routes for green waste, chemical containers and fuel. Measures include containment to prevent runoff, spill kits on vehicles and procedures for safe transfer of hazardous materials.

Conclusion and Policy Review

This policy is reviewed at least annually and whenever significant changes to operations, equipment or legislation occur. Management will ensure resources are available to implement the policy and that every worker understands their role. By following these standards, our gardening services in Norbiton will maintain safe, professional and environmentally responsible operations across all landscapes we maintain.

Signed on behalf of the company — Management will ensure the policy is communicated, implemented and enforced across all teams.