Health & Safety Policy for Gardening Mottingham

This Health and Safety Policy sets out the commitment of Gardening Mottingham to maintain safe working conditions for staff, contractors and the public. The policy applies to all garden maintenance, landscaping and groundskeeping activities carried out under the name of Mottingham gardening. Its purpose is to minimise risk, prevent accidents and ensure that every task is planned and executed with safety as the first priority. We promote a culture of vigilance and continuous improvement, ensuring that risk management is an integral part of daily operations.

Scope: The policy covers routine garden care, landscaping projects, hedge and tree works, chemical use for pest and weed control, and the operation and maintenance of machinery. While designed for our service area, the core principles are universally applicable to any garden service operation: risk assessment, safe systems of work, adequate training and the provision of appropriate personal protective equipment. Garden care in Mottingham follows the same preventative approach used across similar gardening services.

Risk assessment and planning are required before any on-site activity. Each job will have an initial evaluation to identify hazards such as uneven ground, buried services, slopes, overhead cables, toxic plants and hazards to pedestrians. Site-specific safe working methods will be documented, communicated to the team and reviewed if conditions change. Control measures will be prioritised to eliminate risks where possible, then to reduce them through engineering controls, safe working practices and PPE.

Responsibilities and Leadership

The management team at Mottingham garden services is responsible for setting policy, allocating resources and ensuring compliance. Supervisors and team leaders are charged with applying safe systems of work, conducting pre-start briefings and ensuring team members understand their duties. Employees and contractors must follow instructions, use equipment safely and report hazards or incidents promptly. Everyone is empowered to stop work if they consider a task unsafe.

Training, competence and PPE

All personnel engaged in gardening and landscaping must receive training relevant to their roles, including manual handling, pesticide awareness, chainsaw operation where applicable and first aid. Training records will be kept and refreshed as required. Personal protective equipment will be provided and used where risks cannot be removed: items include gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, hi-vis clothing and safety boots.

• Hearing and eye protection for powered tools
• Gloves and long sleeves for chemical handling and plant work
• Cut-resistant protection for hedge trimming and chainsaw tasks

Plant, tools and equipment must be fit for purpose and maintained according to manufacturers' instructions. Regular inspections, servicing and defect reporting will prevent avoidable failures. Fuel and chemical storage is controlled, labelled and secured to prevent spills and unauthorised access. Safe loading and unloading procedures will be used when transporting equipment and materials to and from sites used by Mottingham gardening teams.

Emergency procedures, incident reporting and first aid

Emergencies such as injury, severe allergic reaction or fire require prompt and competent action. Teams will carry basic first-aid kits and mobile communication devices. Incidents and near-misses will be recorded, investigated and used as opportunities to improve safe work methods. Reporting is confidential and focused on prevention rather than blame. Immediate medical attention will be sought when necessary and all incidents will be escalated to management.

Monitoring and review: This policy will be reviewed regularly to reflect changes in operations, equipment, legislation and industry best practice. Routine site audits and toolbox talks will reinforce expectations and identify training needs. Performance indicators such as incident frequency, audit findings and corrective action completion rates will be tracked to measure effectiveness of the health and safety system that supports Mottingham garden services.

Commitment: Gardening Mottingham is committed to continuous improvement in occupational health and safety. We will maintain clear communication with clients and site users to manage shared risks and to protect members of the public. By embedding safety into planning and everyday behaviour, we aim to deliver high-quality garden maintenance and landscaping with minimal risk. All staff, contractors and partners share responsibility for keeping people safe and upholding this policy.