Health and Safety Policy for Landscapers Putney
This health and safety policy sets out the standards followed by Landscapers Putney to protect staff, clients, visitors, and the public during all grounds maintenance and outdoor work. Our approach is designed for practical day-to-day use, including routine garden upkeep, waste handling, and rubbish collection services across the wider service area. We are committed to maintaining a safe working environment by planning tasks carefully, using suitable equipment, and ensuring everyone understands their responsibilities.
As a local landscaping business, we recognise that outdoor work can involve changing surfaces, weather exposure, manual handling, sharp tools, traffic risks, and contact with waste materials. For this reason, our policy is based on prevention, supervision, and continuous improvement. All work is carried out with consideration for public safety, property protection, and environmental care.
This policy applies to all employees, subcontractors, and anyone acting on behalf of the company. It covers site visits, garden clearance, hedge work, mowing, pruning, debris removal, and the handling of waste from domestic and commercial premises. The aim is to reduce risk while delivering a reliable and tidy service to every customer.
Our Commitment to Safe Working
We will take all reasonably practicable steps to prevent accidents and ill health. This includes providing safe systems of work, maintaining equipment, and ensuring that workers are competent for the tasks they carry out. We also expect all personnel to behave responsibly, report hazards promptly, and cooperate with health and safety procedures.
Before starting any job, a suitable assessment will be made of the site and the tasks required. This may include checking access routes, identifying trip hazards, reviewing the presence of children, pets, or members of the public, and considering the risks linked to waste removal or overgrown areas. Where needed, the work will be adjusted to suit the conditions observed on site.
We provide training and instruction in the correct use of tools, machines, lifting methods, and personal protective equipment. Workers must not use defective equipment or attempt tasks beyond their competence. If a hazard cannot be controlled immediately, the work will pause until an appropriate solution is found. Safety always takes priority over speed.
Key Health and Safety Measures
1. Safe Equipment Use
All tools and machinery are checked before use and maintained according to manufacturer requirements. Guards, switches, blades, cables, and fuel systems must remain in good condition. Any damaged item is removed from service until repaired or replaced. Suitable personal protective equipment, such as gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, and safety footwear, must be worn where required.
2. Manual Handling and Waste Removal
Many landscaping tasks involve lifting soil, branches, rubble, bags, or general garden waste. We reduce strain by using correct lifting techniques, team lifts, carts, and loading methods that suit the task. Waste is sorted and handled carefully to avoid cuts, contamination, or injury from hidden objects. This is especially important in our rubbish company service area, where mixed waste and garden debris may need careful separation.
3. Slips, Trips, and Falls
Worksites are kept as clear as possible. Tools, hoses, cuttings, and packaging are stored safely to reduce obstruction. Wet surfaces, uneven ground, loose stones, and concealed holes are treated as hazards. When necessary, warning signs or temporary barriers are used to protect workers and the public.
Public, Environmental, and Site Protection
Because landscaping often takes place in shared or visible spaces, we take extra care to protect neighbours, passers-by, and property. Work areas are managed to minimise disturbance, and machinery is operated only when conditions are suitable. We aim to reduce dust, noise, and debris as far as practical, especially when carrying out landscaping rubbish removal and garden clearance tasks.
All waste is handled in line with responsible disposal practices. Recyclable green waste is separated where possible, and other materials are removed to appropriate facilities. We do not leave waste, sharp materials, or hazardous debris unattended on site. If a task involves potentially contaminated waste, the job is assessed before work begins and appropriate precautions are applied.
Where work takes place near roads, driveways, or access points, visibility and traffic awareness are essential. Workers must remain alert to moving vehicles and use safe positioning when loading or unloading materials. In some cases, the presence of pedestrians or delivery traffic may require additional controls.
Emergency procedures are in place for accidents, injuries, equipment failure, fire, and hazardous waste discoveries. First aid arrangements are maintained, and serious incidents are reported and reviewed so that lessons can be learned. Near misses are also recorded, as they help us identify improvements before harm occurs.
All staff are expected to stop work and report any unsafe condition immediately. This includes damaged tools, unstable structures, hidden glass, asbestos concerns, aggressive animals, or weather conditions that make the task unsafe. No one will be penalised for raising a genuine safety concern.
This policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains effective and suitable for the services we provide. As a professional Putney landscaper, we believe that good health and safety practice supports better workmanship, better waste management, and greater confidence for everyone involved. By maintaining high standards, we help ensure that each project is completed safely, efficiently, and with proper care for the environment.
