Health And Safety Policy

Health and Safety Policy for Gardeners St Helier

Gardeners St Helier is committed to providing gardening and grounds maintenance services in a way that protects the health, safety, and welfare of our employees, clients, visitors, contractors, and members of the public. This policy outlines our approach to managing risks associated with garden work, landscaping, and related activities carried out in domestic and commercial outdoor spaces.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, comply with applicable health and safety legislation, and continually improve our safety performance. We seek to ensure that all gardening and maintenance tasks, from routine lawn care to more specialised work, are planned and carried out safely and responsibly.

We aim to identify hazards in the environments where we work, assess the level of risk, and implement suitable control measures before starting any job. By doing so, we aim to protect people, property, tools, and the wider environment.

Management Responsibilities

Management at Gardeners St Helier holds overall responsibility for health and safety within the business. This includes setting standards, providing resources, and making sure that safe systems of work are established and followed. Management will:

Ensure risk assessments are carried out for key gardening operations, such as use of powered machinery, working at height, handling of green waste, and application of products where required. Provide suitable equipment, personal protective equipment, and training so that employees are competent and confident when performing their tasks. Monitor compliance with this policy through regular supervision, site checks, and incident reviews. Act promptly to address any hazards, near misses, or concerns reported by staff or clients.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee, whether full-time, part-time, or seasonal, shares responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. Employees are expected to:

Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of those who may be affected by their actions. Follow all safety instructions, guidance, and procedures issued by Gardeners St Helier. Use tools, machinery, vehicles, and substances only for their intended purpose and in accordance with training. Wear and maintain any personal protective equipment provided, such as gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, safety footwear, or high-visibility clothing. Report hazards, defects in equipment, incidents, and near misses to management as soon as practicable so that corrective action can be taken.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Before starting work at any property, we will consider site-specific risks, such as uneven ground, steps, confined access, proximity to roads, overhead cables, pets, or the presence of vulnerable people. Where appropriate, we will carry out a written risk assessment and agree a safe method of work aligned with the nature of the task.

Key areas of focus include safe use of lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, blowers, chainsaws where applicable, and other powered tools. Tools are to be maintained, inspected, and used in line with manufacturer instructions. Where work at height is required, for example on hedges or trees, we will use stable access equipment and follow appropriate precautions to avoid falls.

Control of Substances and Environmental Care

Where gardening products or substances are used, such as fuels, oils, or treatments permitted under relevant regulations, we will store, handle, and apply them safely and responsibly. We seek to minimise any environmental impact and to protect people, pets, wildlife, and nearby planting during our activities.

All waste generated from our gardening operations, including green waste and packaging, will be handled and disposed of in a safe and lawful manner. We encourage recycling and reuse where this can be done safely and sustainably.

Equipment, Vehicles, and Maintenance

Gardeners St Helier will provide equipment and vehicles that are suitable for the nature and scale of the work undertaken. We will ensure that machinery and vehicles are maintained in a safe condition through regular servicing, inspections, and pre-use checks.

Defective or damaged equipment will be taken out of service immediately and not used until repaired or replaced. Employees must never bypass guards or safety devices and must stop work if they believe equipment is unsafe.

Training, Supervision, and Competence

We recognise that training and competence are essential to safe gardening operations. All employees will receive induction training covering general health and safety arrangements, emergency procedures, and the specific risks of outdoor work.

Additional task-specific training will be provided for employees operating specialised tools, carrying out higher-risk tasks, or supervising others. Less experienced staff will be appropriately supervised until they are assessed as competent to work independently.

Protecting Clients, the Public, and Property

Our teams work in and around client premises, often in residential streets and shared outdoor areas. We plan our work to minimise disturbance and to protect people and property. This may include setting up safe work zones, using warning signs or barriers where necessary, and scheduling higher-noise activities at suitable times.

We will take care to avoid damage to gardens, structures, vehicles, and neighbouring properties. If an incident occurs, we will notify the client as soon as possible and cooperate fully in resolving the matter.

Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, injuries, near misses, and cases of ill health related to work must be reported to management. We will investigate incidents to identify causes and to prevent recurrence, learning from each event and updating our procedures where needed.

Emergency arrangements, including first aid provisions, communication methods, and procedures for contacting emergency services, will be in place for all teams. Employees will familiarise themselves with these arrangements before starting work at new locations.

Monitoring, Review, and Continuous Improvement

Gardeners St Helier will monitor the effectiveness of this Health and Safety Policy through regular reviews of risk assessments, inspection findings, incident reports, and feedback from employees and clients.

This policy will be reviewed periodically and whenever significant changes occur in our operations, equipment, or relevant legislation. Updated versions will be communicated to all employees so that health and safety remains an integral part of our gardening services in St Helier and surrounding areas.