Gardeners Burroughs Health and Safety Policy

At Gardeners Burroughs, we are committed to providing professional gardening and grounds maintenance services in a way that protects the health, safety and welfare of our employees, clients, contractors and members of the public. This policy sets out our approach to managing risk, promoting safe working practices and complying with relevant health and safety legislation and guidance.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health, to minimise risks arising from our gardening activities, and to continuously improve our health and safety performance. We aim to identify hazards at the planning stage of every job, implement appropriate control measures and ensure that everyone working for or with us understands their responsibilities.

Management Responsibilities

The management of Gardeners Burroughs has overall responsibility for health and safety within the company. This includes establishing and maintaining safe systems of work, providing adequate resources for training and equipment, and regularly reviewing this policy to ensure it remains effective and relevant to the nature of our gardening services.

Managers will ensure that all gardening tasks are risk assessed and that control measures are implemented before work begins. They will verify that equipment is properly maintained, staff are competent for the duties they undertake, and any incidents or near misses are investigated so that lessons can be learned and improvements made.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee of Gardeners Burroughs has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Employees must follow all safety instructions, use protective equipment correctly, and co-operate with management in implementing this policy.

Team members are expected to report hazards, defects, near misses and incidents promptly so that corrective action can be taken. No employee should undertake any task for which they have not received proper instruction or feel unsafe to perform, especially when using machinery, chemicals or working at height.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We carry out suitable and proportionate risk assessments for all gardening and grounds maintenance activities. This includes routine work such as lawn care, planting, hedge cutting and pruning, as well as more specialised or seasonal tasks. Hazards such as uneven ground, manual handling, sharp tools, machinery, noise, dust, and exposure to the weather are carefully considered.

From each assessment we develop safe systems of work and method statements where appropriate. These set out how tasks will be carried out, what equipment will be used, which protective measures are required, and how the work area will be secured to protect staff, clients and the public.

Use of Tools, Machinery and Equipment

Gardeners Burroughs selects and maintains tools and machinery suitable for professional gardening operations. All powered equipment, including mowers, trimmers, hedge cutters, blowers and other specialist machinery, is inspected and serviced at appropriate intervals in line with manufacturers guidance and industry best practice.

Only trained and authorised personnel may operate powered equipment. Pre-use checks are carried out before starting work, and any defective or damaged tool or machine is taken out of service until repaired or replaced. Guards, safety devices and controls must never be removed, bypassed or misused.

Personal Protective Equipment

We provide appropriate personal protective equipment to our staff according to the tasks they are carrying out and the hazards identified in our risk assessments. This may include safety footwear, gloves, eye and ear protection, high-visibility clothing, respiratory protection and weather-appropriate workwear.

Employees are required to wear and look after the personal protective equipment issued to them and to report any damage or loss so that replacements can be arranged. Personal protective equipment is considered a last line of defence and is always used in conjunction with other safety controls.

Chemicals, Fertilisers and Substances

Where our work involves the use of garden chemicals, fertilisers, fuels or other substances, Gardeners Burroughs follows safe handling, storage and application procedures. We assess the risks associated with each substance and ensure that staff receive appropriate information, instruction and training.

Products are stored securely, clearly labelled and kept in suitable containers. When applying treatments, we take care to avoid harm to people, pets, wildlife and the wider environment, and we follow manufacturer instructions and relevant regulations at all times.

Working at Height and Manual Handling

Many gardening tasks involve working at height, such as pruning, hedge cutting or tree work, and manual handling, including lifting and moving soil, plants, tools and waste. These activities are risk assessed, and we adopt safe methods to minimise the risk of falls, strains and other injuries.

Where work at height is unavoidable, suitable equipment and techniques are used, and only competent staff carry out such tasks. For manual handling, employees are trained in safe lifting techniques, and mechanical aids or team lifting are used wherever possible to reduce physical strain.

Site Management and Public Safety

On every site, we plan our work to minimise disruption and ensure the safety of clients, visitors and the general public. This includes setting up clear working areas, using barriers or warning signs when required, securing tools and materials, and keeping access routes clear.

We take particular care in residential and public spaces where children, pets or passers-by may be present. Machine operation is stopped immediately if there is any risk to others nearby, and debris and waste are managed so as not to create slip, trip or other hazards.

Training, Communication and Consultation

Gardeners Burroughs provides appropriate health and safety training to all employees, including induction training for new starters and refresher training when needed. Specialist training is provided for high-risk tasks, such as operating specific machinery or handling certain substances.

We communicate health and safety information clearly to our staff and encourage open dialogue about safety concerns and improvements. Employees are consulted on matters affecting their health and safety and are invited to contribute suggestions for safer and more efficient ways of working.

Incident Reporting and Policy Review

All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences are reported, recorded and investigated. The findings are used to prevent recurrence, update risk assessments and improve procedures. Where required, incidents are reported to the appropriate authorities in line with statutory requirements.

This health and safety policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our activities, equipment or legal obligations. Gardeners Burroughs is committed to continuously improving its health and safety performance and to maintaining a culture in which safe working is an integral part of delivering high-quality gardening services.