Health and Safety Policy for Garden Maintenance Marylebone

Garden Maintenance Marylebone is committed to providing a safe working environment for employees, contractors and the public while delivering professional garden care and maintenance services. This policy sets out our approach to health and safety for all aspects of commercial and domestic garden work, including turf care, pruning, planting and landscape maintenance. Our aim is to prevent injury and ill health by embedding safety into everyday tasks and decision-making, and to ensure that our Marylebone garden maintenance teams operate to consistent standards across the service area.

Policy statement and objectives

We will: maintain safe systems of work; provide appropriate training and equipment; assess and manage risk; and ensure legal compliance and continuous improvement. The statement of intent applies to garden services, hedge cutting, lawn care and seasonal projects. All staff, sub-contractors and visitors are expected to comply with this policy and to cooperate with risk control measures. The organisation recognises its responsibility to consider health and safety in planning, scheduling and carrying out maintenance work in both private and communal settings.

Our objectives include reducing accidents and near-misses, controlling exposure to hazardous substances used in ground treatments, and managing manual handling and machinery risks. We use routine risk assessments to identify hazards associated with landscaping projects, tree work, use of ride-on mowers and chainsaws, and pesticide application. This risk-led approach ensures that Marylebone garden contractors and onsite teams understand the hazards and the controls required before any work starts.

Roles, responsibilities and training

The company director holds ultimate responsibility for health and safety and delegates day-to-day duties to supervisors and site managers. Employees and operatives have a duty to follow safe working procedures, report hazards and to wear required protective equipment. Supervisors must ensure that operatives are competent and that toolbox talks and site briefings are carried out for each job. Training covers safe operation of handheld and powered equipment, manual handling techniques, and safe use of chemicals in accordance with labelled instructions.

Equipment, PPE and maintenance

All plant and equipment used by our garden maintenance teams are inspected, maintained and serviced on a planned schedule. Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, eye protection, hearing protection and chainsaw protective trousers are provided and must be worn. Equipment that presents a hazard is taken out of service until repaired. This includes the safe storage and refuelling procedures for petrol-powered machinery and the secure transport of tools between sites.

Workwear and protective clothing policies are enforced to reduce exposure to mechanical, chemical and biological risks. A written schedule for machinery checks and certification is kept, and records of maintenance and operator competence are retained as part of our safety management system.

Emergency response, first aid and incident reporting are integral to our safety arrangements. First aid kits are maintained on-site and at the company depot. Employees are instructed on site-specific emergency procedures, including evacuation routes and how to summon assistance. All accidents, incidents and near-misses are reported, recorded and reviewed so that corrective actions reduce future risk. Learning from incidents is used to update risk assessments and working practices for garden services and landscape projects.

Risk assessment and safe systems

Written risk assessments are produced for all routine tasks and for one-off projects. Assessments consider: manual handling and lifting, working at height (for tree and hedge work), traffic management where work is near roads or footpaths, and control of hazardous substances (including pesticides and fuels). The organisation uses method statements where required to describe safe systems of work, especially for higher risk tasks such as arboriculture, structural pruning and machinery operation.

Waste management and environmental controls are included within our health and safety policy. Garden arisings, chemical containers and fuel waste are handled, stored and disposed of responsibly to prevent contamination and to protect public spaces. We encourage best practice in the use of materials and aim to minimise environmental impact while maintaining high standards of landscape and garden maintenance throughout the service area.

Contractor selection and supervision are carried out with due regard to competence and safety performance. Sub-contractors undertaking Marylebone garden maintenance or related services must demonstrate their ability to meet our health and safety requirements and provide evidence of suitable qualifications and insurance. The company reserves the right to monitor and audit contractor activities to ensure compliance with this policy.

Communication and consultation with employees play a central role in maintaining safe workplaces. Regular briefings, risk notices and updates to written procedures ensure that staff are aware of changes to work methods, legislation or equipment. All staff are encouraged to raise concerns and to suggest improvements—these contributions are considered during periodic policy reviews.

Review and continuous improvement: this Health and Safety policy for garden maintenance will be reviewed annually or following a significant incident, change to operations, or introduction of new equipment or materials. The review process ensures the policy remains effective and aligned with best practice for garden care, landscaping and grounds maintenance across the service area. Commitment to safety is central to our reputation and to delivering reliable, professional garden services with the wellbeing of people and the environment at the forefront.