Garden Clearance Wandsworth — Health & Safety Policy

This Health and Safety policy sets out the standards and procedures for our garden clearance and rubbish removal service. It applies across our service area and is designed to protect staff, contractors, clients and the public while delivering safe garden waste removal, waste clearance and general rubbish collection operations. The policy emphasises risk control, training, and ongoing monitoring rather than prescriptive local rules.

Our objectives are to provide a consistent, legally informed approach to health and safety for all garden clearance activities and to maintain high standards across the rubbish company service area. We commit to preventing injury and ill health, minimising environmental harm and ensuring that operations such as shrub removal, composting, timber disposal and bulky waste collection are managed safely.

Scope and Responsibilities

This policy covers all activities that form part of our garden clearance service, including site assessment, waste segregation, loading and transportation, and disposal. It applies to permanent employees, temporary workers and authorised contractors operating within the wider rubbish removal service region.

Key responsibilities include:

• Management — ensure resources, training and risk assessments are in place and reviewed regularly.
• Supervisors — monitor compliance, report incidents and ensure safe work methods are followed.
• Operatives — use provided PPE, follow site instructions and report hazards promptly.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

All garden clearance tasks are subject to a documented risk assessment prior to commencement. Assessments consider manual handling, use of powered equipment, needle and sharps risks in green waste, potential contamination of rubbish streams, vehicle movements and public access. Controls include segregation of hazardous items, permits for powered equipment and exclusion zones where necessary.

Safe systems of work for waste clearance and rubbish removal service activities include task-specific method statements, daily briefings, toolbox talks and clear communication between drivers and ground crews. We adopt a hierarchy of controls: eliminate, substitute, engineer, administrate and provide PPE. This helps manage hazards posed by broken glass, heavy timber, soil-laden waste and chemical residues.

Personal protective equipment is provided according to task risk: gloves, safety boots, hi-vis, eye protection and respiratory protection where dust or spores may be present. All PPE is maintained, replaced as needed, and its use is recorded. Regular inspections of tools and machinery ensure that chainsaws, shredders and chipper machines used in garden clearance are serviceable and guarded to prevent entanglement and cuts.

Vehicles and plant used for rubbish collection and garden waste removal are subject to pre-use checks, secure loading procedures and load restraint to prevent spills during transit. Drivers follow safe driving protocols and site access controls to reduce risks to pedestrians and other road users within the service area.

Training and competence are central to our approach. Staff receive induction training, role-specific instruction (including manual handling and machinery operation) and refresher training. Training records are maintained and competency assessments carried out for specialist tasks such as operating shredders or lifting heavy garden waste items.

Incident Reporting, First Aid and Emergency Procedures

An incident reporting system captures near-misses, injuries and environmental incidents connected to our garden clearance and rubbish removal activities. Incidents are investigated, corrective actions are implemented and lessons shared to improve safety across the rubbish company service area. First aid provision is maintained at depots and operatives are trained in basic first aid.

Emergency procedures address vehicle collisions, fuel spills, severe tool injuries and fire. Spill kits, fire extinguishers and emergency contact chains are in place. Evacuation and emergency response are rehearsed periodically so staff know how to act to reduce harm and environmental impact.

Waste segregation and legal compliance — materials are separated at source where practical to reduce contamination and environmental risk. Hazardous items identified during garden clearance are managed in line with waste regulations and stored safely pending appropriate disposal by authorised facilities.

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

The policy is reviewed annually and after significant incidents to ensure it remains fit for purpose across the service region. Performance is monitored using safety audits, site inspections and compliance checks specifically targeted at garden waste removal tasks and rubbish collection operations.

We adopt an open safety culture where staff are encouraged to suggest improvements. Documentation including risk assessments, training records and incident logs are retained for review and to support continuous improvement of our waste clearance and garden clearance services.

Commitment: We are committed to maintaining a safe working environment for all those involved in garden clearance and rubbish removal across our service area. Through clear responsibilities, robust risk management and ongoing training, we aim to deliver safe, efficient and legally compliant waste services.