Garden Clearance Havering - Health & Safety Policy
This Health and Safety Policy describes the commitment of Garden Clearance Havering to manage garden clearance, garden waste removal and general rubbish collection activities in a way that protects employees, clients, contractors and the environment. Our aim is to provide a safe, reliable and legally compliant rubbish company service area operation while minimising risk and ensuring that waste removal is performed responsibly. The purpose of this policy is to set out responsibilities, safe systems of work and the approach we take to incident prevention and continuous improvement.
All personnel involved in garden clearance, vegetation removal and bulky waste disposal must be aware that safety is a condition of employment. Managers and supervisors have a duty to carry out risk assessments, implement control measures, and ensure that staff receive appropriate training and supervision. Everyone on site must observe safe working practices and use the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) for tasks such as hedge-cutting, lifting, pruning and transporting garden waste.
Responsibilities are allocated at all levels. Senior management provide resources, maintain insurance and ensure compliance with applicable waste and transport legislation. Supervisors ensure that rubbish removal routes and vehicle loading are planned to reduce manual handling risks. Employees are expected to report hazards, follow safe methods, and not undertake work for which they are unfit or untrained. Contractors engaged for subcontract work are required to demonstrate equivalent standards of health & safety and environmental management.
We operate a structured risk assessment programme covering site-based garden clearance, composting, green waste segregation, and removal of mixed household and garden rubbish. Assessments address manual handling, slips, trips, falls, mechanical tool risks, use of chainsaws and brushcutters, noise, dust, and potential exposure to hazardous materials such as asbestos or chemical containers. Control measures include safe systems of work, use of PPE, exclusion zones, tool maintenance, and clear procedures for assessing and managing suspect hazardous items discovered during clearance.
Key control measures and safe working practices include:
- Pre-task briefings and documented risk assessments for every job;
- Mandatory PPE such as gloves, eye protection, hi-vis clothing and appropriate footwear;
- Training in manual handling, COSHH awareness, and safe machinery operation;
- Secure loading and vehicle checks to ensure safe transportation of garden waste and bulky rubbish;
- Clear procedures for reporting incidents, near misses and environmental spills.
These measures are applied consistently across our rubbish removal service area to protect workers and the public while ensuring statutory compliance for disposal and recycling obligations.
Our emergency preparedness and incident response arrangements require that all teams carry basic first aid kits and communications equipment. In the event of injury or a hazardous discovery, staff must secure the scene, provide first aid within competence and notify supervisors promptly. Serious incidents are escalated to senior management and recorded for investigation. Lessons learned from incidents feed back into revised risk assessments and training to prevent recurrence.
Environmental protection is integral to our policy. Garden Clearance Havering commits to minimising environmental impact by separating green waste, timber, recyclable materials and non-recyclable rubbish at source wherever practicable. Contaminated or hazardous items found during clearance are handled in line with appropriate waste classification and disposal routes. Our approach reduces landfill use and promotes reuse and recycling in line with prevailing waste management standards for a professional rubbish removal and garden clearance operation.
Vehicle and plant safety protocols are in place for all drivers and operators. Vehicles used for collection and disposal are maintained under a documented servicing regime and drivers conduct pre-shift inspections. Loads are secured to prevent spillage, and routes are planned to reduce risk to the public and workers. Training covers safe loading, use of tail-lifts, reversing procedures and incident reporting specific to the rubbish collection and garden waste transport context.
Training, competence and supervision form a core part of our safety culture. All new starters undergo induction covering company policies, emergency procedures and job-specific hazards. Ongoing training includes refresher courses on manual handling, hazard recognition, PPE use, and environmental awareness. Competence is assessed periodically and additional supervision provided where necessary. We use toolbox talks and briefings to reinforce safe behaviours during routine tasks and special projects.