Health and Safety Policy — Garden Clearance Leyton

This Health and Safety Policy sets out the commitment of Garden Clearance Leyton to provide safe, lawful and effective garden clearance and rubbish removal services across our service area. It applies to all operations including garden waste clearance, bulk rubbish removal, and related site works. Our aim is to prevent injury and ill health, protect the public and protect the environment while delivering a reliable clearance service. The policy underpins day-to-day decisions, operational planning and the training that supports safe working.

Scope and responsibility: The policy applies to every employee, contractor and temporary worker engaged in garden clearance, vegetation removal and waste disposal tasks. Management will ensure that adequate resources, supervision and equipment are provided. Employees must follow safe working instructions and use provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Everyone has a duty to report hazards, near-misses and incidents promptly so that remedial actions can be taken without delay.

Our approach includes formalised risk assessment of each site, method statements for complex jobs and regular review of procedures. Risk assessments will cover manual handling during bulk rubbish collection, the use of garden machinery, safe lifting and vehicle loading practices, and the identification of hazardous materials such as glass, chemical residues or sharps. Training will be matched to tasks and competency checked periodically to ensure safe use of tools and plant.

Control measures and safe systems

All work will be planned to minimise exposure to hazards. We require the correct selection and use of PPE including gloves, eye protection and sturdy footwear. Equipment will be maintained according to manufacturer guidance and inspected before use. Vehicle safety procedures will cover secure loading of green waste and general rubbish, safe on-site access and egress, and adherence to road safety when transporting waste between sites.

Handling hazardous items

Where potentially hazardous items are encountered, such as syringes, unknown containers or suspected asbestos-containing materials, work will stop and the item will be handled only by trained personnel or by specialist clearance teams. Employees must never assume an item is safe; instead they must isolate the area, notify their supervisor and follow incident protocols. Disposal of hazardous waste will comply with applicable waste control standards and authorised carriers will be used when required.

Equipment, materials and site layout controls are supported by administrative measures: clear signage, exclusion zones for public protection, and supervision during high-risk tasks. Workers are required to complete daily safety briefings that review hazards for the shift and confirm that suitable controls are in place. Consistent communication is essential to reduce accidents during garden clearance and general rubbish removal work.

We maintain an incident reporting and investigation process to learn from events and to prevent recurrence. All accidents, dangerous occurrences and near-misses must be reported. The organisation will provide first aid provisions appropriate to the service area and ensure that those first on scene have clear instructions for emergency response, including contacting emergency services if necessary. Health surveillance is available where workers are exposed to relevant risks.

Training and competence are central to our policy. All operatives will receive induction training covering waste handling, safe use of machinery, manual handling techniques and traffic management when working near roads. Refresher and task-specific courses will be provided regularly. Supervisors are responsible for confirming competence before assigning staff to solo or high-risk tasks. Continuous learning supports compliance and helps us provide a safer rubbish clearance service.

Monitoring, review and compliance — the policy will be reviewed at least annually and whenever there is a significant change in operations, equipment or legislation. Regular safety audits and spot checks are used to monitor compliance and identify improvements. We will cooperate with statutory inspections and implement corrective actions arising from audits, contractor reviews and internal assessments. The leadership team is committed to providing the resources necessary to meet health and safety obligations and to maintain a culture that values safe working in all garden clearance and waste removal activities.