Health and Safety Policy — Garden Clearance Lee

Garden Clearance Lee is committed to delivering a safe, compliant and responsible garden clearance and rubbish removal service across our rubbish company service area. This policy sets out the principles and controls we apply to protect employees, contractors, clients and the public during all garden waste removal and clearance operations. Our aim is to manage risks proactively so that every clearance job, from small garden tidy-ups to large-scale hedge and debris removals, is carried out with safety and environmental care at the forefront.

All personnel engaged in garden clearance and rubbish clearance are required to follow this policy and the associated procedures. The policy applies to all activities within our waste removal and clearance service area and to all sites where we operate, including private gardens, communal open spaces and commercial grounds. It is the responsibility of management to ensure this policy is implemented, communicated and periodically reviewed.

This document uses a risk-based approach: hazards are identified, evaluated and controlled before work begins. We recognise that garden clearance, green waste handling and general rubbish removal expose workers to a range of hazards including manual handling injuries, slips, trips, sharps and contamination. The policy complements site-specific risk assessments and method statements that must be prepared for higher-risk jobs.

Responsibilities and Duties

Management will take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure safe working conditions and safe systems of work within the garden clearance service. Key duties include:

• Provide resources for training, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Maintain vehicles and plant used for waste removal and rubbish collection to safe standards.
• Ensure supervision and competence for delivery teams operating in the clearance service area.

Employees and contractors must operate safely, follow instructions, use PPE and report incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions immediately. Workers must be familiar with the company's safe working procedures for garden waste removal, hazardous items handling and use of tools such as strimmers, saws and powered equipment.

Risk Control Measures

To reduce risk across the rubbish removal service area we implement a hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE. Typical measures include:

• Pre-operation checks: site surveys to identify buried utilities, heavy debris and hazardous waste before clearance begins.
• Safe systems: exclusion zones, traffic management and barriers to protect the public.
• Equipment: maintaining cutting tools and vehicles, fitting guards and ensuring secure loads during transport.

We apply strict procedures for handling potentially hazardous items (asbestos suspicion, chemical containers, syringes), ensuring such materials are segregated and referred to specialist disposal pathways rather than placed with general green waste or household rubbish.

Training, Competence and PPE

All staff receive induction training and ongoing refreshers tailored to garden clearance, green waste collection and general rubbish removal activities. Training covers:

• Manual handling and lifting techniques specific to bulky garden waste.
• Use of powered equipment and hand tools safely.
• Identification and management of hazardous waste and sharps.

Appropriate PPE is provided and must be worn on-site: high-visibility clothing, safety boots, gloves, eye protection and respiratory protection where dust or biohazard exposure is possible. Supervisors will verify competence before staff operate specialist machinery.

Records of training, toolbox talks and equipment maintenance are maintained to support continuous compliance across the clearance service area.

Incident Reporting and Emergency Response

All incidents and near misses must be reported promptly so that corrective actions can be implemented. Our incident response framework includes:

• Immediate first aid and medical referral where required.
• Site isolation and hazard control to prevent further harm.
• Investigation, root cause analysis and implementation of preventive measures.

Emergency procedures are in place for vehicle accidents, cuts and puncture injuries, chemical spill or discovery of suspected hazardous materials during garden clearance or rubbish collection.

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

We carry out regular audits and inspections across the rubbish company service area to ensure compliance with this policy. Performance is monitored by safety indicators including the number of incidents, near-miss reports and corrective actions completed. Lessons learnt from incidents and industry best practice inform improvements to procedures and training.

This policy is reviewed at planned intervals and updated as necessary to reflect changes in operations, legislation or industry standards. Employees are consulted on significant changes and are encouraged to contribute to safety improvements.

Garden Clearance Lee promotes a culture where safety is shared: everyone has a role in preventing harm and protecting the environment. By working together and following the controls set out in this policy, our garden clearance and rubbish removal services will continue to operate safely, responsibly and with respect for people and place.