Health & Safety Policy — Garden Clearance Haringey

Garden Clearance Haringey is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of all employees, contractors and members of the public affected by our garden clearance and rubbish removal activities. This policy sets out the framework within which we manage risks across our rubbish company service area, garden waste operations and associated vehicle movements. Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health and environmental harm by applying proportionate and effective controls during all clearance, collection and disposal tasks. Safety is integral to every job we undertake.

Scope and responsibilities

This policy applies to every task undertaken by the business across the defined service region and to every person employed, contracted or acting on behalf of Garden Clearance Haringey. The Company Director holds overall accountability for health and safety. Line managers are responsible for day-to-day implementation, while individual employees are responsible for following safe systems of work and reporting hazards. We operate as a rubbish clearance and garden clearance provider and maintain standards appropriate to a small-to-medium rubbish removal enterprise operating in a multi-site service area.

Legal compliance and statutory duties

We will comply with relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice applicable to refuse handling, green waste processing, fly-tipping prevention and transport of garden waste across our rubbish removal service area. The company will identify and meet statutory duties for risk assessment, training, equipment maintenance, and safe vehicle use. Where contractors or third-party operatives are engaged, we will ensure they meet equivalent standards and that safe coordination arrangements are in place.

Risk assessment and control measures

Risk assessments are undertaken for routine and non-routine tasks including hedge trimming, tree pruning, bulky waste removal, manual handling of soil and compost, and operation of mechanical aids. Control measures will follow the hierarchy of prevention and include elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE). Key hazards identified include sharps and contaminated waste, manual handling strain, slippery surfaces, and vehicle interaction with pedestrians.

Training, competence and PPE

We provide targeted training to ensure competence in safe manual handling, use of powered hand tools, chainsaws (where applicable), and safe operation of rubbish collection vehicles and trailers. All staff and contractors will receive induction training, periodic refresher sessions and task-specific briefings. PPE such as gloves, hi-vis, eye protection, safety boots and respiratory protection are provided where risk assessment indicates. Employees must wear issued PPE and maintain it in a serviceable condition.

Safe systems and working practices include pre-task briefings, toolbox talks, documented method statements for higher risk activities, and clear segregation procedures for hazardous materials. The company will not accept, transport or dispose of hazardous or controlled wastes without appropriate training and licensing arrangements in place. We operate clear procedures for identifying, isolating and safely removing hazardous items encountered during garden clearance work.

Emergency procedures and incident reporting

All staff must be familiar with emergency actions for incidents such as serious injury, fire, chemical spill or vehicle collision. Emergency procedures include immediate first aid, secure the scene, notify the emergency services where required, and preserve evidence for investigation. Incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions must be reported promptly to management so that corrective actions can be implemented and lessons learned shared across the rubbish company and garden clearance service operations.

Monitoring, audits and contractor management

We conduct regular site inspections, vehicle checks and safety audits to ensure controls are effective and to identify opportunities for improvement. Contractors engaged to assist with clearance operations must demonstrate adequate competence, insurance and safety management systems; they will be monitored through pre-qualification checks and on-site supervision. Records of training, risk assessments, vehicle maintenance and incident reports are retained and reviewed to support continuous compliance across the service area.

Waste handling, vehicles and environmental controls

The safe handling, segregation and secure containment of garden waste and general rubbish is central to preventing environmental contamination and harm to staff and the public. Vehicles and trailers are maintained to a safe standard, loads are secured to prevent spillage, and spill kits are available where fuel or oil contamination risk exists. We promote waste minimisation and legal disposal routes, seeking to reduce landfill where practicable and to comply with waste transfer regulations in our waste removal and rubbish clearance operations.