Gardening and landscape work, while seemingly peaceful and serene, can pose various hazards that put workers at risk. Your safety is of utmost importance to us. One of the most common hazards is overexposure to the sun, which can lead to skin damage, sunburn, and even skin cancer. Manual handling injuries are also a common risk, as gardeners often need to lift heavy bags of soil, plants, and other materials, which can strain muscles or cause back injuries.

Additionally, gardeners frequently use sharp tools and equipment such as pruning shears, hedge trimmers, and lawnmowers, which can cause cuts, scrapes, and other injuries if improperly handled. More uncommon risks include respiratory problems such as L. pneumonia, caused by inhaling dust or other airborne particles while working with soil or compost.

Finally, gardeners who work on trees or shrubbery may be at risk of falling from a height, especially if they are not using appropriate safety equipment. However, by following the safety guidelines and using protective equipment, these risks can be effectively managed. Thorough gardening risk assessments that identify potential hazards and take steps to minimise or eliminate them are essential. By doing so, gardeners can help prevent accidents and ensure a safe and healthy working environment.

Our HSE experts have outlined a few of the rules that you should follow to ensure landscaping health and safety:

• Wearing appropriate PPR, such as eye and ear protection and gloves.
• Wearing SPF and covering your skin on a hot day.
• COSHH assessments when working with dangerous substances and chemicals.
• Regularly checking all equipment.
• Keeping work areas tidy to prevent slips, trips, and falls

It often helps to know more about common issues that cause injury to gardeners, and at HSEDocs we've put together some great training courses for you. These include:

• Asbestos Awareness 
• Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls
• Working at Heights
• Manual Handling
• First Aid at Work

Essential H&S Documents Gardeners Need Include;

Company Health and Safety Policy:

Suppose you are an employer with more than five employees, including managers, secretaries, directors, etc.. In that case, it is mandatory for you to have a written Company Health and Safety Policy. While having a written policy becomes legally binding only when your company has at least five employees, it is always better to have a policy in place, even if it is not mandatory. The benefits of having such a policy are manifold, including enhancing your company's reputation and increasing your chances of being accepted in various supply chains. Therefore, it is advisable to consider having a policy that can help ensure your employees' safety and well-being while complying with legal obligations and industry standards.

RAMS

RAMS is an abbreviation for all the health and safety documentation a company must maintain, except for the Company Health and Safety Policy, which is a separate document. During the early stages of implementing Health and Safety regulations, the primary documents submitted were Risk and Method Statements, and the term RAMS was coined. However, over time, RAMS has evolved to include three main types of documents, which are now considered a crucial part of any company H&S Pack. Besides these standard documents, additional policies or statements may be required as part of the H&S Pack. The three essential documents for a RAMS pack are:

Method statements:

A Method Statement is a crucial document that outlines the safe procedures for carrying out tasks. It may seem unnecessary to instruct someone on how to perform a task that they already know how to do. Still, a Method Statement prioritises safety and provides an operative with clear instructions on how to carry out a task safely with the least risk. A Method Statement should provide a comprehensive guide on the safe work systems for executing tasks, ensuring that operatives work safely and avoid accidents. It is interesting to note that although it is not a legal requirement, it is a prerequisite for most principal contractors. Therefore, it is essential to have a well-drafted Method Statement to ensure the safety of the workers and avoid any potential hazards that may arise during the execution of a task.

Risk Assessments:

Assessing risks is a crucial step in maintaining safety in any working situation. It involves identifying potential hazards and implementing control measures to mitigate their impact. To achieve practical risk assessment and suitable control measures, it is essential to remain vigilant and proactive in identifying potential hazards and taking appropriate action to prevent them from causing harm. By staying informed, following best practices, and implementing effective control measures, we can ensure a safe and productive workplace for everyone involved.

COSHH Assessments:

COSHH, which stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, is a comprehensive set of regulations to safeguard individuals against exposure to hazardous substances. These regulations require employers to identify dangerous materials and take necessary precautions to control the risks. The primary objective of COSHH is to prevent or minimise the risk of workers and the public being exposed to hazardous substances in the workplace. It is worth noting that COSHH applies to a wide range of substances, including chemicals, dust, fumes, biological agents, and other dangerous materials. If a product or substance is deemed hazardous, it is advisable to replace it with a non-hazardous product that produces the same results, wherever feasible. This approach can significantly decrease the risk of harm to workers and others exposed to these substances.