Health and Safety Policy for Industrial Driveway Cleaning

Purpose: This policy sets out the approach of our gardening company to safe and effective industrial driveway cleaning and related hard-surface maintenance across our service area. It clarifies responsibilities, outlines required controls, and explains how we manage risks arising from pressure washing, mechanical sweeping, chemical treatments and vehicle movements. The aim is to protect staff, contractors, site visitors and the public while maintaining high standards of industrial driveway maintenance and associated grounds care.

Scope

This document covers all activities associated with industrial and commercial drive cleaning, including surface preparation, grease and oil removal, jet washing, waste containment and vegetation management on driveways, loading bays and yard surfaces. The policy applies to permanent employees, temporary staff and subcontractors engaged by the gardening company in the service area. It supports the safe delivery of driveway cleaning for industry, carpark washing and associated vegetation control without specifying local legislative detail.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities are distributed as follows: the company leadership will ensure there are adequate resources for safe delivery; supervisors will carry out task risk assessments and brief teams; operatives must follow procedures, use PPE and report hazards immediately. Essential duties include planning traffic management, ensuring signage is used, and confirming equipment is serviced and certificated where required. A clear chain of command must be maintained during every commercial driveway pressure washing or industrial yard cleaning job.

Risk assessment and controls — Before any industrial driveway power washing or hard-surface cleaning begins, a dynamic risk assessment must be completed. Identify slip and trip hazards, excavation or surface damage, buried services and potential contamination from oils, diesel or chemicals. Controls include isolating utilities where necessary, erecting temporary barriers, applying absorbent materials for spillage, and scheduling noisy operations to minimise disturbance. High-level tasks such as elevated surface cleaning require fall prevention measures and appropriate access equipment.

Operational procedures — Work must be conducted to documented safe systems: pre-start checks, method statements for each task, and a permit-to-work regime for complex or high-risk locations. Operators should adopt low-damage cleaning techniques where appropriate to protect asphalt, concrete and paving finishes. For example, controlled pressure washing settings and appropriate nozzle selection reduce surface erosion. Wastewater management and containment strategies are essential to prevent contaminant run-off into drains or landscaped areas.

Personal Protective Equipment is mandatory and must be suitable for the task: footwear with good slip resistance, chemical-resistant gloves, eye and face protection, hearing protection for high-noise equipment, and high-visibility clothing for roadside or busy yard operations. Tools and plant, including pressure washers, vacuums and sweepers, must be inspected before use and maintained according to manufacturer guidance. Vehicle-mounted units require secondary containment and secure storage for cleaning agents.

Training and competence are central to safe industrial driveway cleaning. All operatives will receive induction training, regular on-the-job coaching and refreshers covering safe pressure washing techniques, spill response, manual handling, and the correct use of chemicals. Carrier and operator competence for larger plant is verified through training records; apprentices and new starters work under supervision until signed off as competent. The gardening company commits to ongoing professional development to uphold both grounds maintenance and industrial hard-surface standards.

Environmental controls and waste — Preventing environmental harm is a priority. Containment methods such as drain covers, interceptor pads and vacuum recovery systems are used to capture oily or contaminated wash water. Waste materials must be segregated and disposed of responsibly through authorised waste handlers. Where biodegradable cleaners are appropriate, they will be selected to reduce environmental impact while maintaining cleaning performance on industrial driveways and commercial forecourts.

Monitoring, incident response and continuous improvement

The gardening company monitors performance through routine site audits, vehicle and equipment checks, and review of incident and near-miss records. Any spill, accidental discharge or injury triggers an immediate response: contain the hazard, assess harm, report and investigate to identify root causes. Lessons learned inform updates to the policy and procedures. This ensures a proactive approach to safety for industrial driveway cleaning, commercial driveway maintenance and associated yard care.

Key controls summary:

• Pre-task risk assessment and documented method statements for each job
• Appropriate signage, traffic management and cordoning of work areas
• Use of suitable PPE and regular training for personnel
• Containment and responsible disposal of wash water and waste
• Maintenance and inspection programmes for plant and equipment

Implementation and review: This policy is implemented through site-level procedures, training, and supervisor oversight. Reviews occur periodically and after any significant incident, change in equipment or process, or when new risks are identified. The gardening company aims to deliver consistently safe, high-quality industrial driveway cleaning services across its service area while protecting people and the environment.

Adherence to this policy ensures that industrial driveway maintenance, commercial driveway cleaning and related surface care activities are planned, controlled and executed in a way that minimises risk and supports continuous improvement in health, safety and environmental performance.