Office Driveway Cleaning Health & Safety Policy

The following health and safety policy sets out the standards and controls for office driveway cleaning and related driveway maintenance activities carried out by gardening and grounds teams. It is designed to ensure safe delivery of commercial driveway cleaning, entranceway washing and car park maintenance for workplaces and managed sites. The policy emphasises hazard identification, safe systems of work, staff competence and environmental protection. The overarching objective is to protect operatives, building users and visitors while maintaining the appearance and function of office approaches and driveway surfaces.

Scope and Responsibilities

All personnel engaged in driveway and forecourt cleaning must be familiar with this policy. Managers are responsible for commissioning and recording risk assessments and ensuring that method statements are prepared for more complex jobs. Operatives must follow site controls, wear appropriate personal protective equipment and report unsafe conditions immediately. Supervisors must confirm that daily checks are completed: machine inspections, PPE availability and the placement of exclusion barriers. Contractors carrying out commercial driveway cleaning on behalf of a gardening company must comply with the same safety expectations as in-house teams.

Before work starts, each site will have a documented risk assessment that considers pedestrian flows, vehicle movements, surface slopes and the condition of paving or tarmac. Assessments will account for the type of cleaning required — from low-pressure soft washing near planted borders to high-pressure washing on robust surfaces — and will identify measures to mitigate slip hazards and dust or debris generation. The assessment will also determine whether additional traffic control or temporary closures are necessary to protect site users during office driveway cleaning operations.

Safe Work Procedures

Safe systems of work must be established and communicated before any driveway cleaning work commences. Equipment such as pressure washers, mechanical sweepers and vacuum units must be used only by trained staff and checked daily for defects. Electrical connections and fuel-powered machinery should be sited and managed to avoid tripping hazards and fuel leaks. When cleaning adjacent to planting or soft landscaping, adopt gentler cleaning methods and use protective boards if necessary to prevent soil compaction or plant damage while delivering effective driveway maintenance.

Traffic and pedestrian management are central to safe operations. Work zones will be clearly segregated with cones, barrier tape and signage, and entry points will be monitored. Key controls include:

• Provide visible cordons and clear wayfinding to divert pedestrians.
• Use a dedicated spotter when machines operate near moving vehicles.
• Schedule high-impact cleaning outside peak arrival and departure times.

Communication with site management is essential to plan temporary rerouting and to ensure disabled access remains available. Where necessary, additional staff should be assigned to attend to pedestrian safety and to monitor approach roads while driveway and parking area cleaning is underway.

Selection and handling of cleaning chemicals should prioritise biodegradable, low-toxicity products where effective. Substances must be stored in clearly labelled containers, and operatives must be familiar with manufacturer guidance and safe dilution rates. Contaminated residues and collected wash water must be treated to prevent pollutants entering drainage systems; use silt traps, absorbents and licensed disposal routes as part of a responsible waste management approach aligned with the gardening company service area’s environmental commitments.

Training, supervision and competency assurance underpin safe delivery. Regular briefings and recorded training sessions will cover manual handling techniques, machine operation, chemical awareness and emergency response. Encourage staff to use the stop-and-think principle and to seek clarification if site conditions change. First aid provision should be accessible during driveway cleaning tasks, and operatives should know how to summon additional help if needed. A proactive safety culture reduces accidents and supports consistent, high-quality driveway cleaning for offices and commercial premises.

Environmental protection measures are integral to the policy. Measures include containment of wash water, preventing direct discharge to sensitive drains or watercourses and protecting planted borders from runoff. Where oil, fuel or other pollutants are present, segregate and recover contaminants using absorbents or specialist equipment. Maintain clear records of products used and disposal actions taken to support transparent stewardship of the landscape and to minimise potential harm to soil and local flora.

Incident reporting and continuous improvement will be maintained through formal documentation. All near misses and accidents must be reported promptly, investigated and acted upon to prevent recurrence. Periodic review of the health and safety policy for office driveway cleaning will reflect changes in equipment, techniques and environmental best practice. By adhering to these provisions, gardening company teams can deliver safe, effective and environmentally sensitive driveway and forecourt cleaning across their service area.