Health and Safety Policy for Retail Park Driveway Cleaning

Purpose: This policy sets out the health and safety principles and required practices for Retail park driveway cleaning operations undertaken by a gardening company or grounds maintenance contractor. It aims to protect employees, site users and visitors by identifying hazards related to retail driveway maintenance and defining control measures to reduce risk during cleaning, degreasing, litter removal, and vegetation control on drive aisles and access ways.

Scope: The policy applies to all staff, subcontractors and supervisors involved in driveway cleaning for retail parks, including work on pavements, vehicle routes, loading bays and adjacent landscaped areas. It covers mechanical pressure washing, manual scrubbing, litter and leaf clearance, removal of oil slicks, and use of chemical cleaners where permitted.

Responsibilities

Management is responsible for ensuring safe systems of work, provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), training and supervision. Staff must follow safe methods, report hazards and wear required PPE. Supervisors will ensure risk assessments are current and that staff understand the specific requirements for car park driveway cleaning and general retail park cleaning.

Risk Assessment and Planning

Before each task, a documented risk assessment must be completed for the specific site and activity. Assessments should consider vehicle movement, pedestrian flow, gradients, surface condition, contamination by oil or chemicals, proximity to retail entrances and landscaping. The planning stage must define exclusion zones, signage, traffic management arrangements and appropriate retail driveway maintenance techniques.

Control measures must prioritise elimination of hazards where possible. Where elimination is not possible, adopt substitution, engineering controls (e.g., silt traps, water capture systems), administrative controls (timed work outside peak pedestrian hours) and PPE as the final barrier. For mechanical pressure washing and vacuuming, use equipment with safety features and maintain machinery in line with manufacturer guidance.

Examples of specific controls include:

• Traffic management: temporary cones, barriers, and marshals to separate cleaning activity from moving vehicles and shoppers;
• Surface protection: absorbents and containment for fuel or oil spills and immediate removal procedures for hazardous liquids;
• Noise and dust: use of low-noise equipment or timed operations and wet methods or dust suppression where cutting or abrasive cleaning is required;
• Chemical use: use biodegradable or industry-approved cleaners, stored and labelled correctly, with COSHH-style information provided to operatives.

PPE and Equipment All personnel engaged in shopping center driveway cleaning or related tasks must wear PPE appropriate to the hazard: high-visibility clothing, gloves resistant to chemicals, waterproof boots with slip-resistant soles, eye protection, and hearing protection where needed. Equipment must be inspected before use; records of inspections and maintenance should be kept.

Training and Competence

Staff must receive induction training on site-specific risks and competence training for pressure washers, surface cleaners, and any vehicle-mounted units. Training includes safe handling of cleaning agents, manual handling techniques to reduce strain during litter and debris removal, and procedures for working near moving vehicles. Regular refresher training and competency checks ensure sustained safe performance.

Emergency Procedures Emergency plans must cover first aid, spill response, and action in the event of vehicle collisions or injury. Operatives must know the location of first aid kits and spill kits, how to summon assistance and the procedures for securing the area. In the event of a chemical exposure, follow the product safety data sheet (SDS) and seek medical assistance if required.

Monitoring, Reporting and Continuous Improvement Regular monitoring of retail park driveway cleaning performance is required through site audits, incident reporting and review of risk assessments following near misses or changes to the environment. Records of inspections, training and incidents must be retained to demonstrate compliance with company standards and to support continuous improvement of safe working practices.

Performance indicators may include numbers of site inspections completed, incidents recorded, training sessions delivered and corrective actions implemented. Supervisors should hold routine briefings to review lessons learned and update team members on any procedural changes.

Policy Review This policy is a living document and should be reviewed at least annually or sooner following significant incidents, equipment changes, or updates in best practice. The review process ensures that retail driveway maintenance activities remain aligned with evolving safety expectations and that employees are supported to work safely and efficiently across all retail park cleaning operations.