Describe how to identify potential hazards and risks on a site, including overhead and underground hazards (e.g. electric cables); unsafe buildings, features and trees; topography and existing features (e.g. watercourses and ponds). Define hazard and risk as used in risk assessments. site topography; unsafe hard landscaping features and garden buildings; trees; areas of water in the garden; overhead and underground services.

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GARDEN SURVEY

SITE SURVEY see GARDEN SURVEY

HEALTH AND SAFETY

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE

HSE

HAZARD hazard is something that causes harm,

RISK risk is the likelihood that harm will occur and the severity of it

ENVIROMENTAL HAZARD

Existing Features, e.g., Water Courses and Ponds: Hazard – water/falling in/loose edging; Risk – drowning; Water in bubble fountain type features; Mesh system just under the surface.

RISK ASSESSMENT

OVERHEAD SERVICE

State why it is necessary to identify the existence of overhead and underground services: Health and safety issues; Soil movement/levelling can alter the depth cables are under the ground; Planning of planting: Do not plant trees under overhead lines; Or plant trees over sewage pipes where the roots can enter via damaged pipes and cause pipes to block up.

UNDERGROUND SERVICE

State why it is necessary to identify the existence of overhead and underground services: Health and safety issues; Soil movement/levelling can alter the depth cables are under the ground; Planning of planting: Do not plant trees under overhead lines; Or plant trees over sewage pipes where the roots can enter via damaged pipes and cause pipes to block up.

OVERHEAD HAZARD Visual Observation:

Wires on Post;

Can come down the pole and then become underground with no access or observation covers. Hopefully go in a straight line to point when next seen (in house);

Electric/telephone;

Hazard – electricity;

Risk – electrocution;

Danger of electrocution if wire touched;

Carrying metal ladders/irrigation tubes. In foggy weather high voltage lines can arch/jump;

Climbing ladders/towers;

Lorry’s tipping loads on site;

Inconvenience of bringing down lines and cost of repair;

Mark overhead lines red & white tape.

UNDERGROUND HAZARD Electricity/telephone/Cable TV/water mains/sewage system/surface, rain

ELECTRICAL HAZARD

UNSAFE BUILDING Observation:

Hazards – collapse/falling over/bits falling off;

Risk – injury/death;

Fence off/make safe/pull down.

UNSAFE TREE Unsafe Trees (Professional Inspection/Legal Implication):

Observation:

Weak points/opening splits/trunks oozing/fungal growth;

Hazard – falling limbs/trees/falling leaves and fruit causing slippery surfaces;

Risk of injury to death/trips and slips.

TOPOGRAPHY Shape of the Land Shape of the Land): Steep slopes: Hazard – steepness of the slope; Risk of slipping down the slope causing grazes or broken bones; Overcome by terracing with retaining walls, access by winding paths with shallow gradients, steps with hand rails on steps, and use of non-slip surfaces on steeper slopes.

EXISTING FEATURE

Existing Features, e.g., Water Courses and Ponds: Hazard – water/falling in/loose edging; Risk – drowning; Water in bubble fountain type features; Mesh system just under the surface. State what existing garden features need to be identified, including buildings, hard landscaping features, trees, plants that are to be retained: Buildings; Hard landscaping features: Both can save on cost of rebuilding. Trees – give size (scale, proportion), shade, maturity, height; Plants – in general. Can be rare or good quality cultivars – have memories. Some plants can be moved, or propagated for use in the garden.

WATERCOURSE