Product Overview

Summary: This Landscaping and Restoration Work Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, practical steps for carrying out soft and hard landscaping, revegetation and site restoration safely and efficiently. It helps Australian businesses control high‑risk outdoor work, protect workers and the public, and demonstrate compliance with WHS duties on construction, civil and environmental projects.

Landscaping and restoration work often involves a complex mix of tasks: excavation, planting, turfing, mulching, retaining wall construction, use of powered equipment, and working on uneven or unstable ground. These activities expose workers to a range of hazards, from mobile plant and traffic interaction to manual handling, chemical exposure, and environmental risks such as heat, UV and wildlife. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, step‑by‑step approach that brings these elements together into a single, consistent method for planning and delivering landscaping and restoration works on Australian sites.

The SOP is designed to help businesses meet their WHS obligations while maintaining productivity and quality outcomes. It guides supervisors and crews through pre‑start planning, site assessment, selection of appropriate controls, safe use of machinery and tools, and environmentally responsible restoration practices such as erosion control, weed management and protection of waterways. By implementing this procedure, organisations can reduce incident rates, improve contractor management, ensure consistent standards across multiple sites, and provide clear evidence of due diligence to clients, regulators and principal contractors.

Key Benefits

• Ensure landscaping and restoration activities are planned and executed in line with Australian WHS legislation and industry best practice.
• Reduce the likelihood of injuries from manual handling, slips, trips, falls and interaction with mobile plant and vehicles.
• Standardise work methods across crews and projects, improving consistency, quality and supervision of subcontractors.
• Demonstrate due diligence to clients, principal contractors and regulators through documented, auditable procedures.
• Support environmentally responsible restoration outcomes, including erosion control, weed management and protection of sensitive habitats.

Who is this for?

• Landscaping Supervisors
• Landscape Gardeners
• Civil and Environmental Site Supervisors
• Grounds Maintenance Teams
• Parks and Gardens Managers
• Revegetation and Bush Regeneration Crews
• Construction Project Managers
• WHS Advisors and Safety Officers
• Local Council Works Coordinators
• Facilities and Asset Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Struck-by incidents involving mobile plant, vehicles and ride-on equipment
• Slips, trips and falls on uneven, unstable or wet ground
• Musculoskeletal injuries from repetitive or heavy manual handling of plants, soil, rocks and pavers
• Contact with rotating or cutting parts on brush cutters, chainsaws, mowers and other powered equipment
• Exposure to hazardous chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers and fuels
• Heat stress, dehydration and UV exposure during outdoor work
• Noise-induced hearing loss from prolonged use of powered equipment
• Bites and stings from insects, spiders, snakes and other wildlife
• Flying debris and projectiles during cutting, trimming or mechanical excavation
• Excavation and trench collapse hazards when reshaping terrain or installing services
• Environmental contamination from sediment run-off, chemical spills or poor waste handling
• Public interface risks where works are conducted in parks, streetscapes or shared spaces

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Project Types (Landscaping vs Restoration)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Planning, Approvals and Environmental Considerations
• 5.0 Site Assessment, Hazard Identification and Risk Controls
• 6.0 Required PPE, Tools, Machinery and Plant
• 7.0 Traffic Management and Public Interface Controls
• 8.0 Safe Work Method for Soft Landscaping (Planting, Turfing, Mulching)
• 9.0 Safe Work Method for Hard Landscaping (Paving, Retaining Walls, Structures)
• 10.0 Restoration and Revegetation Procedures (Soil Preparation, Erosion and Sediment Control, Weed Management)
• 11.0 Manual Handling and Use of Mechanical Aids
• 12.0 Safe Use of Chemicals (Herbicides, Pesticides and Fertilisers)
• 13.0 Environmental Protection Measures and Waste Management
• 14.0 Adverse Weather, Heat, UV and Wildlife Risk Management
• 15.0 Equipment Pre-Start Checks, Maintenance and Isolation
• 16.0 Incident Reporting, Near Misses and Corrective Actions
• 17.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 18.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations (as implemented in relevant Australian jurisdiction)
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace
• AS/NZS 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
• AS/NZS 2210.1: Safety, protective and occupational footwear
• AS/NZS 1337.1: Personal eye protection
• AS/NZS 1801: Occupational protective helmets
• AS/NZS 1891.4: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Selection, use and maintenance
• AS/NZS 1715: Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment
• AS/NZS 3012: Electrical installations – Construction and demolition sites
• Local council and environmental authority guidelines for erosion and sediment control (e.g. IECA Best Practice Erosion and Sediment Control)