Product Overview

The Garden Maintenance and Softscaping Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is a detailed safety planning document designed to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement controls for landscape and vegetation management activities. This comprehensive SWMS covers multiple aspects of garden maintenance, softscaping, and commercial landscaping to support WHS compliance and consistent, safe work practices across Australian worksites.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Bush hedging, pruning and shaping shrubs, hedges and small trees using manual and powered equipment
• Bush regeneration activities including weed removal, revegetation and rehabilitation of natural areas
• Camouflaging and screening utility assets with vegetation while maintaining safe access and visibility requirements
• Care, watering, fertilising and safe handling of houseplants and indoor trees in commercial and residential environments
• Clearance of vegetation near dams, ponds and other water storage facilities, including work near water and on unstable ground
• Clearing scrubland and dense vegetation using scythes, machetes and other handheld cutting tools
• Clipping robust or woody vegetation, including lopping and reduction cuts to control growth and maintain clearances
• Collecting seeds from canopy and elevated vegetation, including the use of ladders and access equipment where required
• Commercial landscaping work such as planting, mulching, turf laying, garden bed construction and softscape installation
• Conservation and maintenance of parks and reserves, including habitat protection and public interface risks
• Creating nesting habitat through landscaping features while managing wildlife interaction and biosecurity hazards
• Edge trimming operations along paths, kerbs, fences and garden borders using powered line trimmers and edgers
• Edging footpaths and hardstand areas to maintain clear, trip-free pedestrian routes
• General edging jobs around structures, services and landscape features with attention to underground and aboveground utilities
• Emptying grass bags and green waste receptacles, including manual handling, dust and allergen exposure controls
• Use of small plant and equipment such as line trimmers, hedge trimmers, blowers and mowers for garden maintenance
• Traffic and pedestrian management around mobile garden maintenance crews working in public or shared spaces
• Installation and adjustment of tree supports, stakes, and guying systems for newly planted or transplanted trees
• Transplanting mature trees and large specimens, including root ball handling, lifting aids, and site preparation
• Handling, transport and disposal of toxic, thorny, or allergenic plants (e.g., poison ivy, cacti, oleander) with PPE and containment measures
• Invasive species removal and biosecurity protocols, including cleaning of tools and preventing cross-site contamination
• Preparation of garden beds, including soil turning, tilling with handheld or mechanical equipment, and incorporation of amendments
• Planting of bulbs, perennials, shrubs, and nursery stock with safe digging practices and utility awareness
• Use of potting machines, handling of potting mix, and control of dust and microbial exposure during nursery operations
• Moving and positioning of large, heavy pots and containers using mechanical aids or team lifting techniques
• Operation of mechanical rakes, scarifiers, and dethatchers for lawn renovation and thatch removal
• Seeding of grass using broadcast spreaders, hydroseeding equipment, or manual methods with slip and inhalation controls
• Turf laying using maxi rolls or standard rolls, including cutting, fitting, and securing to prevent trip hazards
• Sports surface and tennis court maintenance, including line marking, surface levelling, and vegetation control in playing areas
• Heavy-duty strimming and string trimming in overgrown or rugged terrain with enhanced PPE and tool guarding
• Raking, collecting, and disposal of leaves and organic debris with ergonomic handling and dust mitigation
• Inspection and maintenance of glasshouses and shade structures, including fall protection and glazing hazards
• Shrub layer management and reshaping for ecological or aesthetic purposes, including seasonal timing and wildlife checks
• Public grounds and urban landscaping jobs involving digging, planting, and interface with underground services
• Ground maintenance for erosion control, including mulching, matting, and vegetation establishment on slopes
• Safe use and maintenance of hand-held tilling equipment, loppers, pruners, and other manual landscaping tools

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for garden maintenance contractors, commercial landscapers, local council parks and reserves teams, property maintenance crews, and site supervisors overseeing softscaping and vegetation management works.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Guidance for safe use of ladders and access equipment when working at low heights, including seed collection from canopy and pruning tasks.
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice: Requirements for the safe use, inspection and maintenance of powered garden tools and small plant such as trimmers, mowers and blowers.
• Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice: Controls for lifting, carrying, repetitive movements and awkward postures during hedging, trimming and emptying grass bags.
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice: Guidance on controlling noise exposure from powered landscaping equipment.
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice: Ensuring appropriate first aid arrangements for cuts, bites, stings and other garden maintenance injuries.
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: Requirements for safe access, amenities and environmental conditions for outdoor and indoor softscaping work.
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017