Department of Human Resources
Helping managers to manage
Department of Education
School Grass Cutting Operations
Date of Issue:
July 2005
Last Revised
July 2005
Issued by Occupational Safety Unit
Introduction
Grass cutting operations involve the introduction of extremely hazardous moving
machinery to the school grounds. This can pose a significant risk, during school opening
hours when day-to-day activities involve the use of the very area where this machinery
operates. It is essential that procedures are in place to ensure that pupils/staff/others are
not in the grass cutting location during the operation.
The work is usually undertaken for the school by grounds maintenance contractors. This
may be by the Council Parks and Landscapes Team, your own appointed contractors, or
may possibly be your own employees.
As when any contractors come into our workplace both parties have a duty to co-operate
on matters of health and safety.
The introduction of any contractors into the workplace requires controls and procedures to
minimize the risk from the operation to staff, pupils and others.
Council Parks and Landscapes Grass Cutting Team
The Council team has procedures for when they visit schools that involves a member of
school staff, signing their ‘Notice of Work Form’, which they bring with them.
This should be done prior to work commencing, to confirm that school staff will issue
instructions to relevant people to ensure that school activities on the site, do not interfere
with grass cutting operations.
This will firstly involve school staff establishing that lessons/activities on the field are not
currently in progress and will not be in progress for the anticipated period of mowing.
School staff should be made aware of actions to take when contractors present the form
for signature. It is essential that relevant staff are consulted immediately when contractors
arrive to establish that the fields are not in use.
If their operative arrives before any member of school staff is on site, in which case no-one
is available to sign the form then they :1) Put their copy of the Notice of Work Form through the school letterbox and proceed with
cutting, selecting the area where it is unlikely to affect any pupils who arrive early.
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2) If work is not completed before school staff arrive, then as soon as practicably possible
after they do arrive, and certainly in good time before lessons are due begin, the operative
should return to the school office and get the Notice of Work form signed.
They will not return to the school office for the form signing following work undertaken
when the school is closed - during weekends, holidays and evenings *.
3) Work should then continue as normal.
* The school should inform contractors of any events taking place on the premises,
including those outside normal school hours, that may affect the safety of the grasscutting
operation.
Independent Contractors
If you have employed independent contractors for grass cutting, then this requires the
introduction of controls to ensure that the work is carried out in a safe manner
Procedures should include the following.
The selection of a competent contractor.
To discharge your legal duties it is essential that a competent contractor is selected.
To help with this process Bradford Council holds an ‘Approved List of Contractors’ for
approximately 150 trades and services (including grass cutting) which is accessible to
schools.
The list is managed by the Councils Corporate Procurement Unit. The purpose of the
Approved List is to provide officers within Bradford Metropolitan District Council, who are
likely to place contracts, with a range of quality contractors who have been approved
against set criteria.
For further information & guidance on the Approved List of Contractors please contact
Emma Petre on 01274 433810.
Visit Procurement Unit Website
http://www.bradford.gov.uk/bmdc/business_and_industry/contracts_procurement/contracts
_and_procurement
Schools Notice of Work Permit
A permit to work system ensures that safe conditions exist for a specific work/maintenance
activity to take place. This usually requires checks to be made and records signed.
The school needs to operate a ‘Notice of Work Permit’ (see Appendix 1) whereby the
contractor must notify the school office of their arrival before mowing commences.
The contractor should complete their section of the form on arrival.
An estimated time for the work to finish should be entered so the school how long the area
is out of use.
The school representative must be informed by the contractor if work is to exceed
estimated finish time so that further arrangements can be made.
Mowing should not begin until it has been confirmed by a member of school staff, that
school activities on the site will not interfere with grass cutting operations. School staff
should complete and sign their section of the form after ensuring these conditions.
School reception staff should be made aware of actions to take when contractors present
the form for signature. It is essential that relevant staff are consulted immediately when
Occupational Safety Unit
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contractors arrive to establish that the fields are not in use or will not be in use for the
period of mowing.
As with the Council Team, procedures should be in place to cover the situation if
independent contractors arrive before school staff are on site to authorise the work.
Arrangements should be made for this and may include them contacting school the
previous day to inform of the work, or agreeing that the work will only be carried out when
school staff will be on site, or adopting the Council system or undertaking the work
completely outside school time.
School risk assessment
School risk assessment of the use of the playing fields for sports/PE activities should also
consider the implications of grass cutting and maintenance operations.
Assessments should also cover local issues such as pupil supervision, field/facility
inspection prior to use, maintenance and internal school communication issues.
Staff should be made, and kept, aware of control measures identified by the assessment.
Any lettings or out of school hours organised events should be considered in risk
assessments. Contractors should be informed of any events taking place that might affect
grass cutting, including events at times outside normal school times
Additional General Precautions for Grass Cutting

All contractors should report to the school office on arrival.

Work must not begin if anyone, pupils or others are in the work area.

If for any reason, pupils/others do appear in the work area, then grass cutting must
stop immediately and all machinery should be made safe. If they remain, the
school office should be informed.

If the driver has to leave the equipment for any reason, it must be left in a safe
condition, isolated, and not causing obstruction.
Monitoring
The actions of all contractors should be monitored to ensure that they are abiding by
agreed procedures. Any failings or concerns with the operations should be reported to the
appropriate person who manages the operation.
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Issued July 2005
Helping Managers to Manage
Schools Grass Cutting Notice of Work Form
Form for use with Independent Contractors.
This form should be completed for each grass cutting session.
The signature of this notice by the school representative AND the grass cutting contractor
ensures that the premises management are aware of the grass cutting and have taken the
necessary precautions to ensure that school activities do not interfere with the operation
and also that grass cutting does not commence until such precautions have been taken.
Name of Establishment …………………………………………………………………………
Location of Grass cutting …………………………….……………………….Date……………
School Representative
Signature …………………………..……………………………………………………………
Position in School
………………………………………..……………………………….
Completion of this section is an undertaking that instructions will be issued by the
establishment to respective staff to ensure that activities on site do not interfere with grass
cutting operations.
Contractor
Name of Grass cutting Company………………………………………………………………
Signature of Contractor on Arrival……………………….…………Arrival Time………...…
Estimated Time Work Finishes. ………….…………………………………………………..
The school representative above must be informed if work is to exceed stated finish time
NOTE - Grass cutting must not commence until both parties have signed

Work must not begin if anyone, pupils or others are in the work area.

If for any reason, pupils/others do appear in, the work area, then grass cutting must
stop immediately and all machinery should be made safe. If they remain, the
school office should be informed.

If the driver has to leave the equipment for any reason, it must be left in a safe
condition, isolated, and not causing obstruction.
Occupational Safety Unit
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Issued July 2005