Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van East Sheen

Man with Van East Sheen is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, customers, contractors and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transportation activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety in all aspects of our man and van and removals operations.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to prevent injury, ill health and damage to property, and to promote a strong safety culture across all our moving and delivery services. We aim to:

Identify, assess and control risks associated with lifting, carrying, loading, unloading, driving and on-site work. Provide clear information, instruction, supervision and training so that our team can carry out work safely and competently. Maintain our vehicles, equipment and work practices to a high standard. Respond promptly to incidents, near misses and hazards, and use them as learning opportunities to improve our procedures.

Management Responsibilities

Management at Man with Van East Sheen is responsible for implementing this health and safety policy and ensuring it remains effective. This includes:

Setting clear safety standards and ensuring they are understood and followed. Providing suitable resources for health and safety, including training, equipment, and time for inspections. Ensuring that risk assessments are completed and regularly reviewed for removal work, including domestic and commercial moves. Investigating incidents and near misses and taking corrective action to prevent a recurrence. Reviewing this policy at regular intervals and whenever there are significant changes in our operations or relevant legislation.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees, including drivers, porters and any temporary or agency staff, share responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. Employees are expected to:

Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Follow all instructions, safe systems of work and training provided. Use vehicles, tools and equipment safely and report any defects immediately. Report accidents, incidents, near misses and hazards to management without delay. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment where required and keep it in good condition. Refrain from any behaviour or substance use that could impair safe working or driving.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We undertake risk assessments for our man and van services and removal activities to identify potential hazards and determine suitable control measures. These assessments cover areas such as manual handling, working in and around vehicles, working at different types of premises, and driving on public roads.

For each job, our team considers specific site conditions such as access routes, parking arrangements, stairs, lifts, uneven surfaces and weather conditions. Where necessary, a dynamic risk assessment is carried out on arrival at the property or premises, and the work method is adapted to maintain safety.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Safe manual handling is critical in removal work. To reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, we:

Provide training in safe lifting techniques, including team lifting and the use of handling aids. Plan the movement of large or awkward items in advance, including route planning and the use of appropriate equipment. Avoid manual lifting where mechanical aids or additional personnel are required to manage the load safely. Encourage staff to speak up if they believe an item is too heavy or unsafe to move with the available resources.

Use of Vehicles and Driving Safety

Our vehicles are central to our man and van and removals services, and their safe operation is a priority. We ensure that:

Vehicles are regularly inspected, serviced and maintained in roadworthy condition. Daily vehicle checks are carried out by drivers, and any defects are reported immediately. Loads are distributed and secured safely to prevent movement during transit and to protect both staff and customers property. Drivers comply with road traffic laws, drive responsibly and adjust their driving to road, weather and traffic conditions. No one is permitted to drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any medication that may impair driving ability.

Protection of Customers, Public and Property

We take reasonable steps to protect customers, members of the public and property during removal and transportation activities. This includes:

Planning parking and loading to minimise obstruction to pedestrians and traffic. Using safe systems for moving items through communal areas, corridors and entrances. Taking care to avoid damage to fixtures, fittings and neighbouring properties. Keeping work areas as tidy as practicable and promptly addressing spillages, trailing leads or other trip hazards.

Training, Information and Supervision

Man with Van East Sheen provides appropriate training and supervision to ensure safe working practices. Training may include induction for new starters, manual handling, vehicle safety, use of equipment, and job-specific guidance for removals. We provide clear instructions about tasks, potential hazards and safety precautions for each job.

Supervisors and experienced staff support less experienced workers and monitor compliance with safety procedures on site and during loading, unloading and driving.

Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, incidents and near misses must be reported as soon as possible so that we can provide assistance, meet any legal reporting requirements and prevent recurrence. Details are recorded and investigated to identify root causes and improvements.

Our staff are briefed on emergency procedures relevant to their work, including what to do in the event of personal injury, fire, road traffic collisions or damage to property. First aid supplies are available in vehicles or at the point of work where practicable.

Consultation and Continuous Improvement

We encourage feedback from employees and customers on health and safety matters. Concerns, suggestions and observations are taken seriously and considered as part of our ongoing effort to improve safety. Regular reviews of working practices, incident data and risk assessments help us raise standards and adapt to changes in our services and locations.

Policy Review

This health and safety policy reflects the current operations of Man with Van East Sheen and our commitment to safe removals and transport. It will be reviewed periodically and updated when necessary to ensure it remains relevant, effective and compliant with applicable health and safety requirements.