Health and Safety policy

Man with Van Wandsworth Health and Safety Policy

Man with Van Wandsworth is committed to providing removal and transport services in a way that protects the health, safety and welfare of our customers, employees, contractors and members of the public. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety throughout all removal, collection, delivery and associated activities.

Policy Statement and Objectives

Our objective is to prevent injuries, work-related ill health, property damage and unsafe situations during all removal and man and van operations. We will achieve this by planning work carefully, assessing risks, providing appropriate training and equipment, and continually reviewing our working practices.

Health and safety is a core part of how we run our removal services. Every member of our team is expected to follow this policy and cooperate in maintaining a safe working environment in homes, offices, storage sites and on the road.

Legal Compliance and Responsibilities

We will comply with all applicable health and safety legislation and relevant codes of practice for transport and manual handling activities. The management of Man with Van Wandsworth has overall responsibility for ensuring that suitable arrangements are in place to manage health and safety risks.

Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for implementing this policy on a day-to-day basis, ensuring that staff understand safe systems of work and that any issues are reported and addressed promptly. Every employee and contractor has a duty to take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions, and to report hazards, near misses and incidents without delay.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Before each removal or collection, we will assess the key risks associated with the job. This includes considering access routes, stairs, lifts, parking arrangements, traffic conditions, size and weight of items, and any specific customer requirements.

Where significant risks are identified, we will plan appropriate control measures such as additional staff, specialist moving equipment, alternative access routes or adjusted timings. We will implement safe systems of work covering loading and unloading, securing items in vehicles, moving goods through properties, and handling fragile or high-value items.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a major part of removal work and a key focus of our health and safety arrangements. We will minimise manual handling risks by using suitable equipment wherever possible, such as trolleys, dollies, lifting straps, ramps and protective covers.

All staff receive training in safe lifting techniques, correct posture, team lifting and recognising their own physical limits. No employee is required to lift or carry any item that they consider unsafe or beyond their capability. Where an item cannot be moved safely with the available staff and equipment, the job will be reassessed before proceeding.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vehicles are essential to our man and van and removal services, and we are committed to operating them safely and responsibly. All vehicles are maintained in a roadworthy condition, with regular checks on tyres, brakes, lights, securing points and safety equipment.

Drivers must hold the appropriate licence, follow road traffic laws and adhere to journey planning and rest requirements. Loads must be distributed evenly and secured to prevent shifting during transit. Drivers are responsible for carrying out pre-use checks, reporting defects immediately and driving in a manner that protects passengers, other road users and property.

Customer and Public Safety

We plan our work to minimise disruption and risk to customers, neighbours and the general public. Where possible, we will agree parking and access arrangements in advance to avoid unsafe loading areas or obstruction of roads and pavements.

When working in or around customer premises, our staff will take care to keep walkways clear, manage trailing cables and equipment, and avoid creating slip, trip or fall hazards. Heavy or awkward items will be moved with particular care in shared entrances, corridors and stairways.

Training, Information and Supervision

All staff undertaking removal and transport work receive information, instruction and training appropriate to their role. This may include manual handling, safe use of moving equipment, vehicle safety, use of personal protective equipment and procedures for incident reporting.

New staff are supervised until they can demonstrate that they understand and can follow safe working practices. Ongoing coaching and briefings are used to reinforce safety standards and to share lessons learned from incidents or near misses.

Personal Protective Equipment

Where risks cannot be controlled by other means, suitable personal protective equipment will be provided, such as gloves, safety footwear and high-visibility clothing. Staff are required to use the equipment provided, keep it in good condition and report any damage or defects.

Accident, Incident and Near-Miss Reporting

All accidents, injuries, vehicle collisions, property damage and near misses must be reported to management as soon as practicable. We will record and investigate these events to identify causes and implement measures to prevent recurrence.

Customers are encouraged to raise any health and safety concerns they may have during a job so that we can address them immediately. We take all concerns seriously and will respond promptly and constructively.

Continuous Improvement and Policy Review

Man with Van Wandsworth is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety performance. We monitor our activities, review risk assessments and update our procedures in light of experience, regulatory changes and industry best practice.

This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and revised as necessary to ensure it remains suitable, effective and relevant to the way we deliver our man and van and removal services. All significant changes will be communicated to staff and, where appropriate, to our customers.

Implementation and Communication

This policy is communicated to all employees and contractors working with Man with Van Wandsworth. It is also available to customers and other interested parties on request. We expect everyone associated with our business to support the implementation of this policy and to contribute to maintaining a safe environment during all removal and transport operations.