Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Greenwich

Man with Van Greenwich is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our customers, employees, contractors, and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transportation activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to identifying hazards, managing risks, and continually improving our standards in line with relevant health and safety legislation and best practice in the removals industry.

Policy Aims and Objectives

Our aim is to prevent injury, ill health, and property damage arising from our house removals, office moves, and man and van services. We will achieve this by:

Identifying hazards associated with lifting, loading, transport, access, and storage. Assessing risks before work begins and implementing appropriate control measures. Providing information, instruction, and training to our workforce. Supplying and maintaining suitable equipment and vehicles. Encouraging a positive safety culture where concerns can be raised without hesitation.

Management Responsibilities

The management of Man with Van Greenwich accepts overall responsibility for implementing and reviewing this Health and Safety Policy. Management will:

Ensure that health and safety is considered in all planning and decision-making. Allocate appropriate resources for safety equipment, maintenance, and staff training. Maintain up to date risk assessments for common removal tasks and environments. Investigate any incidents, accidents, or near misses and act on findings. Review this policy regularly and revise it when necessary to reflect changes in operations or legislation.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees, drivers, and porters have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. They are required to:

Follow all safety procedures and instructions provided by management. Use vehicles, equipment, and tools correctly and report defects immediately. Wear any personal protective equipment provided where required. Communicate clearly with colleagues and customers to avoid misunderstandings during lifting and loading. Report hazards, near misses, and unsafe conditions to management at the earliest opportunity.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Before every removal, our team assesses the working environment, access routes, and specific risks related to the property and items being moved. This includes consideration of:

Stairways, narrow corridors, lifts, and external access points. Heavy, fragile, or awkward items such as appliances, large furniture, and office equipment. Parking arrangements and vehicle positioning for safe loading and unloading. Weather conditions and lighting that may affect visibility and footing.

Where risks are identified, we adopt safe systems of work, such as using additional staff, mechanical aids, alternative routes, or staggered loading methods to control or reduce the risk.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core element of our man and van and removals services. To minimise the risk of strains, sprains, and other injuries, we:

Train staff in correct lifting techniques, team lifts, and load assessment. Avoid single-person lifts of heavy or unstable items whenever practicable. Use trolleys, dollies, straps, and other aids to reduce manual effort. Plan lifting tasks in advance, including who will lift, where they will move, and how the load will be set down. Encourage staff to speak up if they believe a lift cannot be carried out safely.

Use of Vehicles and Driving Safety

We recognise that safe driving is essential to protect our staff and other road users. Our approach includes:

Ensuring vehicles are maintained in a safe, roadworthy condition with regular checks. Loading vehicles so that weight is evenly distributed and properly secured. Complying with speed limits, parking restrictions, and road traffic regulations. Encouraging defensive driving techniques and planning routes to reduce unnecessary risks. Prohibiting the use of mobile phones while driving unless in accordance with applicable hands free laws.

Protecting Customers and the Public

We take care to protect customers, neighbours, and members of the public during our work. Measures include:

Keeping access routes, doorways, and pavements as clear as reasonably possible. Using caution when moving items through communal areas or entrances. Communicating with customers about any temporary restrictions on access during loading or unloading. Taking reasonable steps to prevent damage to property, fixtures, and fittings.

Equipment, Tools, and Personal Protective Equipment

We select and use appropriate tools and equipment for removal tasks. Man with Van Greenwich will:

Provide equipment that is suitable for lifting, carrying, and securing loads. Inspect and maintain equipment regularly and remove damaged items from use. Provide personal protective equipment where needed, such as gloves or high visibility clothing. Ensure staff understand the correct and safe use of equipment and protective gear.

Training, Information, and Supervision

Health and safety training is provided to all staff when they join and refreshed when necessary. This includes:

Induction to our health and safety procedures and emergency arrangements. Instruction on manual handling, use of equipment, and vehicle safety. Guidance on communicating with customers about safe working areas and potential hazards. Additional supervision for new or less experienced staff until they are competent in their roles.

Accidents, Incidents, and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, incidents, and near misses, however minor, must be reported to management. We will:

Record details to help identify patterns and prevent recurrence. Provide first aid arrangements appropriate to the scale of our operations. Cooperate with any regulatory reporting requirements where applicable. Review and update procedures following any significant incident.

Monitoring, Review, and Continuous Improvement

Man with Van Greenwich is committed to continuously improving health and safety performance. We monitor our activities by:

Reviewing incident reports and feedback from staff and customers. Conducting periodic checks on vehicles, equipment, and working practices. Updating risk assessments and safe working procedures when conditions change.

This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it remains suitable, adequate, and effective for the nature and scale of our man and van and removals services. All staff are made aware of its contents and their responsibilities under it.