Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Upper Walthamstow
This Health and Safety Policy sets out the principles and procedures followed by Man with Van Upper Walthamstow to protect the health, safety and welfare of our workers, customers, visitors and members of the public. Our removal services involve manual handling, loading, transport and delivery of goods, and we recognise our responsibility to manage these activities in a safe and professional manner.
Policy Statement
Our policy is to conduct all man and van and removal activities in a way that prevents injury, ill health, damage to property and harm to the environment. We are committed to complying with applicable health and safety legislation and industry best practice, and to continually improving our health and safety performance.
Everyone working for or on behalf of Man with Van Upper Walthamstow is expected to take reasonable care for their own safety and for the safety of others who may be affected by their actions.
Management Responsibilities
Management is responsible for implementing this policy and ensuring that appropriate resources are provided for effective health and safety management. This includes:
Assessing risks associated with our removal, loading, unloading and transportation activities. Providing information, instruction, training and supervision to enable workers to carry out their duties safely. Supplying and maintaining suitable equipment, vehicles and protective gear in safe working condition. Monitoring health and safety performance and taking corrective action where necessary. Reviewing this policy regularly and updating it when changes in operations, legislation or best practice occur.
Employee Responsibilities
All workers, including drivers, porters and subcontractors, have a duty to:
Work safely and follow all health and safety procedures and instructions. Use equipment, tools, vehicles and personal protective equipment in the correct manner. Report accidents, near misses, hazards and unsafe conditions immediately to management. Cooperate with any health and safety investigations, training sessions and improvement measures. Avoid horseplay or any behaviour that may put themselves or others at risk.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
We carry out risk assessments for our core activities, including household removals, office moves, loading and unloading vehicles, driving, parking and working at different customer sites. These risk assessments are used to develop safe systems of work that cover, where relevant:
Planning each move, including access routes, parking arrangements and any restrictions. Identifying heavy, awkward or fragile items requiring special handling methods. Ensuring sufficient staff, equipment and time are allocated for each job. Considering environmental conditions such as lighting, weather and surface conditions. Implementing control measures to minimise risks identified during the assessment.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is a key part of our work, and poor lifting techniques can lead to serious injury. To manage this risk, we:
Provide instruction on correct lifting and carrying techniques. Encourage the use of handling aids such as trolleys, dollies, straps and blankets where appropriate. Prohibit single-person lifting of items that are too heavy, bulky or unstable to be handled safely. Require staff to assess the weight and stability of items before moving them, and to request assistance when required. Plan routes in advance to remove obstructions and reduce the need for carrying loads over long distances or up and down stairs where reasonably practicable.
Use of Vehicles and Driving Safety
Our vehicles are essential to our removal and delivery services, and we treat road safety as a core health and safety priority. We:
Ensure vehicles are regularly inspected, maintained and kept in roadworthy condition. Require drivers to hold valid licences and be medically fit to drive. Expect drivers to obey speed limits, parking regulations and road traffic laws. Prohibit driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and discourage the use of mobile phones while driving. Plan routes to minimise unnecessary journeys and consider traffic, loading and unloading points to reduce risk to staff and the public.
Customer Premises and Public Safety
Our teams often work in and around customers homes, offices and public areas, where we take extra care to protect others. We:
Assess access routes, stairs, corridors and entrances for hazards before starting work. Use warning signs or verbal warnings where there may be trip hazards or temporary obstructions. Keep work areas as tidy as possible, avoiding leaving tools or materials where they may cause slips, trips or falls. Take precautions to protect floors, walls and fixtures from damage wherever reasonably practicable. Cooperate with any site-specific safety rules that apply at customer or third-party premises.
Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment
We provide and maintain equipment and protective items suitable for our removal activities. Workers must use them correctly and report any defects or failures. This may include:
Protective gloves and suitable footwear with good grip. Moving equipment such as sack trucks, skates, furniture blankets and straps. High-visibility garments where work is carried out near traffic or in low light conditions. Portable lighting where visibility is poor.
Defective or damaged equipment must be taken out of use immediately and reported so it can be repaired or replaced.
Training, Information and Supervision
To ensure safe working standards across our service area, we provide appropriate training and supervision, including:
Induction training covering key health and safety responsibilities and procedures. Task-specific guidance on manual handling, loading, securing loads, and use of equipment. Ongoing refresher training when needed or when new methods or equipment are introduced. Clear instructions on reporting accidents, incidents and hazards.
Accidents, Incidents and Emergency Procedures
All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported to management as soon as possible. We will record these and, where appropriate, investigate the causes so that preventive measures can be implemented.
Our teams are briefed on basic emergency procedures, including how to respond to fires, injuries or road incidents and how to summon emergency services where required.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
We are committed to reviewing and improving our health and safety management on an ongoing basis. This includes:
Monitoring working practices during removal jobs and transport activities. Reviewing accident and incident records to identify trends and areas for improvement. Updating risk assessments and procedures when necessary. Consulting with workers to gather feedback and suggestions on health and safety matters.
This Health and Safety Policy applies to all activities undertaken by Man with Van Upper Walthamstow and will be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains relevant, effective and aligned with current legal requirements and best practice in the removal and transport sector.
