Health and Safety policy

Health and Safety Policy for Man With a Van Clapham Park

Man With a Van Clapham Park is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, contractors, customers and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and delivery activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out the principles and arrangements we follow to manage risks associated with moving, lifting, loading, transportation and related services.

Policy Statement and Objectives

Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, property damage and environmental harm arising from our operations. Health and safety is an integral part of the way we plan and deliver all man and van and removal services, including domestic, student, office and commercial moves.

We strive to:

Identify, assess and control health and safety risks linked to our work activities; comply with relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice; provide appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision; and continuously improve our safety performance through monitoring and review.

Management Responsibilities

Management is responsible for implementing this policy and ensuring adequate resources are available for health and safety. This includes planning safe systems of work for loading and unloading, route planning to minimise risks, and ensuring vehicles and equipment are suitable and properly maintained.

Managers and supervisors must:

Lead by example in safe working practices; communicate this policy to all workers and contractors; ensure risk assessments are carried out and control measures implemented; and investigate incidents, near misses and hazards, taking corrective action where required.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee, driver and porter has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Cooperation with the company in implementing this policy is essential.

All staff must:

Follow safe working procedures and training provided; use vehicles, trolleys, lifting aids and equipment correctly; wear any required personal protective equipment; report hazards, defects, near misses and incidents promptly; and avoid horseplay, substance misuse or any behaviour that could compromise safety during removal work.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Formal risk assessments are carried out for our core activities, including packing, lifting, carrying, loading, unloading and transport. These assessments consider risks such as manual handling injuries, trips and falls, vehicle movement, working in confined spaces, handling fragile or heavy items, and work at height when loading.

Based on these assessments we implement safe working practices, which may include planning access routes before a move, using correct lifting techniques and team lifts, using trolleys and moving equipment where practical, securing loads within vehicles to prevent movement in transit, and restricting access to loading areas to authorised personnel.

Manual Handling and Musculoskeletal Safety

Manual handling is a key part of removal work, and we recognise the risks of back and other musculoskeletal injuries. We aim to minimise manual handling risks by assessing item weight and shape before lifting, planning lifts to avoid twisting and overreaching, using mechanical aids such as dollies, barrows and straps where reasonable, ensuring team lifts are used for heavier or awkward items, and providing training on safe manual handling techniques.

Vehicles, Driving and Road Safety

Safe driving and road behaviour are central to our operations. Vehicles used for removal services are maintained in a roadworthy condition, and drivers are expected to operate them responsibly and legally.

Our approach includes ensuring vehicles have regular inspections and maintenance, checking tyres, lights, restraints and doors before use, securing loads properly to prevent shifting during transit, planning routes to reduce unnecessary risks, and requiring drivers to comply with road traffic laws, rest periods and speed limits.

Equipment, Tools and Personal Protective Equipment

We provide appropriate equipment and tools to support safe and efficient removals. All equipment must be used in accordance with instructions and training.

Where required by risk assessment, personal protective equipment may include safety footwear, gloves for handling, high visibility garments in traffic or loading areas, and other items appropriate to specific tasks.

Housekeeping and Site Safety

Good housekeeping is essential to prevent slips, trips and falls during removals. Our teams are expected to keep corridors, stairs and access routes as clear as reasonably practicable, stack boxes and items safely and not above safe heights, avoid leaving equipment where it can cause obstruction, and take extra care when working in shared spaces, communal areas or busy entrances.

Training, Information and Supervision

We provide induction and ongoing training relevant to our removal and man and van activities. This may include health and safety awareness, manual handling techniques, vehicle and driving safety, use of moving equipment and load securing, and emergency procedures and incident reporting.

Supervision is provided to ensure work is carried out safely, especially for new or less experienced staff.

Welfare, Health and Wellbeing

We recognise that removal work can be physically demanding. We seek to protect the health and wellbeing of our people by encouraging sensible work pacing and rest breaks, promoting hydration and appropriate clothing for the weather, discouraging lone working in higher risk situations where possible, and supporting staff in reporting any health issues that may impact their ability to work safely.

Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, near misses, dangerous occurrences and health and safety concerns must be reported to management at the earliest opportunity. We use this information to learn lessons, improve our procedures and prevent recurrence.

Our teams are briefed on emergency arrangements relevant to the premises they are working in, including fire exits, assembly points and local rules. Drivers must follow appropriate procedures following any road traffic incident, ensuring the safety of people and loads.

Consultation and Continuous Improvement

Man With a Van Clapham Park encourages open communication on health and safety. Staff are invited to raise suggestions, concerns and ideas for safer working. Where practical, we consult our teams when introducing new equipment, procedures or work methods.

This policy and related procedures are reviewed regularly, and whenever there are significant changes in our services, legislation or best practice. Updates are communicated to all relevant personnel to ensure our removal services are delivered as safely and responsibly as possible.