Man with Van South Hackney Health and Safety Policy

This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of Man with Van South Hackney to provide a safe and healthy working environment for workers, contractors, customers, visitors and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transport activities. Our aim is to prevent injury, protect health and promote safe working practices across all services.

Policy Statement and Objectives

Man with Van South Hackney is committed to managing health and safety as an integral part of our removal and man and van operations. We will identify, assess and control workplace risks as far as is reasonably practicable, and continually improve our standards.

Our key objectives are to:

Ensure compliance with relevant health and safety legislation and guidelines for transport and manual handling activities.
Provide and maintain safe vehicles, equipment and systems of work for all removal and delivery tasks.
Minimise risks associated with lifting, carrying, loading, unloading and transporting goods.
Provide information, instruction, training and supervision to support safe working practices.
Consult with workers on health and safety matters and encourage active participation in improving standards.
Review this policy regularly to ensure it remains effective and appropriate.

Management Responsibilities

Management of Man with Van South Hackney has overall responsibility for implementing this policy. This includes:

Ensuring suitable risk assessments are carried out for removal routes, loading areas, lifting tasks and use of vehicles and equipment.
Providing appropriate resources, including time, training and equipment, to meet health and safety objectives.
Maintaining vehicles and equipment in safe working order and arranging regular inspections and servicing.
Establishing safe systems of work for loading, unloading, lifting, carrying, and securing loads for transport.
Ensuring that incidents, near misses and complaints related to safety are recorded, investigated and used to improve procedures.
Reviewing performance and updating procedures when services, equipment or work methods change.

Worker Responsibilities

All workers, including drivers, porters and contractors engaged by Man with Van South Hackney, share responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. Workers are expected to:

Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their work.
Follow all health and safety instructions, safe working practices and training provided.
Use vehicles, lifting aids and other equipment correctly and report any defects immediately.
Wear any personal protective equipment provided when required and keep it in good condition.
Report accidents, near misses, hazards or unsafe conditions to management without delay.
Cooperate with management in implementing risk controls and safety improvements.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We conduct risk assessments for typical man and van and removal activities, including:

Manual handling of furniture, appliances, boxes and other items.
Access to properties, stairways, corridors and restricted spaces.
Vehicle movements, parking, loading and unloading locations.
Securing goods in transit and use of lifting aids and straps.
Working in customers homes, offices, storage units and shared areas.

Findings from risk assessments are used to develop safe systems of work. These may include planning the order of loading, limiting weight per item carried by one person, using lifting aids where practicable, and selecting safe vehicle stopping points.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is central to our removal services and carries significant risk of injury if not well controlled. To reduce these risks, Man with Van South Hackney will:

Provide guidance and training in correct lifting and carrying techniques.
Encourage workers to assess the weight, size and shape of loads before moving them.
Require team lifting for heavy or awkward items and prohibit single-person lifting of excessively heavy objects.
Use equipment such as trolleys, dollies and lifting straps where reasonably practicable.
Plan routes to avoid unnecessary carrying distances, uneven surfaces and obstructed paths.

Vehicles, Driving and Road Safety

Safe operation of vehicles is essential to protect drivers, passengers, customers and other road users. We will:

Ensure vehicles are suitable for removals work and are maintained in a roadworthy condition.
Carry out routine vehicle checks, including tyres, lights, brakes, mirrors and securing points for loads.
Require drivers to hold the appropriate licence and be familiar with the vehicle in use.
Plan journeys to allow sufficient time and avoid undue pressure or unsafe driving speeds.
Ensure loads are correctly distributed, adequately secured and do not exceed safe weight limits.
Discourage the use of mobile phones or similar devices while driving, except through legally compliant hands-free arrangements.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Our work often takes place at customer premises and in shared public spaces. To protect customers, neighbours and the public we will:

Position vehicles safely to minimise obstruction and maintain clear access for pedestrians and other road users.
Use safe lifting techniques in stairwells, corridors and entrances, taking care to avoid damage and trip hazards.
Manage cables, straps, tools and packaging to prevent slips, trips and falls.
Exercise care when handling customer belongings to avoid breakage, spills or sharp edges that may cause injury.
Communicate clearly with customers about access, timings and any safety concerns identified during the move.

Training, Information and Supervision

Man with Van South Hackney will provide workers with appropriate health and safety information, instruction and training relevant to their roles. This may include:

Induction on company safety rules and emergency procedures.
Manual handling and safe lifting techniques specific to removals work.
Safe use of trolleys, straps and other handling equipment.
Vehicle safety, load securing and road safety guidance.
Incident reporting and hazard identification.

Supervision levels will reflect the experience and competence of workers. Less experienced workers will receive closer supervision until they demonstrate safe working practices.

Incident Reporting and Policy Review

All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported to management as soon as possible. We will investigate such events, identify root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

This Health and Safety policy will be reviewed regularly and updated when there are significant changes to our operations, equipment, personnel or legal requirements. The latest version will be made available to workers and customers on request.

By following this policy, Man with Van South Hackney aims to deliver reliable removal and man and van services while protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone involved in our work.