Health and Safety policy

Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Shooters Hill

Man with Van Shooters Hill is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, customers and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transport activities. This Health and Safety policy sets out our approach to managing risk, preventing accidents and promoting a positive safety culture across all moving and delivery services.

Policy Aims and Objectives

The primary aims of this policy are to prevent injury, protect health and safeguard property during all aspects of our work. Our objectives include identifying and managing hazards associated with lifting, carrying, loading, unloading, driving and working at different locations, complying with all relevant health and safety legislation and guidance, and continuously improving our safety performance and procedures.

Management is responsible for ensuring that adequate resources are provided to implement this policy effectively and for reviewing it regularly to ensure it remains suitable for our activities and service area.

Responsibilities

Health and safety is a shared responsibility. Clear duties are assigned as follows.

Management will lead by example and promote a strong safety culture, develop and maintain safe systems of work for all removal and transport tasks, carry out and document suitable and sufficient risk assessments, provide appropriate training, information and supervision to employees, supply and maintain safe vehicles, tools and equipment, and review incident reports and implement corrective actions where necessary.

Employees must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions, follow all safety instructions, procedures and training provided, use equipment, vehicles and personal protective equipment correctly, report hazards, near misses, accidents and unsafe practices promptly, and co operate with management in implementing this policy.

Customers and visitors are asked to cooperate with our teams to ensure safe access and working conditions at collection and delivery addresses, keep walkways, stairs and entrances clear where possible, and inform our team of any known hazards at the property, such as loose flooring, restricted access, or structural issues.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Man with Van Shooters Hill conducts risk assessments for typical removal, delivery and transport tasks. These cover manual handling of items, loading and unloading vehicles, working in customers homes and premises, traffic and parking arrangements, use of trolleys, straps and other equipment, and driving and route planning.

Findings from risk assessments are used to develop and review safe systems of work. Staff are trained in these procedures and expected to follow them at all times. Additional dynamic risk assessments are carried out on site when conditions differ from those normally expected.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core part of our service and a key focus of our safety arrangements. To minimise the risk of strains, sprains and other injuries we provide manual handling training for staff, encourage the use of team lifting for heavy or awkward items, use appropriate handling aids such as trolleys, dollies and furniture sliders where suitable, plan the route before moving large items to avoid obstacles and trip hazards, and avoid lifting items that exceed safe limits or cannot be moved safely by the team on site.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Safe operation of our vehicles is essential to protecting staff, customers and other road users. Our policy is to maintain vehicles in a roadworthy condition through regular checks and servicing, ensure drivers hold the appropriate licence and are competent for the vehicle they operate, conduct pre use vehicle inspections and report defects immediately, plan routes to allow safe travel times, avoiding unnecessary pressure on drivers, and ensure loads are evenly distributed and securely restrained to prevent movement in transit.

Drivers must comply with road traffic laws, drive courteously and avoid distractions while driving. Fatigue management is taken seriously and rest breaks are encouraged in line with good practice.

Site Safety at Collection and Delivery Addresses

Every property is different, so our teams assess site conditions on arrival. This includes checking access routes, stairs, lifts and doorways, identifying potential trip hazards such as loose carpets, cluttered corridors or wet surfaces, confirming whether there are any specific risks such as low ceilings, fragile surfaces or restricted loading areas, and agreeing a safe work area with the customer, keeping children, pets and bystanders clear wherever possible.

If a situation is considered unsafe and cannot be made safe, our staff are authorised to pause work and contact management for further guidance.

Use of Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment

All tools, lifting aids and accessories must be used only for their intended purpose and in accordance with training. Equipment is inspected regularly and removed from service if damaged or unsafe.

Where risk assessments identify the need for personal protective equipment, such as gloves, safety footwear or high visibility clothing, it will be provided and must be worn as instructed. Employees are responsible for taking reasonable care of issued PPE and reporting any damage or need for replacement.

Incident Reporting and Investigation

All accidents, near misses, injuries and significant safety concerns must be reported to management as soon as reasonably practicable. Incidents are recorded, investigated and reviewed to identify root causes and implement measures to prevent recurrence. Lessons learned are shared with staff and used to improve our procedures and training.

Training, Communication and Consultation

Man with Van Shooters Hill provides initial and ongoing training appropriate to each role, covering manual handling techniques, safe loading and unloading practices, vehicle safety awareness, emergency procedures and incident reporting, and company specific safety rules and expectations.

Health and safety information is communicated through staff briefings and updates. Employees are encouraged to raise safety issues, suggestions or concerns. Constructive feedback is welcomed and used to improve our systems.

Emergency Procedures

Our teams are briefed on basic emergency arrangements relevant to removal and transport work, including responding to injuries or sudden illness, dealing with fire, evacuation or dangerous situations at a property, road traffic incidents involving company vehicles, and contacting the appropriate emergency services when needed.

Where emergency procedures at a particular site are provided by the customer or building management, our staff will follow those instructions as long as they do not conflict with their own safety.

Policy Review and Commitment

This Health and Safety policy is reviewed regularly and updated as required to reflect changes in legislation, best practice, our services or the scale of our operations. We are committed to continuous improvement and to maintaining high standards of safety across all moves, from small flat relocations to larger property clearances and transport jobs.

All staff are required to familiarise themselves with this policy and work in accordance with its principles. By working together, we can ensure that our removal and transport services are delivered efficiently while protecting the health, safety and welfare of everyone involved.