Man With a Van Clapton Health and Safety Policy

Man With a Van Clapton 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 removals and transport activities. Our aim is to carry out all moving and delivery services in a way that prevents injury, ill health, damage to property and harm to the environment.

This Health and Safety Policy sets out the principles and arrangements we follow in the planning and delivery of our man and van, house removals, office moves and related services.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

We will manage health and safety with the same priority as quality of service and customer care. Our core objectives are to:

Identify, assess and control risks arising from our removal operations, lifting activities and vehicle use.

Comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and recognised industry standards.

Provide and maintain safe vehicles, equipment and systems of work.

Ensure employees are competent to carry out their tasks through suitable information, instruction and training.

Reduce accidents, incidents and near misses through continuous monitoring and improvement.

Consult with workers on matters that affect their health, safety and welfare.

Management Responsibilities

The management of Man With a Van Clapton holds overall responsibility for health and safety within the business. Management will:

Lead by example and promote a positive health and safety culture.

Ensure that this policy is implemented, reviewed regularly and communicated to all relevant parties.

Provide adequate resources for health and safety, including time, equipment and training.

Carry out, or arrange for, suitable and sufficient risk assessments for all key activities, including manual handling, loading and unloading vehicles, road transport and work at customers premises.

Ensure that all vans, lifting equipment and accessories are suitable for purpose, properly maintained and inspected at appropriate intervals.

Investigate accidents and incidents to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee and contractor working with Man With a Van Clapton has a legal and moral duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. All workers are expected to:

Follow all safety instructions, training and procedures provided by the company.

Use vehicles, tools, protective equipment and other work equipment correctly and for their intended purpose.

Cooperate with management to enable compliance with health and safety requirements.

Report hazards, near misses, unsafe conditions, accidents and injuries as soon as practicable.

Avoid horseplay, dangerous behaviour or shortcuts that could compromise safety on removals jobs or during driving.

Present themselves fit for work and not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We will identify key hazards associated with our removal services, including manual handling of furniture and boxes, loading and securing loads in vans, navigating stairs and tight spaces, and driving in varied conditions.

For all significant hazards we will:

Carry out risk assessments and record the findings where required.

Implement safe systems of work, including team lifting, use of trolleys and sliders, and safe stacking and securing techniques.

Review assessments following significant changes to work processes, new equipment, or after an incident.

Ensure that staff understand and follow the control measures identified in risk assessments.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core part of our removals work, so we place particular importance on lifting techniques and load management. We will:

Provide training on correct lifting, carrying and team-handling methods.

Use appropriate equipment such as dollies, sack trucks, lifting straps and furniture blankets where necessary.

Plan lifts in advance to avoid unnecessary carrying distances, awkward postures and obstacles.

Encourage staff to refuse to lift items that are beyond their capability or cannot be moved safely without assistance or equipment.

Assess access routes, stairways and entrances at both collection and delivery points and adapt the method of work accordingly.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vans and vehicles are integral to our service, and their safe operation is vital. Man With a Van Clapton will:

Maintain vehicles in a roadworthy and safe condition through regular checks, servicing and inspections.

Ensure drivers hold the correct licence and are competent to drive the type of vehicle used.

Require drivers to carry out daily vehicle checks and report any defects immediately.

Provide guidance on safe driving, including speed control, rest breaks, journey planning and load security.

Ensure that all loads are properly distributed and secured to prevent movement during transit, protecting both road users and customer property.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Our work often takes place in residential properties, offices and shared spaces. We will take reasonable steps to safeguard customers, visitors and the public by:

Keeping access routes as clear as reasonably practicable during moves.

Using warning signs or verbal warnings when moving large items through shared corridors or entrances.

Taking care to prevent damage to buildings, fixtures, fittings and personal belongings.

Managing parking and vehicle positioning to minimise risk to pedestrians and other road users.

Training, Information and Supervision

We will equip our team with the knowledge and skills they need to work safely. This includes:

Induction training on company health and safety arrangements for all new starters.

Task-specific training on manual handling, load securing, use of equipment and safe driving practices.

Ongoing refresher training where appropriate, especially following changes in work methods or equipment.

Provision of clear instructions and supervision, particularly for new or inexperienced staff.

Accident, Incident and Near Miss Reporting

All accidents, injuries, work-related ill health and near misses occurring during our removal and transport operations must be reported as soon as possible. We will:

Record relevant details in an accident or incident record.

Investigate to determine underlying causes and make improvements to prevent recurrence.

Review patterns and trends to identify areas where further training, equipment or procedural changes may be required.

Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and following any significant changes to legislation, our operations, or after major incidents. We will seek feedback from employees and customers to improve our safety performance and ensure that the policy remains relevant and effective for our removal services.

By working together, Man With a Van Clapton aims to maintain high standards of health and safety in every move we undertake.