Health and Safety Policy for Man With a Van Hendon

Man With a Van Hendon is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, customers and members of the public affected by our removal and transport activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with moving, lifting, loading, transport and related services.

Our Health and Safety Commitment

We aim to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health by identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing effective control measures. Health and safety is integral to our planning and delivery of every removal, whether domestic or commercial. We expect all staff to take personal responsibility for working safely, following procedures and reporting any concerns immediately.

Legal Responsibilities

Man With a Van Hendon complies with applicable health and safety legislation and recognised industry standards relevant to the removals and transport sector. We review this policy regularly to ensure it reflects current legal requirements, best practice and the changing nature of our work.

Management Responsibilities

The management of Man With a Van Hendon has overall responsibility for health and safety within the business. This includes providing appropriate resources, equipment, information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure work can be carried out safely and without undue risk.

Managers are responsible for implementing this policy, setting clear safety expectations, monitoring performance and taking corrective action where necessary. They will promote a positive health and safety culture in which staff feel able to raise issues and contribute to continuous improvement.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees, drivers, porters and contractors working with Man With a Van Hendon have a duty to:

Work safely and follow all health and safety procedures and instructions.

Use vehicles, tools, equipment and personal protective equipment correctly and only for their intended purpose.

Report accidents, incidents, near misses, unsafe conditions and health concerns promptly to management.

Cooperate with management in implementing this policy and any related safety measures.

Attend required training and maintain awareness of safe working practices.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We carry out risk assessments for our core activities, including loading and unloading vehicles, lifting and carrying items, operating in homes, offices, stairwells and communal areas, driving and parking in residential and commercial streets, and handling heavy, fragile or bulky furniture and equipment.

These assessments inform safe systems of work and practical control measures. Staff are briefed on any specific risks associated with each job, such as restricted access, long carries, awkward layouts, high-value items or special handling requirements.

Safe Moving, Handling and Lifting

Musculoskeletal injuries are a key risk in the removals industry. To minimise this risk, Man With a Van Hendon:

Provides manual handling guidance and on-the-job instruction for all team members.

Encourages the use of team lifting where items are heavy, bulky or awkward.

Uses appropriate handling aids such as trolleys, straps and blankets where practicable.

Plans loading and unloading to reduce unnecessary carrying distances and awkward movements.

Promotes correct lifting techniques and the avoidance of overloading individual workers.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vehicles are maintained to a safe standard and are subject to regular checks. Drivers are required to carry out basic pre-use inspections, report defects and drive in a safe and considerate manner at all times.

We manage driving-related risks by:

Planning routes to allow adequate time for safe travel and loading.

Ensuring loads are secured correctly to prevent movement during transit.

Encouraging breaks on longer journeys to reduce fatigue.

Promoting compliance with speed limits, parking restrictions and road traffic laws.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Our teams often work in and around homes, offices, shared entrances, stairways, pavements and car parks. We take reasonable steps to protect customers, visitors and the public by:

Keeping work areas as tidy and unobstructed as reasonably possible.

Positioning vehicles and loading ramps with care to minimise risks to pedestrians and other road users.

Using safe lifting and carrying routes through properties to avoid damage and trips.

Being particularly vigilant in communal areas, narrow corridors and near doorways.

Equipment, Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment

Man With a Van Hendon provides suitable equipment and, where required, personal protective equipment appropriate to the tasks being undertaken. Employees must use any provided equipment properly and report loss, damage or defects without delay.

Where necessary, staff are expected to wear appropriate clothing and footwear to support safe lifting and movement of items, including in wet or cold conditions.

Training, Information and Supervision

We ensure that staff receive adequate information, instruction and training relevant to their role. This may include induction training, manual handling guidance, vehicle safety, use of handling equipment and job-specific safety briefings.

Less experienced staff are supervised by more experienced colleagues or managers until they are deemed competent to work with greater independence.

Accidents, Incidents and Near Miss Reporting

All accidents, injuries, near misses and significant incidents must be reported as soon as possible to management. We record and review these events to identify root causes and introduce measures to prevent recurrence.

Where appropriate, we will cooperate with any external investigation or reporting requirements.

Health, Welfare and Fitness for Work

We recognise the physical nature of removal work and the importance of staff being fit for duty. Employees must not report for work under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any substance that could impair their ability to work safely.

Staff are encouraged to report any health concerns that may affect their ability to undertake certain tasks, so that duties can be reviewed and adjusted where reasonably practicable.

Continuous Improvement and Policy Review

Man With a Van Hendon is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety performance. We review this policy periodically, and sooner if there are significant changes in our operations, legislation or lessons learned from incidents.

Comments and suggestions from employees and customers regarding health and safety are welcomed and will be considered in future reviews of this policy.

By following this Health and Safety Policy, Man With a Van Hendon aims to deliver reliable removal services while protecting the wellbeing of everyone involved in or affected by our work.