Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van New Eltham
Man with Van New Eltham is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our workers, customers, visitors and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transport activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety in relation to home removals, office moves, furniture transport and related services within our operating area.
Our Health and Safety Commitment
We aim to conduct all aspects of our man and van services in a way that prevents injury, ill health, property damage and environmental harm. Health and safety considerations are integral to how we plan work, train our staff, maintain vehicles and equipment, and interact with customers at their homes, offices and other locations.
Responsibilities
Overall responsibility for health and safety within Man with Van New Eltham rests with the business owner or designated manager. They are responsible for ensuring that suitable arrangements, resources and training are in place to implement this policy and comply with relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice.
All workers, including drivers, porters and any subcontracted personnel, have a duty to:
Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions during removal activities.
Follow safe systems of work, training and instructions provided by Man with Van New Eltham.
Use vehicles, tools, lifting equipment and personal protective equipment properly and report defects immediately.
Report all accidents, incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions to the responsible person as soon as possible.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We will carry out proportionate risk assessments for our removal and delivery activities. These assessments will identify significant hazards such as manual handling, traffic and parking issues, working at height when using steps, and access restrictions at customer premises.
Based on these assessments, we will implement and maintain safe systems of work, including:
Planning access routes to and from vehicles at pickup and delivery addresses.
Ensuring adequate lighting where reasonably practicable during early morning or evening moves.
Using appropriate lifting techniques, team lifts and mechanical aids where possible.
Managing loading and unloading areas to avoid risks from moving vehicles and pedestrians.
Manual Handling and Lifting Safety
Manual handling is a core part of our man and van service and presents significant risk if not properly managed. Man with Van New Eltham will:
Provide guidance and training on safe lifting methods, including assessment of load weight, shape and stability before moving items.
Encourage workers to avoid single-person lifts of heavy or awkward items and to request team assistance as required.
Use equipment such as sack trucks and furniture dollies where available to reduce physical strain.
Decline to move items that present an unreasonable risk to health or safety, and discuss alternative arrangements with the customer.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Safe driving and vehicle management are essential to the safety of our workers and the public. We will ensure that:
Vehicles used for removals and deliveries are maintained in a roadworthy condition, with regular checks and servicing arranged as required.
Loads are properly distributed and secured to prevent movement during transit, reducing the risk of accidents and damage.
Drivers comply with road traffic laws, speed limits, parking restrictions and safe driving practices at all times.
Drivers take suitable breaks and manage their working hours to minimise the risk of fatigue.
Customer Premises and Site Safety
Our activities often take place at customer homes, offices and commercial premises. To manage risks at these locations we will:
Assess access routes, stairs, lifts and doorways before moving large or heavy items.
Take reasonable steps to protect floors, walls and fixtures where this does not introduce additional hazards, for example by avoiding tripping risks.
Communicate clearly with customers about any safety concerns, restricted access or items that cannot be moved safely.
Keep walkways as clear as reasonably practicable during loading and unloading, and manage the movement of people in these areas.
Use of Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment
Where appropriate, we will provide and maintain suitable equipment and personal protective equipment to support safe working. This may include gloves, safety footwear, high-visibility clothing and lifting aids depending on the nature of the task.
Workers are required to use equipment and protective items in accordance with the training and instructions provided and must report damaged or defective equipment without delay.
Training, Information and Supervision
Man with Van New Eltham will provide workers with appropriate information, instruction and training relevant to their roles. This includes induction on our health and safety procedures, safe lifting techniques, vehicle safety and customer site conduct.
Where necessary, new or less experienced workers will be supervised until they demonstrate that they can carry out tasks safely and competently.
Accidents, Incidents and Emergencies
All accidents, work-related ill health, near misses and potentially dangerous occurrences must be reported to the responsible person so that they can be recorded and investigated where appropriate.
We will take reasonable steps to provide first aid arrangements suitable for the nature and scale of our work and ensure that workers know what to do in the event of an emergency such as fire, serious injury or road traffic incident.
Continuous Improvement and Policy Review
We are committed to continually improving our health and safety performance. This includes learning from incidents, feedback from workers and customers, and changes in legislation or industry guidance relevant to removal and transport activities.
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and updated as necessary to ensure that it remains effective and appropriate to the scale and nature of services offered by Man with Van New Eltham.
