Health and Safety policy

Man With a Van Brent Cross Health and Safety Policy

Man With a Van Brent Cross is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our team members, customers, visitors, and the public. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with domestic and commercial removals, including packing, loading, transport, unloading, and associated services.

Health and safety is a core part of how we run our removal operations. We aim to prevent accidents, work-related injuries, and damage to property by planning our work carefully, training our staff properly, and continually monitoring our performance.

Scope and Objectives

This policy applies to all activities carried out by Man With a Van Brent Cross, including but not limited to home moves, office moves, small removals, collections, deliveries, and any packing or furniture assembly carried out as part of our services.

Our main objectives are to:

Promote a culture in which health and safety are integral to all removal activities. Identify and control hazards associated with manual handling, driving, lifting, and working in varied locations. Provide information, instruction, training, and supervision to support safe working practices. Protect the health, safety, and welfare of our staff, customers, and any other people affected by our work. Comply with all relevant health and safety laws and recognised best practice for the removals industry.

Management Responsibilities

Management is responsible for implementing and maintaining this Health and Safety Policy. This includes:

Ensuring that risk assessments are completed for typical removal tasks and for any non-standard work. Providing suitable equipment and vehicles that are maintained in a safe condition. Establishing safe systems of work for packing, loading, transport, and unloading. Providing appropriate training and refresher training for all employees. Investigating accidents, incidents, and near-misses to prevent recurrence. Reviewing this policy periodically and updating it where necessary.

Managers and supervisors must lead by example, promote a positive safety culture, and ensure that staff understand and follow safe working procedures at all times.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee of Man With a Van Brent Cross has 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.

All employees must:

Follow company safety procedures, instructions, and training at all times. Use equipment and vehicles correctly and report any defects immediately. Avoid taking shortcuts that could compromise safety, especially when lifting or moving items. Wear appropriate clothing and any personal protective equipment provided for specific tasks. Report accidents, incidents, near-misses, and hazards as soon as possible to management. Co-operate fully in any investigation or safety review.

No employee is required to undertake any task that they reasonably believe to be unsafe. Concerns about safety must be raised promptly so that they can be properly assessed and addressed.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We conduct risk assessments for our typical removal activities and for higher-risk situations such as heavy items, awkward access, or fragile and high-value items.

When planning a move we consider:

Access routes, stairs, lifts, and parking or loading restrictions. The weight, size, and shape of items to be moved. The need for additional equipment or extra personnel. Environmental conditions such as poor lighting or wet or slippery surfaces. Potential impact on members of the public and neighbouring properties.

Safe working practices may include team lifting, use of trolleys and moving aids, securing loads within vehicles, and sequencing the move to minimise the risk of injury or damage.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling presents a significant risk in removal work. To reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries:

Staff receive training on correct lifting techniques and body positioning. Heavy or bulky items are handled by two or more people where necessary. Mechanical aids, such as sack trucks and dollies, are used wherever it is reasonably practicable. Loads are assessed before lifting to determine the safest method and number of people required. Staff are encouraged to speak up if they believe a lift is beyond their capability.

We discourage lone lifting of heavy items and promote a team-based approach to challenging moves.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vehicles are essential to our removal services, and we are committed to operating them safely and responsibly.

We ensure that:

Vehicles are regularly maintained, serviced, and checked for roadworthiness. Drivers hold the appropriate licences and are competent to operate the vehicles they use. Loads are evenly distributed, secured, and checked before departure. Drivers follow traffic laws and adjust their driving to weather, traffic, and road conditions. Journey planning takes account of time, rest, and safe loading and unloading locations.

Drivers must not operate a vehicle if they are unfit to do so, whether due to illness, fatigue, or any other factor that may compromise safety.

Customer and Public Safety

We take reasonable steps to protect customers, their property, and members of the public from risks arising from our activities.

During removal work we will:

Keep access routes as clear as possible and highlight trip hazards. Use safe lifting and carrying practices within homes, offices, and shared spaces. Take care to prevent damage to floors, walls, doors, and fixtures. Position vehicles in a way that minimises obstruction and risk to pedestrians and other road users. Communicate clearly with customers about any hazards associated with the move.

We respect our customers premises and aim to complete work efficiently without compromising safety.

Training, Information, and Supervision

We provide training to ensure that all staff understand our health and safety expectations and have the skills needed to work safely.

This includes:

Induction training for new staff covering core safety topics. Task-specific training for manual handling, vehicle loading, and use of equipment. Ongoing instruction and refresher training where procedures or risks change. Supervision and on-the-job guidance, particularly for less experienced team members.

Health and safety information is communicated through briefings, toolbox talks, and updates to safe working procedures.

Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, incidents, and near-misses must be reported so that we can take corrective action and learn lessons for the future.

We maintain procedures for:

Recording details of accidents and incidents. Providing first aid where required. Responding to emergencies such as fire, serious injury, or road traffic collisions. Notifying appropriate parties where necessary.

Staff must familiarise themselves with emergency arrangements relevant to each working environment, whether at a customer property, at a storage site, or on the road.

Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, legislation, or industry best practice. We welcome feedback from employees and customers to help us improve our approach.

By working together, Man With a Van Brent Cross aims to deliver efficient and reliable removal services while maintaining high standards of health and safety for everyone involved.