Health and Safety policy

Health and Safety Policy for Man With a Van Ruislip

Man With a Van Ruislip is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety for our customers, employees, contractors, and members of the public. This policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with removals, transportation, lifting, loading, and work carried out in domestic and commercial environments.

Our objective is to provide reliable removal and delivery services while preventing injury, ill health, property damage, and disruption. Health and safety is an integral part of how we operate, plan our work, and deliver services across our operating area.

Management Responsibilities

Management at Man With a Van Ruislip accepts overall responsibility for health and safety within the business. This includes ensuring that appropriate resources, equipment, and training are provided and that safe systems of work are developed, implemented, and regularly reviewed.

We are responsible for:

• Identifying and assessing risks associated with our removal and transportation activities.
• Developing safe working procedures and communicating them clearly to staff and subcontractors.
• Providing suitable vehicles, tools, lifting aids, and protective equipment that are fit for purpose and properly maintained.
• Ensuring staff receive appropriate training and supervision.
• Reviewing this policy on a regular basis and updating it in line with changes in legislation, industry practice, or company operations.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees, including drivers, porters, and supervisors, share responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. Every team member must:

• Follow all health and safety instructions, training, and procedures issued by the company.
• Use vehicles, equipment, and protective gear correctly and only for their intended purpose.
• Report hazards, near misses, incidents, and unsafe conditions promptly to management.
• Cooperate with any accident investigations and health and safety reviews.
• Avoid taking unnecessary risks or shortcuts that could endanger themselves, colleagues, customers, or the public.

Failure to follow health and safety requirements may result in disciplinary action, as safety is a core condition of employment.

Customer and Public Safety

We recognise our duty to protect customers, visitors, and the public from risks created by our activities, whether at a private home, business premises, or in public spaces. We will:

• Plan removals and deliveries to minimise disruption and hazards in shared or public areas.
• Clearly communicate with customers about access needs, parking arrangements, and any temporary safety precautions.
• Keep walkways and access points as clear as reasonably practicable during loading and unloading.
• Take care when moving items through shared corridors, stairs, entrances, and car parks to prevent trips, collisions, or damage.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Before work begins, we assess the risks associated with the specific job, location, and items being moved. Where necessary, dynamic risk assessments are carried out on-site to address unexpected conditions or restrictions.

Our safe working practices include:

• Evaluating the weight, size, and shape of items before lifting or moving them.
• Using team lifting techniques or mechanical aids where items are heavy or awkward to handle.
• Planning routes in and out of properties, including stairways and tight spaces, to avoid damage and injury.
• Considering environmental factors such as weather, lighting, floor surfaces, and external steps or slopes.
• Adjusting methods of work if new hazards are identified during the job.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a core part of our service, and we take particular care to manage the associated risks. Our staff are trained in correct lifting techniques and appropriate use of handling equipment. We will:

• Avoid single-person lifting of heavy or bulky items where team handling is safer and more appropriate.
• Use trolleys, dollies, straps, and other aids wherever reasonably practicable to reduce strain.
• Secure loads properly in vehicles to prevent movement during transit.
• Inspect equipment regularly and remove any damaged or unsafe items from service.

Vehicles, Driving, and Road Safety

Our vehicles are operated and maintained with safety as a priority. To protect drivers, passengers, customers, and other road users, we will:

• Ensure vehicles are regularly serviced, inspected, and kept in a roadworthy condition.
• Require all drivers to hold the appropriate valid licence and follow road traffic laws at all times.
• Plan journeys with realistic timescales that do not encourage speeding or unsafe driving.
• Secure loads carefully to prevent shifting, falling, or damage during transport.
• Encourage drivers to report defects, incidents, or near misses immediately.

Training, Information, and Supervision

We provide training, instruction, and ongoing supervision to ensure staff understand their responsibilities and are able to work safely. This includes:

• Induction training for new staff covering core health and safety expectations and procedures.
• Task-specific training on manual handling, use of equipment, and safe vehicle loading.
• Refresher training where required, or following incidents or changes in working practices.
• On-site supervision for complex moves, large projects, or higher-risk environments.

Accidents, Incidents, and Continuous Improvement

We treat all accidents, incidents, and near misses as opportunities to improve. All such events are recorded and, where appropriate, investigated to identify causes and preventative measures. We will:

• Take prompt action to deal with any immediate hazards or injuries.
• Analyse incidents to identify root causes, trends, and recurring issues.
• Update risk assessments, procedures, or training in light of findings.
• Communicate lessons learned to staff so improvements are shared across the company.

Policy Review

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains suitable, effective, and aligned with our services and obligations. Revisions may be made following legislative changes, operational developments, or the outcome of incident investigations.

Man With a Van Ruislip expects all staff, contractors, and partners to uphold this policy and work together to create a safe environment for every removal and transport service we provide.