Health and Safety policy
Man with Van Brent Cross Health and Safety Policy
Man with Van Brent Cross is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, customers, visitors, and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transport activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out the principles and procedures that guide our operations, with the aim of preventing injury, ill health, damage to property, and disruption to the local community.
Policy Statement and Objectives
Our objective is to conduct all removal, loading, unloading, transport, and associated services in a manner that controls risk as far as is reasonably practicable. We recognise our responsibility to comply with relevant health and safety legislation and to apply recognised best practice across our work in homes, offices, storage sites, streets, and other locations where we operate.
We aim to:
Identify and manage hazards associated with moving, lifting, and transporting goods.
Provide clear instructions, training, and supervision for our staff.
Maintain vehicles, tools, and equipment in a safe and roadworthy condition.
Protect the safety of customers, the public, and subcontractors during all removal activities.
Promote a culture where health and safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Responsibilities
Overall responsibility for health and safety lies with the company management, who will ensure that adequate resources, training, and systems are in place. Management will regularly review this policy to ensure that it remains suitable, effective, and aligned with operational requirements.
Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for implementing this policy on site, monitoring working practices, and ensuring that staff follow agreed procedures, wear appropriate personal protective equipment, and report any unsafe conditions.
All employees, drivers, and removal operatives have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions, to follow instructions and training, and to report hazards, near misses, accidents, or defects immediately.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
Before starting any removal work, a suitable and proportionate risk assessment will be carried out. This may be a dynamic assessment on site, taking into account access routes, stairways, lifts, parking arrangements, traffic, weather conditions, and any specific customer requirements.
Where risks are identified, control measures will be put in place, which may include using additional staff, specialist lifting equipment, protective coverings, or adjusting the timing and method of work to ensure safety.
We are committed to planning our jobs to avoid unnecessary manual handling and to use mechanical aids whenever reasonably practicable. Items judged to be unusually heavy, awkward, or fragile will be handled according to a specific plan agreed by the team leader.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is a key aspect of our work and is treated as a priority area for risk control. All staff engaged in lifting and carrying activities receive appropriate manual handling training, including correct lifting techniques, team lifting procedures, and the importance of assessing each load before attempting to move it.
Where items are too heavy or bulky to be lifted safely by hand, lifting aids such as trolleys, dollies, moving straps, ramps, and sliders will be used. Staff are instructed never to attempt any lift that they feel could put themselves or others at risk, and to ask for assistance or alternative solutions.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
All vehicles used for removal and transport services are maintained in a safe and roadworthy condition, with regular checks on tyres, brakes, lights, securing points, and loading areas. Drivers must carry out basic pre-use checks and report any defects without delay so that corrective actions can be taken.
Loads are to be secured within vehicles using straps, ties, and appropriate packing to prevent movement during transit. Weight limits and loading guidelines must be observed at all times. Drivers are required to follow road traffic laws, drive considerately, and adjust their driving to weather, traffic, and local road conditions.
Personal Protective Equipment
Where identified by risk assessment, suitable personal protective equipment such as safety footwear, gloves, high visibility garments, and back support belts will be provided and must be worn as required. Employees are responsible for keeping their equipment in good condition and reporting any damage or loss so it can be replaced.
Customer Premises and Public Safety
We recognise our responsibility to work safely in and around customer premises, residential streets, and shared access areas. Our teams will take reasonable steps to protect floors, walls, doors, and fixtures from damage, and to keep walkways clear of trip hazards arising from packaging, tools, and removed items.
Where necessary, warning signs, cones, or temporary barriers may be used to alert members of the public to ongoing removal work, particularly where loading is carried out near pavements, entrances, or shared driveways. Staff will remain vigilant to the presence of pedestrians, children, pets, cyclists, and other road users in the vicinity of vehicles and loading zones.
Training, Information, and Supervision
All staff receive induction training that covers general health and safety responsibilities, safe use of equipment, manual handling, vehicle safety, and emergency procedures. Additional task-specific training is provided where required, for example when using specialist lifting devices or handling high-value or fragile items.
Instructions are given in clear language, and new or less experienced staff work under appropriate supervision until they are assessed as competent to carry out their duties independently. Refresher training is provided periodically and whenever working methods, equipment, or legislation change.
Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures
All accidents, incidents, near misses, and cases of damage to property must be reported promptly to management so that they can be recorded, investigated, and used to improve future practices. We encourage open reporting without blame, focusing on learning and prevention.
Emergency procedures, including actions to take in the event of injury, fire, road traffic collision, or spillage of materials, are communicated to staff. First aid provisions are maintained, and where possible at least one trained person will be available or contactable during operations.
Monitoring, Review, and Continuous Improvement
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly, and in particular when there are significant changes to our operations, fleet, equipment, or the nature of the services we provide. Feedback from staff and customers, accident data, and site observations are used to refine risk assessments and working procedures.
By following this policy, Man with Van Brent Cross aims to maintain a professional, reliable, and safe removal service for customers in our operating area, protecting the wellbeing of our workforce and the wider community.
