Man with Van Lambeth Health and Safety Policy

Man with Van Lambeth is committed to providing a professional, safe and healthy environment for our employees, customers, contractors and members of the public affected by our removal and transport activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to identifying, managing and reducing risks associated with moving, loading, transporting and unloading goods for domestic and commercial clients.

1. Policy Statement and Objectives

Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, property damage and environmental incidents arising from our work. We aim to achieve this by planning our removal services carefully, training our staff, using appropriate equipment and continuously improving our practices. Health and safety considerations are integral to all stages of our removal operations, including survey, packing, lifting, driving and delivery.

2. Legal Compliance and Standards

Man with Van Lambeth complies with all applicable health and safety legislation relevant to removal and transport operations. We follow recognised industry guidance on manual handling, safe loading of vehicles, road safety and the use of lifting aids and equipment. We are committed to monitoring changes in regulations and best practice and updating our procedures accordingly.

3. Responsibilities

Overall responsibility for health and safety within Man with Van Lambeth rests with the company management, who ensure that adequate resources are made available to implement this policy. Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for day-to-day implementation, including briefing staff, monitoring work practices and reporting incidents or hazards.

Every employee 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. Staff are required to follow all safety instructions and training, use equipment correctly, wear appropriate personal protective equipment and report any hazards, near-misses or incidents without delay.

4. Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We carry out risk assessments for our key activities, including manual handling, loading and unloading vehicles, operating in confined or shared spaces, and working in residential blocks or commercial premises. These assessments identify potential hazards and define control measures such as safe lifting techniques, use of trolleys and removal equipment, route planning and communication procedures.

Safe systems of work are developed based on these risk assessments. Teams are briefed on site-specific risks at the start of each job, including access challenges, parking arrangements, stairways, lifts, shared corridors, and any fragile or heavy items that require special handling.

5. Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core element of removal work and is managed carefully to reduce the risk of strain, musculoskeletal injuries and accidents. All staff receive instruction in correct lifting techniques, team lifting, use of mechanical aids and recognition of their own physical limits. Heavy, bulky or awkward items are only moved by trained staff using suitable equipment such as trolleys, dollies, straps or ramps, and never rushed under time pressure.

Where an item is assessed as unsafe to lift or move with the available resources, we will discuss alternative arrangements with the customer and will not proceed until a safe method has been agreed.

6. Vehicles, Driving and Road Safety

Our vehicles are maintained in a roadworthy condition and inspected regularly. Loads are secured using appropriate restraints and distributed evenly to avoid instability. Drivers are responsible for pre-use checks, safe loading practices, adherence to speed limits and defensive driving at all times.

We plan routes to allow for safe access, loading and unloading, with attention to one-way systems, height and weight restrictions, and suitable stopping points. Drivers must not operate vehicles under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medication that may impair performance, and must report any health issues that could affect their fitness to drive.

7. Personal Protective Equipment and Workwear

Where identified by risk assessment, staff are provided with and required to wear suitable personal protective equipment, such as safety footwear, gloves and high-visibility clothing. Workwear must be maintained in a clean and serviceable condition, and damaged items reported for replacement.

8. Customer Premises and Public Safety

We recognise our responsibility to protect customers, visitors, neighbours and the general public during our work. Access routes are kept as clear as reasonably practicable, trip hazards are minimised, and caution is exercised when moving items in shared areas such as pavements, entrances, stairwells and corridors.

Where necessary, staff may temporarily restrict access to certain areas during the manoeuvre of large items, and will communicate clearly with occupants and passers-by to avoid accidents and damage to property.

9. Training, Information and Supervision

All new employees receive an induction that includes our health and safety expectations, emergency procedures and safe working practices. Ongoing training is provided for manual handling, equipment use, vehicle safety and relevant operational procedures. Less experienced staff are supervised by senior team members until they demonstrate the required competence.

10. Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, injuries, near-misses and dangerous incidents must be reported to management as soon as practicable, no matter how minor they appear. This enables proper investigation, medical attention where needed, and the introduction of corrective measures to prevent recurrence.

Staff are briefed on emergency arrangements, including what to do in the event of fire, serious injury, road traffic collisions or structural damage at customer premises. Emergency exits and access routes must not be obstructed during work.

11. Welfare and Wellbeing

Man with Van Lambeth acknowledges the physical nature of removal work and the importance of breaks, hydration and sensible workloads. Work is organised to avoid excessive fatigue, and staff are encouraged to raise any health or wellbeing concerns. No employee is required to undertake tasks for which they are not trained, not physically capable or do not feel safe.

12. Continuous Improvement and Policy Review

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains effective and relevant to our services and service area. Feedback from employees and customers, changes in legislation, technological developments and lessons learned from incidents are all used to refine our procedures and raise standards.

By working together, Man with Van Lambeth, its employees and its customers can help maintain a safe, efficient and reliable removal service that protects people, property and the wider community.