Health and Safety policy

Health and Safety Policy for Man With a Van Mitcham

Man With a Van Mitcham is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, contractors, customers, and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and delivery activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety across our services, including domestic and commercial removals, loading and unloading, packing, and transport.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, protect property, and minimise risks arising from our work. We aim to:

Identify, assess, and control hazards associated with removal and transport activities.
Comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice.
Provide clear information, instruction, and training to our staff.
Promote a positive safety culture and encourage the reporting of hazards and near-misses.
Review and improve our health and safety performance regularly.

Management Responsibilities

Management at Man With a Van Mitcham is responsible for implementing and maintaining this policy and for ensuring that adequate resources are available to manage health and safety effectively. This includes:

Conducting and reviewing risk assessments for all key activities, such as manual handling, working in and around vehicles, and operating in customers premises.
Ensuring that suitable equipment, including vehicles, trolleys, lifting aids, and personal protective equipment, is provided, maintained, and used correctly.
Ensuring that staff receive appropriate training and supervision to carry out their work safely.
Investigating accidents, incidents, and near-misses and taking corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Reviewing this policy regularly and updating it as necessary to reflect changes in legislation, operations, or identified risks.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee and contractor working with Man With a Van Mitcham has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Staff are required to:

Follow all safety procedures, safe systems of work, and instructions provided.
Use equipment and personal protective equipment correctly and report any defects immediately.
Avoid taking shortcuts that could compromise safety, particularly when lifting, carrying, or moving heavy or awkward items.
Report accidents, incidents, hazards, and near-misses to management as soon as reasonably practicable.
Cooperate with management in implementing this policy and in any health and safety investigations or training.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We undertake risk assessments for typical removal tasks and for specific moves that present unusual risks, such as restricted access, high-rise properties, or particularly heavy or fragile items. Control measures may include:

Planning loading and unloading sequences to avoid unnecessary handling and congestion around vehicles.
Using correct manual handling techniques, such as team lifts for heavy items and avoiding twisting or overreaching.
Using appropriate handling equipment, including sack trucks, furniture dollies, straps, and blankets, where suitable.
Assessing floor conditions, stairs, and access routes to identify trip and slip hazards, weak surfaces, or obstructions.
Ensuring vehicles are parked safely and legally, with loading conducted in a way that minimises risk to staff and the public.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core part of our removal services and presents a significant risk if not managed properly. To reduce the risk of injury, we:

Provide guidance and training on safe lifting and carrying techniques.
Encourage staff to assess each lift, considering the weight, shape, and stability of the load and their own capabilities.
Promote team lifting for heavier items and the use of mechanical aids wherever practicable.
Discourage staff from lifting items they believe to be beyond their safe capability and support them in making that judgement.

Vehicles, Driving, and Road Safety

Our vehicles are essential to our work and must be operated safely at all times. We are committed to:

Maintaining vehicles in a roadworthy condition through regular checks and servicing.
Ensuring loads are secured safely within vehicles to prevent movement that could cause injury or damage.
Planning routes where possible to minimise unnecessary risks associated with congested or unsuitable roads.
Requiring drivers to obey all traffic laws, drive considerately, and avoid distractions while driving.
Ensuring that drivers take appropriate breaks to manage fatigue.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

We recognise our responsibility to operate safely not only for our teams but also within customers homes and workplaces and in public areas. To protect others, we:

Take care to keep access routes as clear as practicable during loading and unloading.
Use caution when carrying items through shared hallways, stairwells, and entrances to avoid collisions and damage.
Place ramps and equipment securely to prevent slipping or tipping.
Work considerately around neighbours and members of the public, especially when operating in busy residential or commercial streets.

Training, Information, and Supervision

We are committed to providing our staff with the knowledge and skills needed to work safely. This includes:

Induction training covering key health and safety responsibilities and procedures.
Role-specific instruction on manual handling, equipment use, and vehicle safety.
Ongoing refresher training where necessary, particularly when new risks, equipment, or methods are introduced.
Appropriate supervision for new or less experienced staff until they are competent to work independently.

Accidents, Incidents, and First Aid

All accidents, injuries, and near-misses that occur during our operations must be reported to management. We:

Record details of incidents so that we can identify trends and areas for improvement.
Encourage prompt reporting of any work-related health concerns, such as strains or back pain, so that appropriate action can be taken.
Provide basic first aid equipment in vehicles where practicable and ensure that staff know how to access medical assistance when needed.

Continuous Improvement

Health and safety is an ongoing priority for Man With a Van Mitcham. We are committed to monitoring the effectiveness of this policy and improving our arrangements wherever reasonably practicable. This includes:

Reviewing our procedures in the light of incident reports, feedback from staff and customers, and changes in legislation or guidance.
Consulting with employees on matters affecting their health and safety and considering their suggestions for improvement.
Updating this policy periodically to ensure it remains relevant to our services and working practices.

This Health and Safety Policy reflects the commitment of Man With a Van Mitcham to operate responsibly and protect everyone affected by our removal and transport services.