Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Hither Green

Man with Van Hither Green is committed to providing a professional, safe and healthy working environment for our team members, customers and members of the public who may be affected by our removal services. This Health and Safety Policy sets out the principles and practices we follow to manage risks associated with lifting, loading, transport and delivery activities.

Policy Statement and Objectives

Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, damage to property and avoidable disruption during every move. We will achieve this by identifying potential hazards, assessing risks and implementing proportionate control measures for all removal work, whether domestic or commercial.

Management is responsible for ensuring that health and safety considerations are integrated into planning, pricing and delivery of our services. All workers engaged by Man with Van Hither Green are required to follow this policy, use equipment correctly and cooperate with agreed safety procedures.

Legal Duties and Responsibilities

Man with Van Hither Green will comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and associated guidance as it applies to our operations. We will keep this policy under review to reflect changes in legal requirements, industry practice and the nature of our activities.

Responsibility for implementing this policy lies with the management of Man with Van Hither Green. Day to day, managers and drivers in charge of each vehicle must ensure that work is carried out safely, risks are controlled and any concerns are reported promptly so that appropriate action can be taken.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Before undertaking removal work, we assess foreseeable risks associated with the specific job. This may include property access, parking arrangements, stairways, the weight and size of items, fragile or high value goods, and any particular customer requirements.

Where necessary we will adjust our methods, allocate additional staff or change the timing of work to ensure safety. Our risk assessments inform safe working practices, including approved techniques for lifting, carrying and securing items in our vehicles.

We aim to minimise manual handling risks by planning loads carefully, using appropriate equipment and avoiding unnecessary carrying over long distances or up multiple flights of stairs.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a key part of removal work and presents a significant risk if not properly controlled. Staff are trained in safe lifting techniques, team lifts and the importance of working within personal capabilities. No worker is required to lift or move any item they consider unsafe to handle.

Where appropriate, we use handling aids such as trolleys, dollies, straps and blankets to move goods safely and reduce strain. All equipment is checked regularly for defects and taken out of service if it is damaged or not operating as intended. Only trained personnel may use specialist equipment.

Vehicle Safety and Load Securing

Our vehicles are maintained in a roadworthy condition and are inspected regularly. Drivers must carry out basic safety checks before starting work, including tyres, lights and load areas. Any defect or concern must be reported and the vehicle taken out of use if it is not safe to operate.

Loads are arranged and secured to prevent movement during transport. Heavy items are positioned low and evenly distributed, with straps or other restraints used where required. We take particular care with awkward, tall or fragile items, ensuring that they do not create hazards when doors are opened or when the vehicle is in motion.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

When working at customers premises, we aim to protect both the property and the people within or near it. We will plan access routes, keep pathways as clear as reasonably practicable and communicate with customers about any temporary restrictions needed for safety.

We take reasonable steps to avoid damage to floors, walls and fixtures by using protective coverings where appropriate and by taking care when moving large items through tight spaces. Particular attention is given to staircases, narrow hallways and shared entrances so that the risk to other users is minimised.

Training, Information and Supervision

All staff working for Man with Van Hither Green receive health and safety information appropriate to their role, including induction training and ongoing guidance on safe lifting, vehicle loading, use of equipment and emergency procedures.

Supervision is provided to ensure that safe methods of work are followed, especially for new or less experienced workers. We encourage our team to raise any safety concern immediately so that it can be addressed without delay.

Accident Reporting and Continuous Improvement

All accidents, incidents, near misses and cases of damage to property associated with our operations must be reported to management as soon as possible. We investigate these events, identify underlying causes and introduce measures to prevent recurrence where reasonably practicable.

We review our Health and Safety Policy at regular intervals, and also following any significant incident or change in our activities. Feedback from staff and customers is considered as part of our commitment to continuous improvement.

Customer Cooperation and Shared Responsibilities

We ask customers to support our health and safety arrangements by providing accurate information about access, parking and the nature of items to be moved. Customers should ensure that pathways and access points within their control are reasonably clear and that children and pets are kept away from active work areas.

If our staff identify conditions that they believe to be unsafe, we may pause or adjust the work until the risk has been addressed. This is to protect everyone involved, including the customer, their neighbours and members of the public.

Policy Scope and Review

This Health and Safety Policy applies to all removal and associated services provided by Man with Van Hither Green, including domestic moves, office relocations, collection and delivery tasks and any related transport activities.

The policy is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains suitable, adequate and effective for the scale and type of work we undertake. Updated versions will replace earlier versions and will be made available to staff and customers upon request.