Health and Safety policy

Man With a Van Wood Green Health and Safety Policy

This Health and Safety policy sets out how Man With a Van Wood Green manages the wellbeing of our customers, our team and the wider public during all moving, transport and delivery activities. Our aim is to provide a safe, reliable and professional removals service while preventing injury, ill health, property damage and unnecessary disruption.

Our Commitment to Health and Safety

Man With a Van Wood Green is committed to maintaining high standards of safety in every aspect of our work. We actively identify hazards and reduce risks connected to lifting, loading, driving and handling customer belongings. We comply with relevant health and safety legislation and good industry practice, and we continually review our processes to improve performance.

Health and safety is a shared responsibility. Management, drivers, porters and any temporary staff are all required to follow this policy, and we encourage customers to support safe working on their premises and at collection and delivery locations.

Management Responsibilities

Management is responsible for putting this policy into practice and ensuring that suitable resources are in place. This includes providing safe equipment and vehicles for removals work, carrying out risk assessments for typical moving tasks and specific jobs where needed, giving staff appropriate instructions and training, monitoring compliance with safety procedures and reviewing the policy regularly to keep it up to date.

Risk assessments cover manual handling, use of ramps and trolleys, loading and unloading methods, access routes, working in stairwells, and the safe transport of goods. Where higher risks are identified, such as heavy or awkward items, additional controls are put in place or the job is re-planned to be completed safely.

Employee Responsibilities

All staff working for Man With a Van Wood Green must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Employees are expected to follow safe systems of work and instructions given by management, use tools, vehicles and lifting equipment correctly, avoid taking unnecessary risks or shortcuts, report hazards, near misses, accidents and damaged equipment without delay, and cooperate with any training, supervision or health and safety investigations.

Failure to follow health and safety requirements may lead to disciplinary action and, where appropriate, staff may be removed from specific duties until concerns are addressed.

Safe Manual Handling and Lifting

Lifting and carrying are central to removal work and can present a significant risk of injury if not controlled. We promote safe manual handling techniques, including assessing the weight and shape of items before lifting, planning the route to avoid obstacles, and asking for help or using lifting aids when items are heavy, large or awkward.

Staff must bend knees and keep the load close to the body, avoid twisting while carrying, take regular breaks on demanding jobs, and refuse to lift items that they genuinely believe are unsafe to move without additional assistance or equipment. Customers may be advised where certain items require more staff, specialist tools or alternative arrangements.

Vehicles, Driving and Road Safety

Our vehicles are maintained to a high standard to ensure they are safe and suitable for transporting goods. Drivers must complete basic vehicle checks before use, including tyres, lights, mirrors and securing points inside the load area. Any defects are reported so that repairs can be arranged.

Drivers are required to obey road traffic laws at all times, drive at appropriate speeds for road and weather conditions, secure loads so that items cannot move dangerously in transit, avoid mobile phone use while driving, and plan journeys to allow sufficient time for safe travel without rushing. Rest breaks are taken as needed to reduce fatigue on longer trips.

Safe Loading, Unloading and Site Access

Loading and unloading are planned to minimise risk to staff, customers and the public. Access routes are checked for trip hazards, poor lighting, steep steps and tight corners. Where possible, vehicles are positioned to reduce reversing and to maintain clear visibility.

Staff use trolleys, dollies and straps where appropriate, and heavier items are loaded in a way that maintains vehicle stability. We take particular care in shared spaces such as car parks, communal hallways and pavements to avoid obstructing others and to keep doors and fire exits clear.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

We recognise that removals work often takes place in homes, offices and shared buildings. Our team will take all reasonable steps to protect people and property, including using floor protection where practical, placing items carefully to prevent falls or collapse, moving items slowly in busy or confined areas, and warning occupants when large or heavy items are being moved.

We ask customers to keep children and pets away from work areas, inform us of any known hazards such as loose flooring or low ceilings, and avoid handling heavy items at the same time as our staff unless agreed and supervised. Where a situation is judged to be unsafe, we may pause work until appropriate controls are in place.

Work Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment

Only suitable and well-maintained equipment is used for lifting and moving goods. This may include sack trucks, moving blankets, straps and ramps. Staff inspect equipment before use and report damage immediately so that it is taken out of service.

Personal protective equipment such as safety footwear and gloves is provided where needed for specific tasks. Employees must use such equipment as instructed and keep it in good condition.

Incident Reporting and Investigation

All accidents, injuries, near misses and property damage related to our services must be reported promptly to management. This allows us to investigate causes, identify trends and introduce measures to prevent recurrence. Lessons learned are shared with staff and, where appropriate, with customers to support safer future moves.

Significant incidents are recorded and reviewed. Where required by law, reports are made to the relevant authorities.

Training, Communication and Review

Man With a Van Wood Green provides staff with information and training relevant to their role, including safe lifting practices, vehicle and driving safety, handling fragile or high value items, and emergency procedures. New starters receive an introduction to this policy and experienced staff are updated when procedures change or new risks are identified.

This Health and Safety policy is reviewed regularly and updated when there are significant changes in our operations, services or legal requirements. The current version is made available to employees and can be shared with customers on request so that everyone involved understands the standards we work to and the precautions we take during removals and delivery work.