Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Haringey
Man with Van Haringey 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 removals and transport activities. This Health and Safety policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with moving, lifting, loading, transporting and unloading household and business items.
Our objective is to prevent accidents, injuries and damage to property by adopting safe systems of work, providing appropriate training and equipment, and continually improving our health and safety performance.
Management Responsibilities
Management is responsible for implementing this policy and for ensuring that health and safety considerations are an integral part of our removal services. This includes planning work so that it can be carried out safely, ensuring that vehicles and equipment are maintained in good condition, and making sure that staff are competent and adequately supervised.
Managers will regularly review working practices, risk assessments and incident reports in order to identify improvements. Any changes to legislation, guidance or industry best practice will be taken into account and, where necessary, procedures will be updated and communicated to all relevant staff.
Employee Responsibilities
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 work. Staff must follow all safety instructions, use equipment correctly, and comply with company procedures at all times.
Employees must report any hazards, near misses, incidents, injuries, vehicle defects or damaged equipment to management as soon as possible. They must not misuse or interfere with anything provided for health, safety or welfare. Staff are expected to cooperate fully with training and to apply what they learn in daily operations.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
Before each removal or delivery, we assess the risks associated with the premises, access routes, parking, manual handling, stairways, lifts and any other relevant factors. Where necessary, we adapt our methods to control risks, such as using additional staff, specialist equipment or modified loading procedures.
Our safe working practices cover planning the move, securing items in vehicles, safe loading and unloading, and the protection of customers property. Staff are instructed to stop work immediately if conditions are unsafe and to inform management so that appropriate control measures can be put in place.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is a core part of our removal services and is managed carefully to reduce the risk of injury. Staff receive training in safe lifting techniques, team lifts and the correct use of handling aids such as dollies, trolleys and moving straps.
Heavy, awkward or bulky items are assessed individually. When required, we allocate additional personnel or specialist equipment to ensure safe movement. Staff are instructed not to exceed their physical capabilities and to request assistance whenever a lift cannot be carried out safely.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
All vehicles used by Man with Van Haringey are maintained, serviced and inspected regularly to ensure they are safe, roadworthy and suitable for transporting goods. Drivers must complete basic checks before each journey, including tyres, lights, mirrors, securing points and load areas.
Driving must always comply with road traffic laws and company guidelines. Drivers must allow sufficient time for journeys, avoid unsafe manoeuvres, and adjust their driving to reflect weather conditions, traffic and road layouts. Loads must be secured so that items cannot move or fall during transit, reducing the risk of injury and damage.
Customer and Public Safety
We take reasonable steps to protect customers, neighbours and members of the public during our operations. This may include managing access to work areas, using clear communication when moving large items, and avoiding obstruction of pavements and access routes as far as practicable.
Where work is carried out in shared spaces such as communal hallways or car parks, staff are instructed to minimise trip hazards, use safe routes and keep pathways as clear as possible while loading and unloading.
Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment
We provide appropriate equipment for safe moving and transportation, including trolleys, lifting aids, protective blankets and securing straps. All equipment is inspected regularly, and any defective items are taken out of service until repaired or replaced.
Where necessary, staff are supplied with personal protective equipment such as gloves and safety footwear. Employees are required to use such equipment correctly, keep it in good condition and report any damage or loss so it can be replaced promptly.
Training, Information and Supervision
All staff receive induction training covering our health and safety policy, emergency procedures, manual handling, vehicle safety and site-specific rules. Ongoing training is provided when new equipment, procedures or risks are introduced, and refresher training is delivered as needed.
Supervisors and experienced team members provide on-the-job guidance to ensure that safety standards are maintained. We encourage open communication so that staff feel confident to raise safety concerns or suggest improvements.
Accident Reporting and Investigation
All accidents, incidents, near misses and cases of work-related ill health must be reported promptly. This allows us to investigate the causes and identify actions to prevent recurrence. Records of incidents are maintained and reviewed to identify trends and areas for improvement.
Where appropriate, corrective actions may include changes to procedures, additional training, equipment upgrades or revisions to risk assessments.
Drugs, Alcohol and Fitness for Work
Employees must present themselves fit for work and capable of performing their duties safely. The use of drugs or alcohol that could impair judgement, coordination or reaction times is strictly prohibited during working hours.
Any employee who is unfit for work due to illness, medication or any other reason must inform management. We reserve the right to remove any worker from duty if there are concerns about their fitness to work safely.
Continuous Improvement and Policy Review
Man with Van Haringey is committed to continual improvement in health and safety performance. We review this policy regularly to ensure it remains effective and relevant to our removal services and working practices.
Feedback from staff and customers is welcomed and used to improve our safety standards. Any significant changes to operations, equipment or regulations will prompt an interim review of this policy and related procedures.
