Health and Safety policy

Eltham Man and Van Health and Safety Policy

Eltham Man and Van is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, customers, contractors and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and delivery activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with moving, lifting, transporting and delivering goods for residential and commercial clients.

Policy Statement and Objectives

Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, damage to property and avoidable disruption to our removal operations. We aim to identify and control hazards associated with manual handling, driving, loading and unloading, use of equipment, and working at customer premises. We will comply with applicable health and safety legislation and recognised industry good practice relevant to removal and transportation services.

Health and safety is an integral part of how we plan and deliver our services. We expect all staff to take reasonable care of their own safety and the safety of others, to follow safe systems of work, and to report hazards, incidents and near misses promptly so that we can learn and improve.

Responsibilities

The business owner has overall responsibility for implementing and reviewing this Health and Safety Policy and ensuring adequate resources are provided for its effective operation. This includes arranging risk assessments, training, supervision, equipment maintenance and incident investigation.

Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for communicating this policy to staff, monitoring safe working practices on jobs, and addressing unsafe behaviour or conditions. They must ensure that crews understand job-specific risks before starting work and that suitable control measures are followed.

Employees, contractors and temporary workers have a duty to work safely, follow instructions and training, use equipment correctly and cooperate with the company on all health and safety matters. They must not misuse or interfere with anything provided for their protection and must immediately report any hazards, defects, accidents or near misses to their supervisor.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We conduct risk assessments for our core activities, including domestic and commercial removals, packing and unpacking, loading and unloading vehicles, and driving between locations. These assessments consider hazards such as manual handling, slips, trips and falls, vehicle movements, working in restricted spaces, and adverse weather conditions.

From these assessments we develop safe working procedures that our staff are required to follow. These include planning each move in advance, assessing access routes and parking, checking stairways and corridors, securing floor coverings where needed, and ensuring clear communication between team members when moving heavy or awkward items.

Risk assessments are reviewed periodically and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, equipment or working environments. We will adjust our procedures as necessary to reflect new risks or lessons learned from incidents.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a key part of removal work and a major potential source of injury. We will minimise manual handling risks by using appropriate equipment such as sack trucks, trolleys, lifting straps and protective blankets. Staff are trained in safe lifting techniques, including assessing the load, planning the route, team lifting and avoiding twisting or overreaching.

Heavy or bulky items are only moved by adequately trained staff and with sufficient team members to handle the load safely. Where an item is assessed as too heavy or unsafe to move with the available resources, the job will be re-planned or specialist assistance will be arranged.

All equipment used in our operations is maintained in a safe condition and inspected regularly. Defective equipment is taken out of service immediately and reported for repair or replacement.

Vehicles, Driving and Road Safety

Our vehicles are an essential part of our service and must be operated safely at all times. We ensure that vehicles are suitable for removal work, regularly maintained, and subject to routine safety checks. Loads are distributed evenly, secured properly and covered where appropriate to prevent movement or loss during transit.

Drivers must hold the correct licences, follow road traffic laws and drive in a manner that prioritises safety over speed or convenience. They must not drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any substance that may impair their ability to operate a vehicle safely. Mobile phones must only be used in compliance with the law and company procedures.

Journey planning takes account of realistic travel times, likely traffic conditions and safe parking arrangements near customer properties. Drivers are expected to report any vehicle defects, incidents or near misses without delay.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

When working at customer premises, our staff will take all reasonably practicable steps to prevent harm to customers, their families, neighbours and the general public. This includes maintaining clear access routes where possible, using warning signs or verbal warnings where appropriate, and taking care when carrying items through communal areas, driveways or pavements.

Staff will respect customer property, avoid blocking fire exits, and keep work areas as tidy as reasonably practicable while loading and unloading. Any damage, hazards or concerns identified at customer premises will be reported immediately to the supervisor and, where appropriate, discussed with the customer.

Training, Information and Supervision

We provide our staff with appropriate information, instruction and training to enable them to perform their duties safely. This includes induction training on company procedures, manual handling, use of equipment, vehicle safety and dealing with challenging environments. Refresher training is provided as needed, and additional training is arranged when new equipment or processes are introduced.

Supervision levels are determined by the nature of the work and the competence of staff. New or inexperienced workers receive closer supervision until they are assessed as competent to work more independently.

Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, incidents and near misses that occur during our removal operations must be reported promptly. We maintain records of such events and, where required, report them to the relevant authorities. Each incident is reviewed to identify causes and implement measures to prevent recurrence.

Staff are briefed on emergency procedures, including what to do in the event of fire, serious injury, road traffic accidents or sudden illness. Emergency exits at customer premises are kept clear so far as is reasonably practicable, and vehicles are equipped with basic safety equipment appropriate to their use.

Health, Welfare and Fitness for Work

We recognise the physical demands of removal work and aim to promote the health and welfare of our staff. Workers are expected to present for duty in a fit state to perform their role safely. Any existing injuries, medical conditions or concerns that could affect safe working must be disclosed so that appropriate adjustments or restrictions can be considered.

We do not tolerate the use of alcohol or illegal drugs during working hours or immediately before work. Where prescribed medication may affect a worker's ability to drive or handle loads safely, this must be discussed with management.

Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains relevant to our operations and reflects current legal requirements and good practice in the removal and transportation sector. We seek feedback from staff and take account of incident investigations, customer comments and operational changes when updating our procedures.

All employees are informed of any significant changes to this policy. Continued adherence to this policy is a condition of employment and a fundamental part of delivering a safe, reliable and professional removal service.