Man With a Van Camden Town Health and Safety Policy

Man With a Van Camden Town is committed to providing removal and transport services in a way that safeguards the health, safety and welfare of our employees, contractors, customers and members of the public. This policy sets out our approach to identifying, managing and reducing risks associated with moving, loading, transport and delivery activities.

Health and safety is an integral part of how we operate. All staff are expected to follow this policy and the associated procedures whenever they are engaged in collection, transport, delivery or related services.

Policy Objectives

The objectives of this Health and Safety Policy are to:

Identify and control risks arising from our man and van and removal activities.

Prevent incidents, injuries and damage to property.

Promote safe working practices in vehicles, at customers premises and in public spaces.

Provide information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure safe work.

Comply with applicable health and safety legislation and recognised best practice in the removals and transport sector.

Continually review and improve our health and safety performance.

Responsibilities and Management Commitment

Overall responsibility for health and safety rests with the company management, who are responsible for ensuring that this policy is implemented, maintained and reviewed. Management will:

Provide resources to support safe working methods, suitable equipment and appropriate training.

Ensure risk assessments are in place for typical man and van tasks, including lifting, loading, driving and working in and around vehicles.

Investigate accidents, incidents and near-misses and take corrective action where necessary.

Consult with staff on health and safety matters and encourage the reporting of hazards.

Every employee and contractor working on behalf of Man With a Van Camden Town also has responsibilities. All personnel must:

Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions.

Follow all safety instructions, training and procedures provided by the company.

Use equipment correctly and report any defects or hazards immediately.

Cooperate fully in accident reporting and investigation processes.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We assess the hazards associated with removal and transport operations and implement practical control measures. Our approach includes:

Pre-job assessment of access, parking, loading points and potential hazards at collection and delivery addresses.

Assessment of load weight, size and stability before lifting or moving items.

Use of appropriate lifting techniques, equipment and team lifts for heavy or bulky objects.

Planning of routes to reduce driving risks, minimise congestion exposure and allow safe parking where loading and unloading is required.

When higher or unusual risks are identified, work will only proceed when adequate control measures are in place and understood by all involved.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a core part of our removals and man and van work. To reduce the risk of injury we:

Provide guidance and instruction on correct lifting techniques and posture.

Encourage dynamic risk assessment before each lift, considering weight, shape, route and obstacles.

Use suitable handling aids such as trolleys, dollies and straps where reasonably practicable.

Discourage staff from attempting to move loads that are beyond their capability or that cannot be handled safely.

All equipment used for moving and securing loads is inspected regularly, used only for its intended purpose and removed from service if found to be defective.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vehicles play a central role in our services. We take steps to ensure that driving and vehicle operations are conducted safely by:

Maintaining vehicles in a roadworthy condition and carrying out regular checks.

Ensuring that drivers hold valid licences and are familiar with the vehicles they operate.

Promoting defensive driving and adherence to speed limits, signage and road regulations.

Prohibiting driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any substance that may impair judgement.

Planning journeys to allow adequate time, reducing pressure on drivers and supporting safe driving behaviour.

Loads are secured appropriately to prevent movement in transit and to protect both property and people.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

We recognise our duty to conduct work at customer premises and in public spaces with care and consideration. To protect customers, visitors and the public we:

Maintain clear access routes, keeping walkways as free as reasonably possible from trip hazards.

Take care when moving items through doorways, on stairs and near fragile structures or fittings.

Position vehicles and loading areas to minimise risk to pedestrians and other road users.

Use warning where appropriate to indicate moving loads and vehicle movements.

Follow any reasonable site rules or safety requirements provided by customers, provided they are consistent with safe working practice.

Training, Information and Supervision

We provide our staff and regular contractors with appropriate health and safety information and instruction for the tasks they undertake. This may include:

Induction on company safety procedures, accident reporting and emergency arrangements.

Instruction in safe lifting, carrying, loading and securing of goods.

Guidance on safe driving, route planning and working around vehicles.

Ongoing reminders and refreshers where work methods, equipment or legislation change.

Supervision is provided as necessary, particularly for new or inexperienced staff, to ensure safe methods are followed.

Accident, Incident and Near-Miss Reporting

All accidents, injuries, damage to property and near-miss events connected with our work must be reported to management as soon as possible. We will:

Record relevant details of the event and any injuries or damage.

Investigate to identify root causes and contributing factors.

Implement corrective actions and, where necessary, update risk assessments and procedures.

Share relevant findings with staff so that lessons learned can prevent recurrence.

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

Man With a Van Camden Town is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety performance. We will regularly review this policy, our risk assessments and our working methods to ensure they remain effective and appropriate to the scale and nature of our removal and transport activities.

This Health and Safety Policy is communicated to all employees and is available to customers and other interested parties on request. All staff are required to cooperate with its implementation and to play an active role in maintaining a safe working environment during every move and delivery we carry out.