Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van St. John's Wood

Man with Van St. John's Wood 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 removal and transport activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety across all moving, loading, unloading, and driving operations.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to prevent injury, ill health, and damage to property during all man and van and removal services. We will identify and manage risks relating to manual handling, lifting, transport, use of equipment, and work at premises such as homes, offices, and storage facilities.

We aim to continuously improve our health and safety performance by reviewing working methods, learning from incidents and near misses, and maintaining open communication with staff and customers.

Management Responsibilities

Management is responsible for implementing this Health and Safety Policy and ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place. This includes:

Ensuring risk assessments are carried out for removal activities, including lifting and carrying, use of moving equipment, and vehicle operations. Providing adequate information, instruction, and training so that employees understand safe systems of work. Supplying and maintaining suitable equipment and personal protective equipment where required. Monitoring working practices to confirm that safety standards are being followed.

Management will ensure that this policy is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary in line with changes in legislation, industry standards, or the nature of our removal services.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees and contractors working with Man with Van St. John's Wood have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. They must:

Follow all safety procedures, instructions, and training provided. Use equipment, vehicles, and protective equipment correctly and as instructed. Report accidents, incidents, hazards, or near misses to management as soon as possible. Cooperate with management in implementing safety measures and improvements. Avoid taking unnecessary risks and never undertake work for which they are not trained or competent.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We carry out risk assessments for our core activities, including household removals, office moves, furniture transport, and related loading and unloading tasks. These assessments consider the nature of the items being moved, access to premises, stairways, parking and loading locations, and environmental conditions such as lighting and weather.

Safe systems of work are implemented to control identified risks. This may include using team lifts for heavy or awkward items, using trolleys and other moving aids, planning loading sequences to avoid overreaching or unstable loads, and ensuring clear communication between team members when moving large objects.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a significant part of our removal services, and we recognise the risks of musculoskeletal injury. To reduce these risks, we:

Provide guidance and training in correct lifting techniques and posture. Encourage the use of mechanical aids, trolleys, and team lifts for heavy or bulky items. Assess items before moving them and plan routes to avoid obstacles and unnecessary carrying distances. Refuse to move items that present an unacceptable risk to staff or others if they cannot be handled safely with available equipment and manpower.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vehicles are essential to our man and van and removals operations. We ensure that:

Vehicles are maintained in a roadworthy condition and inspected regularly. Loads are secured safely, evenly distributed, and within legal weight limits. Drivers are competent, appropriately licensed, and follow road traffic regulations and company driving standards. Drivers plan routes to minimise risks such as unsuitable roads, time pressures, and difficult access points.

Mobile phones or devices are only used in line with safe driving rules, and drivers must not be distracted while driving.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

We take care to minimise risks to customers, visitors, neighbours, and members of the public when carrying out removals. This includes:

Planning access routes through properties to avoid trip hazards and damage. Using safe lifting techniques on stairs and in confined spaces. Keeping entrances, corridors, and driveways as clear as reasonably practicable during work. Taking care when moving items near vehicles, pavements, and shared areas, and being alert to the presence of children, pets, and vulnerable people.

Equipment and Protective Measures

We provide equipment that is suitable for the nature and scale of our removal work. This may include trolleys, straps, blankets, and other moving equipment. Where appropriate, staff may use protective gloves, safety footwear, and other personal protective equipment.

All equipment must be checked before use and taken out of service if damaged or unsafe. Employees must report any defects immediately so that repairs or replacements can be arranged.

Training, Information, and Supervision

We provide training relevant to the tasks undertaken by our removal teams. This may include induction training, manual handling techniques, use of equipment, vehicle safety, and emergency procedures. Instructions and information are given in clear language, and additional guidance is provided where needed.

Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for ensuring that new staff are supported and that safe working procedures are followed on each job.

Incident Reporting and Policy Review

All accidents, injuries, near misses, and dangerous occurrences must be reported as soon as possible. We investigate incidents to identify underlying causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains suitable and effective for our man and van and removal operations. Updates are communicated to all relevant staff. By working together, we aim to provide a professional, reliable, and safe removal service for every customer.