Health and Safety Policy for Man and a Van Belsize Park
Man and a Van Belsize Park is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, contractors, customers and members of the public affected by our removal and transport activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks across all removal, collection, delivery and associated services.
Our Health and Safety Objectives
We aim to prevent injury, ill health and property damage by identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing effective control measures in all aspects of our moving and transport work. We are committed to continuous improvement of our safety performance, compliance with applicable health and safety legislation and following recognised best practice for removal and handling operations.
Management Responsibilities
Management at Man and a Van Belsize Park is responsible for implementing this policy, providing adequate resources and setting clear safety standards for all removal and delivery work. This includes:
Ensuring that risk assessments are carried out for typical moving tasks, including lifting, loading, driving and working at different customer locations.
Providing appropriate equipment, including vehicles, trolleys, moving straps, protective gloves and other safety aids, and ensuring they are maintained in safe condition.
Ensuring that employees receive adequate information, instruction, training and supervision to carry out their duties safely.
Reviewing accidents, near misses and safety concerns and taking prompt corrective action where necessary.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees and contractors working for Man and a Van Belsize Park share responsibility for looking after their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Staff are expected to:
Follow all safety procedures and instructions, including safe lifting and driving practices.
Use the equipment provided correctly and report any defects immediately.
Wear suitable clothing and footwear for manual handling and outdoor work, including closed, slip-resistant shoes.
Refrain from any behaviour that could compromise safety, such as rushing, taking shortcuts or engaging in horseplay.
Report hazards, near misses, incidents or injuries as soon as possible so they can be investigated and addressed.
Safe Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is a core part of our removal service and presents a significant risk of strains and injuries if not managed correctly. To control this risk, we:
Train our teams in correct lifting techniques, including assessing the load, keeping it close to the body and avoiding twisting while carrying.
Encourage the use of team lifts for heavy or awkward items and the use of trolleys, dollies and sliders wherever suitable.
Plan the route from property to vehicle in advance, checking for steps, obstacles, loose floor coverings and other potential hazards.
Reserve the right to refuse to move items that are excessively heavy, unsafe to handle, poorly packed or present an unacceptable risk to staff or property.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Our vehicles are essential to our removal operations, and their safe use is critical to protecting our staff and the public. We will:
Ensure that vehicles are roadworthy, regularly inspected and maintained.
Secure loads properly so that items cannot move, fall or cause instability while in transit.
Require drivers to comply with road traffic laws, speed limits, parking rules and any restrictions related to loading and unloading.
Discourage the use of mobile phones while driving and require hands-free use only where legally permitted and safe.
Take account of weather conditions, traffic and local access issues when planning routes and timings.
Site Safety at Customer Locations
Every property and location we visit presents its own set of hazards. To reduce risks during collections and deliveries, we will:
Assess access routes on arrival, including stairs, corridors, lifts, gardens, driveways and street access.
Take reasonable steps to protect floors, walls, doors and other surfaces from damage, using covers and protection where practical.
Identify and avoid slip, trip and fall hazards such as wet surfaces, loose rugs, trailing cables and cluttered areas.
Control the working area as far as possible, keeping children, pets and other bystanders away from moving routes and loading zones.
Cooperate with property managers, neighbours and other users of shared spaces to carry out work safely and with minimal disruption.
Customer Responsibilities
Health and safety is a shared responsibility. Customers can help us maintain a safe working environment by:
Ensuring clear access to items that need to be moved and removing trip hazards where possible.
Informing us in advance of any access issues, parking restrictions, low ceilings, fragile structures or other conditions that may affect safety.
Packing items securely in suitable boxes and containers and labelling fragile or high-value items clearly.
Keeping children and pets away from working areas while our team is loading or unloading.
Training, Information and Supervision
We recognise that competent staff are key to safe operations. Man and a Van Belsize Park will:
Provide induction training for new staff on our health and safety arrangements, emergency procedures and safe systems of work.
Deliver ongoing training on manual handling, safe driving, use of equipment and risk awareness relevant to removals.
Ensure that less experienced staff are supervised when undertaking higher risk work until they are competent to work independently.
Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures
All accidents, incidents and near misses that occur during our removal and transport activities must be reported promptly. We will:
Record details of incidents, investigate underlying causes and implement measures to prevent recurrence.
Provide first aid equipment in vehicles and ensure workers know how to access assistance when required.
Follow relevant reporting requirements for serious incidents, in line with legal obligations.
Monitoring, Review and Policy Updates
This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and may be updated to reflect changes in legislation, industry guidance or the nature of our services. We will monitor our performance through feedback, incident data and internal checks, and we are committed to improving our management of health and safety for the benefit of our staff, customers and the wider community.
