Health and Safety policy

Man with Van Dulwich Health and Safety Policy

Man with Van Dulwich is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our team members, customers, and any third parties who may be affected by our removal and transportation activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks, preventing accidents, and promoting a culture of safety throughout all aspects of our moving and delivery services.

Our Health and Safety Commitment

We recognise our responsibilities under relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice. Our aim is to conduct all removal and transport work in a way that protects people, property, and the environment. We will provide appropriate resources, information, and supervision to ensure that health and safety standards are maintained and continually improved.

All employees, contractors and representatives of Man with Van Dulwich are expected to take personal responsibility for working safely, following instructions, and reporting any hazards or concerns immediately.

Responsibilities and Management

Overall responsibility for health and safety rests with the company management, who ensure that appropriate procedures are in place and that they are regularly reviewed. Management duties include:

Assessing and managing risks associated with removal and transport work. Providing safe equipment, vehicles, and tools for all tasks. Ensuring staff receive suitable training and supervision. Investigating incidents and taking steps to prevent recurrence. Monitoring and updating this policy as needed.

Employees and contractors have a duty to:

Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others. Follow all safe working procedures and instructions. Use equipment correctly and only for its intended purpose. Report hazards, near misses, accidents and defective equipment as soon as possible.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We carry out risk assessments for our activities, including packing, loading, unloading and transporting goods. These assessments consider potential hazards such as manual handling, slips and trips, working in confined or awkward spaces, vehicle movements, and working at height when accessing vehicles.

Safe systems of work are developed based on these assessments. Staff are expected to follow agreed methods, including planning loading sequences, using correct lifting techniques, and maintaining clear access routes. Where particular risks are identified at a property, additional controls may be introduced before work begins.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a significant part of removal work, and we take special care to reduce the risk of injury. Our approach includes:

Providing guidance and instruction on safe lifting and carrying techniques. Encouraging team lifting for heavy or bulky items. Using appropriate handling aids, such as trolleys or sliders, wherever possible. Planning the route in and out of premises to avoid obstacles and minimise strain. Refusing to move items that cannot be lifted or transported safely with the equipment and manpower available.

Staff are advised to stop any task immediately if they believe it cannot be completed safely and to seek guidance from a supervisor.

Use of Vehicles and Driving Safety

The safety of our vehicles and drivers is essential to our service. We are committed to:

Ensuring vehicles are regularly inspected, serviced and maintained in a roadworthy condition. Checking that loads are distributed and secured correctly to prevent movement during transit. Complying with road traffic laws and observing speed limits and parking rules. Encouraging safe driving practices, including avoiding distractions and allowing adequate time for journeys. Ensuring that only authorised and competent personnel drive company vehicles.

Drivers must carry out basic pre-use checks on vehicles and report any defects immediately so that appropriate action can be taken.

Customer and Public Safety

We take all reasonable steps to protect customers, their property, and members of the public while work is being carried out. This includes:

Maintaining clear walkways and avoiding trailing straps, leads or equipment. Using caution when moving large items through doorways, corridors or shared spaces. Communicating with customers about access issues, parking arrangements and any temporary hazards. Taking care to avoid damage to fixtures, fittings and surrounding areas.

If at any time conditions at a site make work unsafe, operations may be paused until the risk can be controlled or the situation resolved.

Equipment, Personal Protective Equipment and Maintenance

All tools and handling equipment used by Man with Van Dulwich must be suitable for their purpose and kept in good working order. Routine checks are carried out and defective equipment is taken out of service until repaired or replaced.

Where necessary, staff are provided with personal protective equipment such as gloves or safety footwear, and are instructed on how and when to use it. Employees are required to look after issued equipment and report any damage or faults promptly.

Training, Information and Supervision

We provide information, instruction and training appropriate to each person’s role. Training may cover manual handling, vehicle safety, safe loading and unloading, use of equipment and awareness of common hazards in removal work.

New staff receive an introduction to our health and safety procedures before starting operational duties, and ongoing guidance is provided as needed. Supervision is proportionate to the skills and experience of each team member, with more support given where tasks are complex or higher risk.

Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous incidents must be reported to management as soon as possible. We record and review incident information so that we can identify trends and improve our procedures.

In the event of an emergency, such as fire, serious injury or road incident, staff must follow local emergency arrangements, contact the relevant emergency services where necessary, and inform management at the earliest opportunity. First aid arrangements are in place and staff are made aware of how to obtain assistance.

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

Man with Van Dulwich reviews this Health and Safety Policy periodically and whenever there are significant changes to our operations or relevant legislation. We seek to learn from experience, customer feedback and staff suggestions, and we are committed to improving our performance over time.

By working together and maintaining a strong focus on safety, we aim to ensure that every removal or transport job is completed efficiently while protecting the wellbeing of our staff, customers and the wider community.