Man With a Van Kingsbury Health and Safety Policy

Man With a Van Kingsbury 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 Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with moving, lifting, loading, transport and work at or around customers premises.

Our Health and Safety Commitments

We recognise our responsibilities under relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice for removal and transport services. Our key commitments are to:

Identify, assess and control risks arising from our moving and transport activities.

Provide and maintain safe vehicles, equipment and systems of work.

Ensure staff are competent to carry out their work through appropriate training, information and supervision.

Promote a positive safety culture where staff are encouraged to report hazards and near misses.

Minimise the risk of injury, ill health and damage to property during all removal and delivery operations.

Review and update this policy and our procedures on a regular basis or following any significant incident or change in operations.

Roles and Responsibilities

The company management holds overall responsibility for ensuring that effective health and safety arrangements are in place. This includes providing the resources needed to implement this policy, carrying out risk assessments and ensuring compliance with applicable legal duties.

Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for day to day implementation of safe working practices, including briefing crew members, monitoring standards on jobs and taking prompt action to remedy unsafe conditions.

All employees and contractors of Man With a Van Kingsbury must:

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

Follow the safety procedures, guidance and training provided.

Use equipment, vehicles and personal protective equipment correctly.

Report hazards, defects, accidents, injuries and near misses without delay.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We carry out risk assessments covering our principal activities, including household moves, office relocations, loading and unloading, driving and working in and around vehicles. These assessments consider the specific risks of manual handling, slips and trips, falls, collision, property damage and environmental conditions.

Based on these assessments, we develop safe working procedures that are communicated to our teams. Where appropriate, job specific dynamic risk assessments are completed at the customer premises before work begins, taking into account access routes, stairs, parking arrangements and any unusual items that require special handling.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core element of removal work and is treated as a key risk area. Man With a Van Kingsbury aims to reduce manual handling risks by:

Planning loads to minimise unnecessary lifting and carrying.

Using appropriate trolleys, dollies, lifting straps and other handling aids.

Encouraging team lifting for heavy or bulky items.

Training staff in safe lifting techniques, posture, and how to recognise their own physical limits.

Refusing to move items where the risk is assessed as unacceptable without additional resources or equipment.

Vehicle and Driving Safety

Our vans and associated equipment are maintained in a roadworthy and safe condition through regular checks and servicing. Drivers are required to perform pre use vehicle inspections, report defects and comply with road traffic laws at all times.

We expect our drivers to drive safely and considerately, allowing sufficient time for journeys to avoid rushing and fatigue. Loads must be properly distributed and secured to prevent movement, damage or risk to occupants and other road users.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

When operating at customer locations, our teams work to minimise disruption and risk to customers, neighbours and the public. This includes:

Planning access routes for safe movement of goods.

Keeping walkways as clear as reasonably practicable and managing trailing straps or equipment.

Using caution on stairs, in communal areas and near doorways.

Advising customers of any temporary hazards and requesting that children and pets are kept away from working areas.

Taking special care when working near parked vehicles, shared entrances and busy pavements.

Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment

All tools, lifting aids and other equipment used in our removal services are selected, maintained and used with safety in mind. Defective or damaged equipment must not be used and is taken out of service until repaired or replaced.

Where necessary, we provide personal protective equipment such as gloves, safety footwear or high visibility clothing. Staff must use this equipment as instructed and look after it properly, reporting any loss or damage.

Training, Information and Supervision

Man With a Van Kingsbury ensures that all new staff receive an induction that covers health and safety expectations, emergency procedures and job specific risks. Ongoing training is provided on manual handling, vehicle safety and safe loading techniques.

Supervisors monitor working practices and provide guidance and correction where needed. Refresher training is delivered when procedures change or when monitoring shows that standards need improvement.

Accident, Incident and Near Miss Reporting

All accidents, injuries, property damage and near misses must be reported to management as soon as possible so that they can be recorded, investigated and, where required, notified in line with legal obligations.

We investigate incidents to identify underlying causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence. Lessons learned are communicated to relevant staff and reflected in updated risk assessments and procedures.

Emergency Preparedness

Our staff are briefed on what to do in emergency situations such as fire, collision, serious injury or sudden illness. This includes how to contact emergency services, how to make the area safe where possible and how to cooperate with site specific emergency procedures at customer premises.

Continuous Improvement and Policy Review

Man With a Van Kingsbury is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety performance. We regularly review this policy, our risk assessments and our working methods to reflect changes in legislation, industry guidance, operating experience and customer feedback.

This Health and Safety Policy is approved by management and applies to all staff and contractors engaged in our removal and man and van services. Compliance with this policy is a condition of working with Man With a Van Kingsbury.