Health and Safety policy

Man with Van Shoreditch Health and Safety Policy

Man with Van Shoreditch is committed to maintaining the highest practicable standards of health, safety and welfare for our staff, customers, contractors and members of the public. This policy sets out the principles, responsibilities and procedures that guide how we carry out removal and transportation work in a safe and controlled manner.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our main objectives are to prevent injury, protect property and minimise risks associated with moving, lifting, loading, transport and access to premises. We aim to identify hazards in advance, reduce them as far as reasonably practicable and foster a culture where safety is the first priority in all decisions and actions.

Management Responsibilities

Management is responsible for implementing this Health and Safety Policy and reviewing it regularly to ensure it remains effective and relevant to our removal services. This includes assessing risks for common moving tasks, providing appropriate equipment and vehicles, ensuring that staff receive suitable training and supervision and encouraging open reporting of hazards, near misses and incidents.

Management will monitor safety performance, investigate accidents and make any necessary changes to working practices. Where specialist advice is required, we will consult competent professionals to ensure legal and best practice standards are met.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee and regular contractor working with Man with Van Shoreditch has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Team members must follow the instructions and procedures laid down by management, use equipment correctly and report any hazard or defect as soon as it is identified.

Employees are expected to cooperate fully with training and refresher sessions, apply safe lifting and handling techniques, wear any required protective clothing or footwear and never misuse tools, vehicles or safety equipment.

Safe Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling and lifting are central to our work and carry specific risks. To minimise the chance of injury, we plan each job carefully, evaluate the weight, shape and stability of items before moving them and use lifting aids such as trolleys, dollies or straps wherever appropriate.

Staff are trained to keep loads close to the body, bend at the knees rather than the back, avoid twisting while carrying, work in teams for heavy or awkward items and take regular breaks to prevent fatigue. Any item assessed as too heavy or unsafe to carry manually will be handled using additional equipment or alternative methods.

Use of Equipment and Vehicles

Our vehicles and moving equipment are checked regularly to ensure they are fit for purpose. Drivers are required to hold the appropriate licences, follow safe driving practices and secure loads properly to prevent movement during transit. The condition of ramps, tail lifts, straps, blankets and other tools is inspected on a routine basis, and any damaged or defective items are removed from service immediately.

Vehicles must not be overloaded, and all loads must be evenly distributed to maintain stability. When parking or loading near roads or entrances, drivers and crew will consider pedestrian and traffic safety and use hazard lights and warning signs where needed.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Working at customer homes, offices and storage facilities requires special attention to the safety of occupants and visitors. Before work begins, our team will identify potential hazards such as narrow stairways, uneven surfaces, loose flooring, low ceilings or poor lighting. Where possible, we will remove or reduce these risks and agree safe access routes with the customer.

We will maintain clear walkways, avoid leaving tools and packing materials where they create trip hazards, and take care to protect doors, floors and walls when moving large items. Noise and disruption will be kept to a minimum, and we will behave respectfully at all locations where we operate.

Hazardous Items and Restricted Goods

Some items cannot be moved safely by a standard man and van service, including certain hazardous, flammable, explosive or toxic materials. Customers are responsible for disclosing any such items in advance. We reserve the right to refuse to handle or transport items that may pose a serious risk to health and safety, or that require specialist handling beyond our normal service.

Where there is uncertainty about the nature of any item, the team will stop work and seek guidance before proceeding. This approach protects our staff, customers and the wider public.

Training, Information and Supervision

We provide all operational staff with information and training relevant to their roles, including manual handling techniques, safe loading and unloading of vehicles, awareness of common hazards at domestic and commercial premises, and reporting of incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions.

New staff are supervised until they demonstrate that they can carry out tasks safely and in line with company procedures. Refresher training is provided when needed, and when new equipment, vehicles or methods of working are introduced.

Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

Any accident, injury, near miss or dangerous occurrence must be reported to management as soon as is practicable. We will record these events, investigate causes and take corrective actions to prevent recurrence. In the event of an emergency, such as fire, serious injury or road traffic incident, staff must follow established emergency procedures, prioritising the safety of all persons involved and contacting emergency services when required.

Wellbeing and Fitness for Work

We recognise that physical and mental wellbeing are crucial for safe working. Staff must not undertake work if they are unfit through illness, fatigue, alcohol or drugs. We discourage lone working for high-risk tasks and encourage open communication about any health issues that may affect the ability to carry out lifting or driving safely.

Continuous Improvement

Man with Van Shoreditch is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety performance. This policy will be reviewed regularly and whenever changes to our services, equipment or legal requirements occur. Feedback from staff and customers is welcomed and is used to refine our procedures and strengthen our safety culture.

By following this Health and Safety Policy, we aim to provide reliable, professional and safe removal and transportation services for all customers in our operating areas.