Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Farringdon

Man with Van Farringdon 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, loading, transporting and unloading goods and household items.

We recognise our responsibilities under relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice. Health and safety is an integral part of how we plan and deliver our man and van and removal services across our service area.

Policy Aims and Objectives

The aims of this Health and Safety policy are to prevent injury, ill health, property damage and unsafe practices during removal, loading, transportation and delivery work. Our key objectives are to identify hazards, assess associated risks, implement proportionate control measures, provide training and supervision and continually review and improve our performance.

This policy applies to all employees, labour-only subcontractors and any temporary staff or helpers engaged in our moving and transport operations. All personnel are required to co-operate with management in implementing and maintaining these standards.

Management Responsibilities

Senior management of Man with Van Farringdon has overall responsibility for health and safety. Management will ensure that appropriate resources are made available to implement this policy and will:

Plan work to minimise risk to staff, customers and the public
Carry out and maintain risk assessments for typical removal and transport tasks
Provide safe and well-maintained vehicles, equipment and work methods
Ensure staff receive suitable training, information and instruction
Investigate incidents, near misses and hazards and take corrective action
Review this policy regularly and update it when necessary

Managers and supervisors are responsible for day-to-day implementation of this policy and for monitoring health and safety performance on each job.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees and workers engaged by Man with Van Farringdon have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Staff must:

Follow safe systems of work and instructions given by management
Use vehicles, equipment and protective gear correctly and not misuse them
Report hazards, defective equipment, near misses and incidents promptly
Co-operate with risk assessments, training and health and safety initiatives
Refrain from reckless behaviour, horseplay or taking unnecessary risks

Where work is carried out at a customer’s premises, staff must also respect any on-site safety rules that are explained to them.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We conduct risk assessments for our typical removal, loading and transport activities. These assessments consider manual handling, driving, access routes, working in and around vehicles, use of trolleys and lifting aids, handling fragile or heavy items and working in confined or shared spaces.

Safe systems of work derived from these risk assessments include planning entry and exit routes, assessing lift and stair use, checking floor conditions, controlling traffic around vehicles and agreeing safe loading and unloading procedures. Where job-specific risks are identified, a dynamic assessment is carried out by the team on site before work starts.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a significant part of our activities. We seek to minimise the risk of injury by:

Training staff in correct lifting, carrying and team handling techniques
Using trolleys, skates, straps and other handling equipment wherever reasonably practicable
Splitting loads into smaller, manageable units where possible
Planning routes to avoid unnecessary carrying, twisting and reaching
Refusing to move items that cannot be handled safely with available resources

All handling equipment is inspected regularly and any defective items are taken out of use until repaired or replaced.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vehicles are central to our service. To promote safe operations we:

Maintain vehicles in a roadworthy condition through regular checks and servicing
Ensure loads are packed, distributed and secured to prevent movement during transit
Require drivers to obey road traffic laws, including speed limits and parking rules
Plan routes to allow adequate time for safe driving and rest breaks
Prohibit driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medication that impairs performance

Drivers must complete pre-use checks, report defects immediately and not operate a vehicle they believe to be unsafe.

Customer Premises and Public Protection

Our teams frequently work in homes, offices and shared spaces. We take reasonable steps to protect customers, visitors and the public by:

Keeping access routes as clear as possible
Using warning signs or verbal warnings where there is a risk of trips or collisions
Positioning vehicles and ramps to minimise interference with pedestrians and other road users
Supervising doorways, lift entrances and staircases when moving large or bulky items
Taking care to avoid damage to property, fixtures and fittings

Where conditions at a premises are unsafe, our staff are authorised to pause work and contact management for guidance.

Training, Information and Supervision

We provide induction and ongoing training appropriate to each role, including manual handling, safe loading, vehicle safety and the use of equipment and protective gear. Information about specific risks is shared in briefings before complex or unusual moves.

Supervision is proportionate to the level of risk and the experience of the team. New or less experienced staff work under closer supervision until they are assessed as competent to work more independently.

Incident Reporting and Continuous Improvement

All accidents, near misses, injuries and dangerous occurrences must be reported to management as soon as practicable. We record and review these events to identify root causes and implement measures to prevent recurrence.

This Health and Safety policy is reviewed periodically, and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, working methods or legal requirements. Updated versions are communicated to all staff so that safe working remains at the centre of our removal and transport services.

Policy Review and Communication

This policy is made available to all employees and can be provided to customers on request. Management is responsible for ensuring that the policy remains relevant, is effectively communicated and is understood by everyone engaged in our operations. Commitment to health and safety is a core part of the service standards of Man with Van Farringdon.