Man with Van West Green Health and Safety Policy
This Health and Safety Policy sets out the principles, responsibilities, and procedures adopted by Man with Van West Green to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our employees, contractors, customers, and members of the public. Our aim is to carry out all removal, transport, loading, and delivery activities in a safe, responsible, and compliant manner.
Our Health and Safety Objectives
Man with Van West Green is committed to preventing accidents, injuries, and ill health associated with moving and handling goods, operating vehicles, and working in customers premises. We plan and deliver our services so that risks are minimised, damage is reduced, and everyone involved is treated with care and respect.
We will continually review and improve our working practices, training, and equipment to ensure that our standards meet or exceed current health and safety expectations for professional removal services.
Management Responsibilities
Management at Man with Van West Green has overall responsibility for implementing this policy and ensuring that adequate resources are available to maintain safe working conditions. This includes providing suitable equipment, safe systems of work, and appropriate training.
Management duties include identifying and assessing risks associated with lifting, carrying, loading, unloading, driving, and working on or near customers premises. When necessary, control measures are introduced to remove or reduce risks, such as providing manual handling aids, planning routes to minimise hazards, or adjusting staffing levels for complex moves.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees and regular contractors working with Man with Van West Green have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions during removal activities.
Employees must follow all safety instructions and training, use equipment correctly, and report any hazards, near misses, accidents, or unsafe conditions to management as soon as possible. Team members are expected to work cooperatively, communicate clearly, and never take unnecessary risks when lifting, carrying, or driving.
Customer and Public Safety
We recognise our duty of care towards customers, visitors, and members of the public while we are carrying out moves, collections, and deliveries in the local area. Our teams will plan work so that access routes remain as clear as possible and so that moving large items does not create avoidable risks.
Where necessary, we may ask customers to keep children, pets, and other occupants away from working areas while items are being loaded, unloaded, or carried through properties. We will always act with courtesy and seek to minimise disruption to neighbouring properties and pedestrians.
Manual Handling and Moving Large Items
As a removal business, safe manual handling is central to our work. Staff are trained in safe lifting techniques, correct posture, and the importance of working within personal limits. Heavy or awkward items are handled by more than one person or with the assistance of suitable equipment such as trolleys, dollies, straps, or ramps.
Before moving any particularly heavy, fragile, or bulky items, staff will check the route for obstacles, trip hazards, or uneven surfaces and plan the move accordingly. Where an item is considered unsafe to move without additional manpower or equipment, the job will be reassessed and, if required, rescheduled with new arrangements in place.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Our vehicles are essential to our service, and their safe operation is a priority. Drivers are expected to hold the appropriate licences and to follow road safety rules and company procedures at all times. This includes checking vehicles before use, reporting defects, securing loads properly, and driving at appropriate speeds for conditions.
Loads are distributed evenly and secured within the vehicle to avoid movement during transit, reducing the risk of accidents and damage to property. Drivers are encouraged to plan routes in advance, taking into account local conditions, traffic, and any restrictions that may affect safe access for our vehicles.
Equipment, Tools, and Protective Measures
Man with Van West Green supplies and maintains appropriate equipment to support safe working practices, including lifting aids and protective materials for furniture and property. Equipment is inspected regularly and removed from service if found to be defective.
Where the nature of a job requires it, staff may use suitable personal protective equipment, for example gloves or safety footwear, depending on the tasks involved. We aim to ensure that all tools and materials used on site are appropriate for the task and do not introduce unnecessary risks.
Working in Customers Premises
When operating inside homes, offices, or other premises, our team will take care to protect flooring, walls, and fixtures wherever reasonably practicable. Routes will be assessed for slip, trip, and fall hazards, and steps may be taken to reduce these risks, such as moving obstructions or using floor protection where suitable.
Staff will be mindful of property security, ensuring that doors and access points are not left unattended where this could compromise safety. At the end of each job, working areas will be checked to confirm that equipment has been removed and no hazards remain.
Accidents, Incidents, and Near Misses
All accidents, injuries, and significant near misses will be recorded and reviewed by management. Where appropriate, investigations will be carried out to identify root causes and implement corrective actions. Lessons learned are shared with staff so that similar issues can be prevented in future.
We encourage open reporting and a no blame approach to safety concerns. Employees are reminded that raising safety issues contributes to a safer working environment for everyone.
Training, Consultation, and Policy Review
Man with Van West Green provides health and safety information and training to employees relevant to their roles, including induction training for new starters and refresher guidance when procedures change. Staff are encouraged to raise questions and suggestions relating to safety and to participate actively in improving our practices.
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and updated when necessary to reflect changes in law, industry standards, or the nature of our services. The latest version will be made available to staff and customers on request so that everyone understands the standards we work to and the care we take in delivering our removal services.
