Health and Safety policy

Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van White City

Man with Van White City 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. We aim to prevent accidents, injuries and ill health by managing the health and safety risks arising from our work in a systematic and responsible manner.

This policy applies to all aspects of our man and van, home removals, office moves, packing and transport services, whether carried out at customer premises, on the road, in storage locations or at any other site where we operate.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to:

Identify, assess and control risks associated with lifting, carrying, loading, unloading and transport operations.

Provide safe systems of work for all moving, handling and driving tasks.

Supply appropriate equipment and protective measures to minimise risk.

Ensure that all staff are competent, trained and supervised to carry out their duties safely.

Promote a positive safety culture in which all team members take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.

Management Responsibilities

Management at Man with Van White City is responsible for implementing this policy and for providing adequate resources to maintain high standards of health and safety. This includes:

Setting clear safety standards for all removal and transport activities.

Ensuring that risk assessments are carried out and regularly reviewed.

Providing suitable equipment for lifting, securing and transporting goods.

Offering relevant training and refresher sessions to staff, including appropriate manual handling and road safety guidance.

Monitoring health and safety performance and investigating incidents or near misses to prevent recurrence.

Reviewing this policy regularly to keep it current with legal requirements and best practice for the removals sector.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees and contractors working for Man with Van White City must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of those who may be affected by their actions or omissions. They are expected to:

Follow all health and safety instructions, procedures and guidance provided.

Use vehicles, equipment and protective gear only as instructed and for their intended purpose.

Report any hazards, defects, near misses or incidents to management as soon as possible.

Cooperate with management in maintaining safe conditions and participating in training.

Refrain from any behaviour that could put themselves, colleagues, customers or the public at risk.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We conduct risk assessments for our core activities, including house and office moves, loading and unloading items, navigating stairways and confined spaces, and driving between addresses. These assessments inform our safe working procedures, which cover areas such as:

Manual handling of boxes, furniture and equipment.

Use of lifting aids, trolleys, straps and blankets.

Safe loading patterns within vans to maintain balance and secure loads.

Parking, reversing and manoeuvring vehicles in residential streets and busy locations.

Working in shared spaces, ensuring walkways and exits remain clear.

Staff are briefed on these procedures and required to follow them at all times when carrying out removal services.

Manual Handling and Lifting

The nature of man and van work involves frequent lifting and moving of items of varying size and weight. To minimise the risk of strain, musculoskeletal injury and accidents, we:

Train staff in correct lifting techniques and team lifts.

Encourage assessment of each item before moving, including weight, shape and route.

Use lifting aids where appropriate to reduce physical effort.

Prohibit employees from attempting unsafe single-person lifts of heavy or awkward objects.

Plan moves in advance to avoid unnecessary carrying distances and difficult routes.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vans and vehicles are central to our operations and are maintained to a high standard. To protect drivers, passengers, customers and other road users, we:

Carry out regular checks and servicing of vehicles.

Ensure that loads are evenly distributed and adequately secured before travel.

Require drivers to comply with all road traffic laws and driving regulations.

Discourage rushing or unsafe driving practices by planning realistic schedules.

Instruct drivers to avoid using mobile devices while driving, except through approved hands-free systems when safe to do so.

Customer and Public Safety

We recognise our duty to safeguard customers and the public near our working areas. To achieve this, we:

Keep pathways clear of trip hazards such as boxes, tools and packing materials whenever practicable.

Use safe lifting routes through homes, offices and communal areas.

Take care when opening van doors and moving items in busy streets or shared spaces.

Advise customers of any immediate hazards identified at their premises that could affect the move.

Exercise particular caution where children, pets or vulnerable individuals are present.

Training, Information and Supervision

We provide appropriate information, instruction and training to employees so they can carry out their roles safely. This includes induction training for new staff, ongoing guidance specific to removals work and on the job supervision where required. Team leaders monitor working practices and take prompt action to correct unsafe behaviour or conditions.

Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, incidents and near misses that occur during removal or transport activities must be reported to management as soon as reasonably practicable. We record and review such events to learn from them and improve our controls.

Employees are instructed on basic emergency response, including how to act in the event of injury, fire, collision or other serious incident. Where necessary, work may be stopped and areas evacuated until it is safe to continue.

Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety policy is reviewed regularly and updated as needed to reflect operational changes, legal developments and lessons learned from our day to day experience providing man and van removals. We are committed to continually improving our health and safety performance so that our services remain safe, reliable and professional for all involved.