Health and Safety Policy for Removal Van Sutton
Removal Van Sutton is committed to providing removal services in a manner that protects the health, safety, and welfare of our employees, customers, contractors, visitors, and members of the public. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with domestic and commercial moves, including packing, loading, transport, and unloading of goods.
Policy Statement and Objectives
Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, and damage to property arising from our activities. We aim to maintain a safe working environment, promote safe systems of work, provide suitable equipment, and ensure that our staff are competent, trained, and properly supervised. Health and safety is an integral part of our planning and day-to-day operations across our service area.
Management Responsibilities
Company management has overall responsibility for the implementation, monitoring, and review of this Health and Safety Policy. Management will:
Ensure compliance with relevant health and safety legislation applicable to the removals and transport sector. Provide and maintain safe vehicles, tools, and equipment suitable for the work undertaken. Carry out and record risk assessments for removal activities, including manual handling, driving, loading, and access to premises. Implement control measures to reduce risks to as low as reasonably practicable. Provide clear instructions, information, and training to employees and contractors. Investigate accidents, incidents, and near misses to prevent recurrence and improve our practices. Review this policy regularly and update it in line with operational changes or legal requirements.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. Staff are required to:
Follow all safety procedures and instructions issued by the company. Use vehicles, equipment, and personal protective equipment as trained and intended. Report any hazards, unsafe conditions, damaged equipment, or near misses without delay. Cooperate with management in implementing health and safety measures and attending training. Refrain from any behaviour that could endanger themselves, colleagues, customers, or the public, including working under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
Before each removal job, a suitable assessment of risks will be carried out, taking into account factors such as property access, stairways, parking and loading areas, heavy or awkward items, fragile goods, and any special customer requirements. Based on these assessments, we will adopt safe systems of work, which may include team lifting, use of trolleys or lifting equipment, route planning within properties, and restrictions on manual handling weights.
Manual Handling and Safe Lifting
Manual handling is a core activity in the removals industry and is carefully controlled. Our approach includes:
Providing manual handling training covering posture, lifting techniques, and team coordination. Encouraging staff to assess every lift and refuse unsafe lifts where necessary. Using handling aids such as dollies, sack trucks, and lifting straps where appropriate. Planning the order of loading and unloading to minimise excessive carrying and twisting. Avoiding lone handling of heavy, large, or awkward items and using team lifts instead.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Safe operation of removal vans is essential for the safety of our staff and other road users. We will:
Ensure vehicles are regularly inspected, serviced, and maintained in roadworthy condition. Check tyres, lights, securing points, and load areas prior to departure. Train drivers in safe loading, securing of goods, route planning, and defensive driving. Observe legal driving hours, rest breaks, and road traffic laws. Ensure loads are properly distributed and secured to prevent movement during transit. Prohibit the use of handheld devices while driving and promote distraction free driving.
Use of Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment
We will provide suitable equipment and personal protective equipment when necessary to control risks, including but not limited to gloves, safety footwear, high visibility clothing, and lifting aids. Employees must use the equipment provided correctly, report any defects, and never bypass safety features or use equipment for purposes for which it was not designed.
Customer and Public Safety
We recognise our responsibility to safeguard customers, visitors, and the general public when we operate in and around homes, offices, and public spaces. To achieve this we will:
Plan vehicle positioning and loading areas to minimise obstruction and risk. Maintain clear access routes where practicable and signpost or communicate any temporary hazards. Take care when moving items through shared areas such as corridors, entrances, pavements, and car parks. Handle customers possessions with care to prevent damage and avoid creating trip hazards. Treat all customers with respect and communicate clearly about any safety issues arising during the move.
Training, Information, and Supervision
All staff will receive induction training covering company health and safety rules, safe working practices, emergency procedures, and reporting lines. Task specific training is provided for manual handling, operation of any lifting equipment, and driving duties. Refresher training is provided as necessary to maintain competence. Supervisors are responsible for monitoring work on site, ensuring procedures are followed, and addressing unsafe behaviour promptly.
Accident, Incident, and Near Miss Reporting
All accidents, injuries, property damage, and near misses that occur during the course of our work must be reported as soon as possible to management. We will keep appropriate records of such events, investigate root causes, and take corrective action to prevent recurrence. Where required, incidents will be reported to the relevant authorities in accordance with applicable regulations.
Emergency Preparedness
Our teams are briefed on procedures for dealing with emergencies such as road traffic accidents, fire, serious injury, or hazardous conditions at customers premises. This includes contacting the emergency services where needed, protecting the safety of those present, securing the vehicle and load if it is safe to do so, and notifying company management without delay.
Policy Review and Continuous Improvement
This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed on a regular basis and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, legislation, or identified risks. Feedback from employees, customers, and contractors is welcomed as part of our commitment to continual improvement. By working together, we aim to maintain a safe and professional removals service for everyone involved.
