Man With a Van Colindale Health and Safety Commitment

Man With a Van Colindale is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our team, our customers, and the public. This Health and Safety policy sets out how we manage risks associated with removals, deliveries, loading, unloading, and transport services. All staff, contractors and helpers are required to follow this policy and work safely at all times.

Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to prevent injury, protect health, and minimise risks to property and the environment during all moving and transport activities. We aim to identify hazards before work starts, assess the level of risk, and apply sensible control measures that keep everyone safe while allowing us to deliver a professional, efficient removal service.

Legal Responsibilities

Man With a Van Colindale recognises its responsibilities under applicable health and safety legislation and associated guidance. We will take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees, contractors, and any other persons who may be affected by our operations. All staff have a duty to cooperate with these measures and to take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others.

Management Responsibilities

Management is responsible for implementing and reviewing this policy, ensuring that safe working practices are in place for all man and van and removal services. This includes providing suitable vehicles, equipment and training, carrying out risk assessments, and investigating accidents or near misses to prevent recurrence. Management will regularly review health and safety performance and update procedures where necessary.

Employee Responsibilities

Every member of the team must:

Work safely and follow all health and safety instructions and procedures.

Use vehicles, trolleys, straps, and other equipment correctly and report any defects immediately.

Wear suitable clothing and footwear for manual handling and driving tasks.

Report accidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions as soon as possible.

Cooperate with any health and safety training, briefings, and inspections.

Customer and Public Safety

We take care to protect customers, visitors, neighbours and the general public when carrying out removal services. This includes planning safe access routes for carrying items, using hazard warning measures where needed, and keeping doors, pavements and shared areas as clear as reasonably possible. We ask customers to keep children and pets away from working areas and vehicles while removal work is in progress.

Risk Assessment and Planning

Before starting any move or delivery, we assess the risks associated with the location, access, load size, and any special items. Where necessary, we will:

Evaluate stairways, narrow corridors, lifts, and parking arrangements.

Plan safe lifting methods and team coordination for heavy or bulky items.

Identify fragile, sharp or hazardous items and decide on appropriate handling methods.

Allow sufficient time for safe work, avoiding rushing and unsafe shortcuts.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a key part of man and van and removal services. To reduce the risk of injury, our team is expected to:

Use proper lifting techniques, keeping loads close to the body and avoiding twisting.

Assess weight and stability before lifting, and ask for help when needed.

Use equipment such as sack trucks, dollies and straps where appropriate.

Break down loads into smaller, manageable parts whenever possible.

Stop work immediately if an item is too heavy or awkward to move safely and seek alternative solutions.

Vehicle Safety and Loading

We maintain our vehicles in a roadworthy and clean condition and ensure that drivers are competent and authorised. Safe loading and unloading are essential to prevent accidents and damage. Our procedures include:

Evenly distributing weight and securing items to prevent movement during transit.

Using suitable restraints, padding and blankets to protect goods and vehicle interiors.

Checking that doors, ramps and tailgates are secure before driving off.

Parking considerately and safely, avoiding obstructing traffic or emergency access where possible.

Driving responsibly, allowing for the loaded weight and changing conditions.

Equipment and Personal Protective Measures

We provide appropriate equipment for removal work, including trolleys, straps, and protective materials. Staff are expected to use this equipment correctly and keep it in good condition. Where necessary, personal protective measures such as gloves or supportive belts may be used to reduce the risk of minor injuries and strains.

Household, Office and Specialist Items

Different types of items present different risks. For furniture, appliances, office equipment and other heavy goods, we take care to avoid crushing injuries, trapped fingers and damage to surfaces. Items such as glass, mirrors, electronics and antiques are handled with additional care and, where needed, extra wrapping or reinforcement is used. We will not carry items that are illegal, excessively hazardous, or not safely packaged.

Protecting Property and Environment

Safety includes protection of property as well as people. We take steps to minimise damage to floors, walls, door frames, lifts, and communal areas by planning routes and using suitable protection where appropriate. Waste materials from our work are disposed of responsibly in line with local requirements, and we aim to reduce unnecessary journeys and idling to limit environmental impact.

Training, Communication and Supervision

We provide suitable induction and on-the-job training to ensure staff understand safe lifting, loading, driving and customer care practices. Supervisors are responsible for monitoring work on site, providing guidance, and stopping any unsafe activities. Health and safety messages and updates are communicated regularly so that safe working remains a clear priority.

Accidents, Incidents and Near Misses

All accidents, incidents and near misses must be reported promptly so that they can be recorded, investigated and used to improve our procedures. Where required, we will cooperate with any external investigations and share relevant information with customers or authorities. Lessons learned from incidents are used to review our risk assessments and working methods.

Monitoring and Policy Review

This Health and Safety policy is reviewed at regular intervals and whenever there are significant changes in our services, equipment, or legal duties. We welcome feedback from customers and staff on any health and safety concerns or suggestions for improvement, and we are committed to continually enhancing the safety of our man and van and removal services.

By choosing Man With a Van Colindale, customers can be confident that health, safety and care for their property are treated as core priorities in every move.