Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Dollis Hill
Man with Van Dollis Hill 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 delivery activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks during all moving, loading, unloading and transportation work.
Our Health and Safety Commitment
We recognise our responsibility to manage health and safety effectively as an integral part of our removal services. Our objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, protect property, and minimise risks arising from our operations. We will review this policy regularly to ensure it remains relevant to our activities and reflects current best practice.
Management Responsibilities
The management team at Man with Van Dollis Hill is responsible for implementing and monitoring this policy. Management will:
Assess the health and safety risks associated with removal, transport and handling tasks.
Provide suitable equipment, including vehicles, trolleys and protective gear, that is maintained in a safe condition.
Ensure that staff receive appropriate training and instruction for lifting, carrying, driving and the use of moving equipment.
Establish safe working procedures for domestic and commercial moves and communicate these to all staff.
Investigate accidents, incidents and near misses to identify causes and prevent recurrence.
Review risk assessments and working methods when services, equipment or locations change.
Employee Responsibilities
All staff and contractors working for Man with Van Dollis Hill share responsibility for maintaining high health and safety standards. Employees must:
Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions.
Follow all training, instructions and safe systems of work provided by the company.
Use vehicles, tools and equipment only for their intended purpose and report any defects immediately.
Wear any personal protective equipment provided when required by the task or site conditions.
Report hazards, unsafe conditions, accidents and near misses without delay.
Refrain from horseplay, substance misuse or any behaviour that could compromise safety.
Customer Responsibilities
For the safety of our teams and customers, we ask clients to:
Provide clear access to premises, pathways, stairways and loading areas wherever reasonably possible.
Inform us in advance of any known hazards at the property, such as structural issues, limited access, fragile surfaces or hazardous materials.
Keep pets and children away from active loading and unloading areas.
Avoid requesting unsafe practices, such as lifting items that exceed safe handling limits or using unsuitable access routes.
Risk Assessment and Planning
Before each move, our team will consider the main risks associated with the job. This may include assessing access routes, parking arrangements, staircases, lifts, item weights, weather conditions and any special handling requirements. Where necessary, we will adjust staffing levels, equipment and timings to carry out the move safely.
Safe Manual Handling
Manual handling is a core element of our removal work. To reduce the risk of injury, we:
Provide training in safe lifting techniques, team lifting and the use of handling aids.
Encourage staff to assess each item before lifting and to ask for assistance with heavy or awkward loads.
Use trolleys, dollies, straps and other aids where suitable to minimise strain.
Plan lifting routes to avoid trip hazards, tight corners and unnecessary carrying distances.
Do not ask staff to move items that exceed safe weight limits or pose unacceptable risk.
Use of Vehicles and Driving Safety
Our vehicles are essential to our removal services and must be operated safely at all times. We will:
Ensure that vehicles are regularly inspected, serviced and maintained in roadworthy condition.
Check that drivers hold the appropriate licence and are familiar with the vehicle and its controls.
Provide guidance on safe loading, securing of loads and weight distribution.
Require drivers to follow road traffic laws and to drive responsibly, allowing for weather, traffic and road conditions.
Discourage the use of mobile devices while driving, except with legally compliant hands-free equipment where necessary.
Safe Loading and Unloading
Loading and unloading activities will be planned and carried out to protect staff, customers and property. We will:
Secure vehicles in safe positions for loading and unloading wherever reasonably practicable.
Use appropriate equipment and techniques to protect items and reduce risk of falls or damage.
Ensure that heavy items are placed low and evenly distributed in the vehicle to prevent shifting in transit.
Restrict access to loading areas so that only authorised personnel are present during active operations.
Housekeeping and Site Safety
Good housekeeping is essential to prevent slips, trips and falls during removals. Our teams will:
Keep walkways, stairs and doorways as clear as reasonably possible while moving items.
Manage packaging, blankets and waste materials so they do not create hazards.
Take care to protect floors, walls and fittings where this is part of the agreed service.
Use caution when working in wet or icy conditions and adjust methods where necessary.
Use of Personal Protective Equipment
Where risk assessment identifies the need, we will provide suitable personal protective equipment, such as gloves, high visibility clothing or safety footwear. Employees are expected to use this equipment correctly, maintain it in good condition and report any damage or loss.
Accident and Incident Reporting
All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences relating to our removal activities must be reported to management as soon as possible. We will record these events, investigate the causes and implement any corrective actions needed to prevent recurrence.
Training, Supervision and Communication
Man with Van Dollis Hill will provide appropriate health and safety training for employees, including induction training, task-specific guidance and refresher training where required. Supervisors will monitor working practices on site and provide support and guidance to maintain safe standards. We will communicate any significant changes to procedures, equipment or legal requirements that may affect health and safety.
Policy Review
This Health and Safety policy will be reviewed regularly and updated when necessary to reflect changes in our services, working practices or applicable legal requirements. All staff will be informed of any revisions and are expected to work in accordance with the current version of this policy.
