Health and Safety policy
Health and Safety Policy for Colliers Wood Man and Van
Colliers Wood Man and Van is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, customers, contractors, visitors and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transport activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with house removals, office moves, item collection and delivery, loading and unloading, and vehicle operations.
Our Health and Safety Objectives
Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, property damage and environmental harm arising from our work. We aim to achieve this by maintaining high standards of safety in all removal and man and van services, and by promoting a positive safety culture throughout the business.
We will continually review and improve our systems so that health and safety considerations remain central to how we plan and carry out removals, packing, handling, transportation and storage of goods.
Management Responsibilities
Management at Colliers Wood Man and Van holds overall responsibility for implementing this Health and Safety Policy and ensuring that appropriate resources are provided. This includes planning work activities safely, supplying suitable vehicles, equipment and protective measures, and ensuring that employees are competent to undertake their roles.
Managers will:
Plan removal and transport work to minimise risks to staff, customers and the public.
Ensure that vehicles, lifting equipment and handling aids are maintained in a safe condition.
Assess risks associated with heavy lifting, awkward access, traffic movements and working in customers homes or business premises.
Provide and maintain safe systems of work for loading, unloading and securing items in vehicles.
Ensure that appropriate training, information and supervision are provided to employees.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees, including drivers, porters and supervisors, 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.
Employees are required to:
Follow all health and safety procedures, instructions and safe working practices.
Use equipment, tools, vehicles and protective gear correctly and only for their intended purposes.
Report hazards, near misses, damage to property, defective equipment or vehicles, and any unsafe conditions to management without delay.
Cooperate with management in implementing this policy and in completing training or refresher sessions.
Refrain from horseplay, unsafe shortcuts or any behaviour that may endanger themselves or others.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
Colliers Wood Man and Van will assess the risks involved in its operations and adopt safe systems of work to control those risks. Typical hazards in removal and man and van work include manual handling injuries, trips and falls, vehicle movements, insecure loads and working in unfamiliar premises.
We will:
Carry out risk assessments for key activities such as lifting and carrying furniture, negotiating stairs and tight spaces, and loading vehicles.
Plan routes and parking to reduce reversing and minimise risks to pedestrians and other road users.
Ensure loads are evenly distributed and adequately secured within vehicles.
Limit manual handling by using appropriate handling equipment and working in teams.
Adapt working methods according to conditions found at each site or property.
Manual Handling and Ergonomics
Moving heavy or bulky items is an essential part of a man and van removal service, and we recognise the significant risks associated with poor manual handling practices.
We will:
Train staff in correct lifting and carrying techniques, including safe team lifting and use of handling aids.
Encourage staff to assess each task and refuse unsafe lifts, requesting assistance or equipment where necessary.
Use trolleys, dollies, straps and other equipment to reduce strain and the risk of injury.
Plan the order of loading and unloading to minimise unnecessary carrying and awkward movements.
Vehicles, Driving and Road Safety
Our vehicles are central to our removal services and will be maintained in a safe and roadworthy condition. We recognise our obligation to protect not only our staff and customers but also other road users and pedestrians.
We will:
Ensure vehicles are regularly inspected, maintained and cleaned, and that any defects are reported and addressed promptly.
Require drivers to hold appropriate licences and be medically fit to drive.
Promote safe driving practices, including adherence to speed limits, avoidance of distractions, and proper journey planning.
Ensure that loads are properly distributed, secured and covered where necessary to prevent shifting or loss of items during transit.
Customer Premises and Public Safety
Our staff frequently work in customers homes, offices and shared spaces. We will conduct our activities in a way that minimises risk to the occupants, neighbours and the general public.
This includes:
Keeping access routes, stairs and doorways as clear as reasonably possible.
Taking care to protect floors, walls, doors and fixtures from damage during moves.
Managing trip hazards such as trailing straps, ramps or packing materials.
Using safe techniques when moving items through communal areas or near public footpaths and roads.
Training, Information and Supervision
Colliers Wood Man and Van is committed to providing suitable instruction and training to ensure employees understand their responsibilities and are able to work safely.
We will:
Provide induction training covering general health and safety requirements and site-specific issues.
Deliver task-specific training on manual handling, vehicle safety, safe loading, and use of equipment.
Offer refresher training where necessary and when procedures or equipment change.
Supervise less experienced staff to ensure safe working practices are followed consistently.
Accident, Incident and Near Miss Reporting
All accidents, incidents, injuries, near misses and cases of work-related ill health must be reported to management. This allows us to investigate, learn lessons and prevent recurrence.
We will:
Record and review all incidents, however minor, to identify trends and areas for improvement.
Cooperate with relevant authorities as required.
Implement corrective and preventive actions where weaknesses are identified.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and updated when necessary to reflect changes in our operations, legislation or industry best practice. We will monitor our performance, seek feedback from staff and customers, and use this information to improve our safety management systems over time.
By working together and following the principles set out in this policy, Colliers Wood Man and Van aims to provide a reliable, professional and safe removal and man and van service for every customer.
