Man With a Van Docklands Health and Safety Policy

Man With a Van Docklands 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 Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risk, preventing injury and ill health, and continually improving our safety performance across all removal services.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our main objectives are to prevent accidents, protect the wellbeing of our workforce and customers, and comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and industry standards. We aim to integrate safe working practices into every aspect of our operations, from small local moves to larger household and office relocations.

We will regularly review and update our procedures to reflect changes in legislation, best practice guidance and the nature of our work, including packing, loading, transport and unloading activities.

Management Responsibilities

The management of Man With a Van Docklands accepts overall responsibility for health and safety within the company. This includes:

Ensuring that adequate resources are made available to implement and maintain this policy. Providing information, instruction, training and supervision to enable employees to work safely and without risk to health. Carrying out and reviewing risk assessments for removal, lifting, driving and related tasks. Maintaining vehicles, equipment and tools in a safe, roadworthy and serviceable condition. Investigating accidents, incidents and near misses, and taking appropriate corrective and preventive action.

Managers and supervisors are responsible for promoting a positive safety culture, leading by example and ensuring that safe systems of work are followed on every job.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee has a duty of care to themselves, their colleagues, customers and members of the public. All staff must:

Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. Follow all safety instructions, training and procedures provided by Man With a Van Docklands. Use vehicles, lifting equipment, tools and protective equipment correctly and for their intended purpose. Report accidents, incidents, near misses, hazards or unsafe conditions at the earliest opportunity. Cooperate with management in the implementation and improvement of health and safety arrangements.

No employee is expected to carry out any work that they believe to be unsafe or beyond their level of training or capability. Concerns must be raised immediately with a supervisor or manager.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We conduct risk assessments for all key aspects of our removal operations. These assessments identify potential hazards, evaluate the risks and determine suitable control measures. Particular attention is given to:

Manual handling and lifting of furniture, boxes and equipment. Use of trolleys, ramps and other moving aids. Working in confined spaces such as stairwells, corridors and lifts. Loading and unloading vehicles safely and securely. Securing loads to prevent movement during transit. Driving, parking and operating vehicles in a safe manner.

From these assessments, we develop safe systems of work and provide clear instructions to staff. Employees are expected to follow these systems at all times, adapting to site-specific conditions while maintaining safety standards.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core element of our removal services and is treated as a major area of risk. We provide training on correct lifting techniques, team lifts and the use of mechanical aids. Our approach includes:

Assessing the weight, size and shape of items before moving them. Planning the route for each move, including clearance and any obstacles. Using appropriate handling equipment such as dollies, sack trucks and straps. Encouraging team lifting for heavy or bulky items to reduce individual strain. Avoiding unnecessary carrying distances by careful vehicle positioning where possible.

Employees are instructed not to attempt to lift or move items beyond their capability and to request additional assistance or equipment when needed.

Vehicle and Road Safety

Our vehicles are a central part of our business and must be operated safely at all times. Man With a Van Docklands commits to:

Maintaining vehicles in accordance with manufacturer guidelines and legal requirements. Carrying out regular checks on brakes, tyres, lights, load security and safety equipment. Ensuring drivers are competent, properly licensed and fit for duty. Planning routes to minimise risk, taking into account access restrictions and local conditions. Enforcing safe driving practices, including adherence to speed limits and rest breaks on longer journeys.

Loads are to be distributed evenly and secured using suitable restraints to prevent movement or damage during transit.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Our teams frequently work in and around customer homes, offices, shared buildings and public areas. We take all reasonable steps to protect customers, visitors and passers-by by:

Keeping access routes clear and free from trip hazards where practicable. Using warning signs or verbal warnings where work may create temporary risks. Taking care when moving items through doorways, staircases and communal areas. Minimising noise, disruption and obstruction in public spaces and shared entrances. Respecting customer property and taking precautions to avoid damage.

Where conditions at a site present unacceptable risk, work will be paused and alternative arrangements will be discussed with the customer.

Training, Information and Supervision

Appropriate training is provided to all employees in relation to their roles. This can include induction training, manual handling, vehicle safety, use of equipment and emergency procedures. Refresher training is given when required, and whenever significant changes occur in our work practices.

Supervisors monitor compliance with safety procedures on site and offer guidance to newer staff. Safety communications, briefings and updates are shared regularly to keep all team members informed about health and safety matters.

Welfare, Health and Wellbeing

We recognise the importance of overall wellbeing in maintaining a safe workforce. Man With a Van Docklands seeks to ensure that employees have access to adequate welfare facilities during work, take regular breaks and are not expected to work excessive hours that could lead to fatigue.

Employees are encouraged to inform management of any health issues that may affect their ability to carry out specific tasks safely. We will make reasonable adjustments where possible to support individual needs.

Emergency Preparedness and Incident Reporting

Our staff are briefed on what to do in the event of an accident, injury, fire or other emergency. This includes raising the alarm, contacting emergency services and making the area safe where possible without putting themselves at risk.

All accidents, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported to management as soon as practicable. Records are kept of these events, and investigations are carried out to identify root causes and implement improvements to prevent recurrence.

Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains effective, relevant and aligned with current legislation and best practice within the removal and transport sector. Feedback from employees, customers and other stakeholders is welcomed as part of our commitment to continuous improvement.

Man With a Van Docklands expects every member of the team to contribute to a safe working environment and to uphold the standards and principles set out in this policy whenever we provide removal services.