Health and Safety policy

Man and Van Shoreditch Health and Safety Policy

Man and Van Shoreditch 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 transport activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out how we manage safety risks associated with moving, loading, transporting, and unloading goods as part of our man and van and removals services.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, protect property, and minimise risks arising from our operations. We aim to:

Identify and control hazards associated with lifting, carrying, driving, loading, unloading, and working in and around vehicles and customer premises.

Comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and recognised best practice for the removals and transport sector.

Provide appropriate information, instruction, training, and supervision to ensure work is carried out safely and competently.

Continuously review and improve our health and safety performance.

Management Responsibilities

Management at Man and Van Shoreditch is responsible for implementing and maintaining this Health and Safety Policy. This includes:

Ensuring risk assessments are carried out for our removal and delivery activities and that control measures are implemented and monitored.

Providing suitable equipment, vehicles, and personal protective equipment to enable work to be done safely.

Ensuring staff are trained in safe manual handling techniques, vehicle safety, customer site procedures, and emergency arrangements.

Investigating accidents, incidents, and near misses to identify root causes and prevent recurrence.

Regularly reviewing this policy and updating it to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, and industry standards.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee and contractor working for Man and Van Shoreditch has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. All staff are required to:

Follow all safety instructions, training, and documented procedures related to removals and transport work.

Use vehicles, equipment, and personal protective equipment correctly and report any defects immediately.

Adopt safe manual handling practices when moving furniture, boxes, appliances, and other items.

Maintain good standards of housekeeping in vehicles and at work locations to prevent slips, trips, and falls.

Report hazards, accidents, incidents, and near misses to management without delay.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We carry out risk assessments covering our range of man and van and removal services. These assessments consider hazards such as manual handling, working in confined spaces, use of trolleys and lifting equipment, vehicle movements, and access to properties. From these assessments we establish safe systems of work, including:

Planning each move in advance, including access routes, parking locations, and the nature and weight of items to be moved.

Ensuring sufficient staff are available to safely lift and carry heavy or awkward items.

Using appropriate handling aids such as trolleys, straps, and blankets where suitable.

Securing loads properly inside vehicles to prevent movement during transport.

Assessing customer premises for hazards such as narrow staircases, poor lighting, uneven surfaces, and obstructions.

Manual Handling and Musculoskeletal Safety

Manual handling is a core element of our removal work and presents a significant risk of injury if not managed properly. To reduce the risk of strains and other musculoskeletal injuries, we:

Provide training in correct lifting techniques, including team lifting, posture, and the use of handling aids.

Discourage lone lifting of heavy or bulky items and require staff to seek assistance when needed.

Plan lifting routes to minimise twisting, overreaching, and carrying items over long distances.

Rotate tasks where possible to avoid prolonged periods of heavy lifting.

Vehicle and Driving Safety

Our vehicles are essential to our removal and man and van operations, and we place strong emphasis on road safety. We ensure that:

Vehicles are regularly inspected, maintained, and kept in a roadworthy condition.

Drivers hold the appropriate licence and are competent and fit to drive.

Loads are distributed safely, secured against movement, and do not exceed permitted weight limits.

Drivers follow safe driving practices, respect speed limits, and adjust driving to weather, traffic, and road conditions.

Parking and unloading are carried out with consideration for other road users and pedestrians, and only in safe, legal locations.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Our work frequently takes place at customer homes, offices, and other premises. We take care to protect customers, visitors, and the public by:

Planning entry and exit routes that minimise the risk of collision or obstruction.

Using warning where necessary and clearly communicating with customers while loading and unloading.

Keeping work areas as tidy as possible and removing tripping hazards such as loose packaging and trailing straps.

Handling customer property with care to prevent damage that could also lead to safety risks.

Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment

Man and Van Shoreditch provides equipment suitable for removal and transport work, and where required, personal protective equipment. Staff must use this equipment in line with training and manufacturer instructions. The company will:

Inspect handling equipment and accessories regularly and remove defective items from use.

Provide basic protective items where necessary, such as gloves and safety footwear.

Ensure that only trained personnel use any specialised lifting or securing equipment.

Training, Communication and Consultation

Health and safety training is provided as part of induction for new staff and refreshed as required. Training includes manual handling, vehicle safety, incident reporting, and customer site conduct. We encourage open communication about safety matters and invite staff to raise concerns, suggest improvements, and participate in reviews of our procedures.

Accident and Incident Reporting

All accidents, incidents, and near misses must be reported to management as soon as practicable. We keep records of these events, investigate causes, and implement corrective actions where needed. Learning from incidents is used to update our risk assessments and improve our safety arrangements.

Policy Review

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our services, operations, or relevant legislation. Man and Van Shoreditch is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety performance to ensure that our removal and man and van services are delivered as safely as possible for everyone involved.