Health and Safety policy

Man with Van Osidge Health and Safety Policy

Man with Van Osidge is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all workers, contractors, customers and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transport activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks associated with moving, loading, transporting and unloading goods.

We aim to prevent injury, ill health and damage to property by identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing sensible control measures that are appropriate to a professional removals and man and van business.

Policy Aims and Objectives

The primary aims of this Health and Safety Policy are to:

Promote a strong health and safety culture across all aspects of our removal services. Comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and recognised good practice. Reduce the risk of accidents, injuries and work-related ill health. Ensure that vehicles, equipment and working practices are safe and suitable. Provide appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision. Review and improve our safety performance on a regular basis.

Management Responsibilities

Management at Man with Van Osidge is responsible for ensuring that health and safety is effectively managed throughout the business. This includes:

Providing adequate resources to implement this policy and supporting procedures. Ensuring that risk assessments are completed, recorded and regularly reviewed. Maintaining safe systems of work for lifting, carrying, loading, unloading and driving. Ensuring that vehicles and equipment are inspected, serviced and maintained in a safe condition. Investigating accidents, incidents and near misses and taking corrective action. Reviewing this policy periodically and updating it when necessary to reflect changes in legislation, industry standards or business operations.

Employee Responsibilities

All workers, including drivers, loaders, porters and temporary staff, 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 must:

Follow all safety instructions, procedures and training provided. Use vehicles, equipment and tools only for their intended purpose and in a safe manner. Report hazards, defects, accidents and near misses to management without delay. Wear suitable clothing and footwear appropriate for manual handling and vehicle work. Co operate with management on all health and safety matters and participate in training and briefings.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Man with Van Osidge carries out risk assessments for typical activities associated with removals, including domestic and commercial moves, single item transport and multi drop work. These assessments consider hazards such as manual handling, slips and trips, vehicle movements, working in and around properties and weather conditions.

Based on these assessments, we implement safe working practices which may include:

Planning jobs to allow sufficient time for safe loading and unloading. Assessing access routes, stairs, parking and lifting requirements before work begins. Using appropriate lifting techniques and team lifting for heavy or awkward items. Using equipment such as sack trucks, trolleys and straps where suitable. Avoiding unnecessary carrying over long distances and unsafe lifting above shoulder height.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a key element of removals work and carries a risk of musculoskeletal injuries if not managed properly. To reduce these risks, Man with Van Osidge will:

Provide guidance and instruction on safe lifting and carrying techniques. Encourage workers to assess the weight, size and stability of items before lifting. Require team lifts or use of equipment for heavy, bulky or fragile items. Avoid asking workers to lift items that are beyond their individual capability. Emphasise the importance of good posture, keeping loads close to the body and avoiding twisting while carrying.

Vehicle and Road Safety

Our vehicles are central to our service and must be operated safely at all times. Man with Van Osidge will:

Ensure that all drivers hold the appropriate licence and have the necessary competence. Keep vehicles in a roadworthy condition through regular checks and maintenance. Require pre use vehicle checks to identify defects such as tyre, brake or lighting issues. Ensure loads are distributed evenly, properly secured and within weight limits. Promote safe driving practices including adherence to speed limits and traffic regulations, maintaining safe distances and avoiding use of mobile phones while driving.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Our work often takes place at customer premises and on public roads. We recognise our responsibility to protect customers, their property and members of the public. Measures include:

Taking care to prevent damage to buildings, fixtures and fittings while moving items. Keeping walkways clear of obstacles, packaging materials and trailing straps wherever possible. Using caution on stairs, narrow corridors and shared access areas. Positioning vehicles to minimise disruption and risk to pedestrians and other road users. Communicating clearly with customers about the sequence of work and any safety considerations.

Training, Information and Supervision

Man with Van Osidge provides appropriate information and instruction so that workers understand the hazards associated with removals work and how to work safely. This may cover:

Manual handling and correct lifting techniques. Safe loading, stacking and securing of goods. Safe use of trolleys, ramps and other handling aids. Vehicle checks, driving standards and road safety. Emergency procedures, incident reporting and use of basic first aid resources.

New workers receive an induction covering key health and safety topics relevant to their role. Ongoing supervision and periodic refresher training support the maintenance of safe working practices.

Accident, Incident and Near Miss Reporting

All accidents, incidents and near misses must be reported to management as soon as reasonably practicable. Man with Van Osidge will:

Record relevant details to enable proper investigation. Take reasonable steps to identify root causes and contributing factors. Implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence where possible. Review procedures and training needs in light of lessons learned.

Health, Welfare and Fitness for Work

Workers must be medically fit to undertake driving and manual handling tasks. Anyone who feels unwell, overtired or otherwise unfit for work must inform management. We do not tolerate working under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or any behaviour that could compromise the safety of workers, customers or the public.

Reasonable steps are taken to ensure workers have access to basic welfare facilities during the working day, including opportunities for rest breaks, hydration and use of toilet facilities appropriate to the job location.

Policy Review

This Health and Safety Policy reflects the current operations of Man with Van Osidge and will be reviewed regularly to ensure it remains suitable and effective. Revisions may be made in response to changes in legislation, industry guidance, company activities or following the investigation of incidents.

All workers are expected to familiarise themselves with this policy and to apply its principles at all times while engaged in work for Man with Van Osidge.