Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Hainault
Man with Van Hainault 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 our approach to managing risks associated with moving, loading, transporting, and unloading goods, and operating vehicles for home and business removals.
Policy Statement and Objectives
Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, and damage to property arising from our activities. We will take all reasonably practicable steps to:
Identify and manage risks related to lifting, carrying, and moving items. Ensure vehicles and equipment used for removals are maintained in a safe condition. Provide information, instruction, and training to enable safe working. Promote a culture where health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. Comply with applicable health and safety legislation and recognised best practice.
Management Responsibilities
Company management has overall responsibility for implementing this Health and Safety Policy and ensuring it remains effective and relevant to our removal operations. Management will:
Set clear health and safety standards and communicate them to all staff. Allocate appropriate resources for training, equipment, and maintenance. Ensure that suitable and sufficient risk assessments are carried out and reviewed. Investigate accidents, incidents, and near misses, and implement corrective actions. Monitor and periodically review performance against health and safety objectives.
Employee Responsibilities
Every member of staff, including drivers, porters, and supervisors, shares responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. All employees of Man with Van Hainault must:
Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others. Follow safe systems of work, training, and instructions provided. Use vehicles, tools, and equipment only for their intended purpose and in a safe manner. Report hazards, defects, near misses, and incidents promptly to management. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment provided by the company. Avoid any behaviour that could put themselves, colleagues, or customers at risk.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
We will carry out risk assessments for our removal and transportation activities, including home moves, office moves, and collection or delivery of items. These assessments will consider:
Manual handling risks when lifting or carrying heavy, bulky, or awkward items. Trips, slips, and falls while moving goods in properties, stairwells, lifts, and outdoor areas. Loading and unloading risks around vehicles, including moving traffic and uneven surfaces. The condition, size, and weight of items being moved, and access constraints. Weather conditions and environmental factors that may affect safe working.
From these assessments we will develop and implement safe systems of work. Staff must follow these procedures at all times and raise any concerns if a task appears unsafe.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is a core part of our removal work and presents significant risk if not managed correctly. Man with Van Hainault will:
Provide manual handling training appropriate to the tasks undertaken. Use lifting aids, trolleys, and other equipment where reasonably practicable. Plan jobs to avoid unnecessary carrying and to minimise manual lifting distances. Require team lifting for heavy or bulky items that cannot be moved safely by one person. Prohibit employees from attempting to lift loads they consider too heavy or unsafe.
Employees must use correct lifting techniques, maintain good posture, and stop work immediately if they feel pain or discomfort during a lift or carry.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Our vehicles are central to our operations and must be operated safely at all times. We will:
Ensure vehicles are regularly inspected, maintained, and kept roadworthy. Require drivers to carry out basic pre-use checks and report any defects. Ensure loads are secured correctly to prevent shifting during transit. Plan routes and schedules to allow sufficient time, reducing pressure on drivers. Require all drivers to hold the appropriate valid driving licence.
Drivers must obey road traffic laws, drive responsibly, and never operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any substance that impairs their ability to drive.
Safe Loading, Unloading, and Site Safety
When working at customer properties or on public roads, our teams will take steps to protect themselves and others. This includes:
Assessing access points, stairs, and pathways for hazards before starting work. Using warning signs or cones when working near roads or shared access areas where appropriate. Keeping work areas as tidy as reasonably possible to reduce trip hazards. Avoiding obstruction of fire exits, corridors, and access routes. Using correct techniques and equipment when loading and unloading to prevent items from falling or being damaged.
Personal Protective Equipment
Where risk assessments identify a need for personal protective equipment, such as gloves, protective footwear, or high-visibility clothing, Man with Van Hainault will provide suitable PPE. Employees must:
Use PPE as instructed whenever required. Take care of PPE and report any damage or defects immediately. Store PPE appropriately when not in use.
Health, Welfare, and Fitness for Work
We recognise the physically demanding nature of removal work and will support the health and wellbeing of our staff. Employees are expected to:
Inform management of any medical conditions that may affect their ability to carry out tasks safely. Not present for work under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or misused medication. Take appropriate rest breaks as agreed and stay hydrated, particularly during demanding jobs.
Training, Information, and Communication
Man with Van Hainault will provide induction and ongoing training relevant to each role, including manual handling, vehicle safety, use of equipment, and site safety. We will:
Keep records of training completed by each employee. Provide clear instructions and job briefs before complex or high-risk tasks. Communicate updates to procedures or safety requirements as needed.
Incident Reporting and Policy Review
All accidents, injuries, near misses, and dangerous occurrences must be reported to management as soon as possible. We will investigate incidents to identify causes and implement measures to prevent recurrence.
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly, and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, legislation, or identified risks. Updated versions will be communicated to all employees and made available to customers on request.
Man with Van Hainault expects full cooperation with this policy from all staff and contractors, to ensure that every removal and transport job is carried out safely and responsibly.
