Man with Van Poplar Health and Safety Policy
Man with Van Poplar 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 risks associated with moving, lifting, transporting and handling goods in homes, offices and other premises across our service area.
Our Health and Safety Objectives
Our main objectives are to prevent injury, ill health and property damage arising from our work. We aim to:
Identify, assess and control hazards linked to removals and transportation work. Provide appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision for all staff. Maintain vehicles and equipment in safe working order. Promote a culture in which safety is a core part of every job. Continually improve our health and safety performance.
Legal Responsibilities and Duties
Man with Van Poplar complies with relevant health and safety legislation and associated guidance that apply to removal and transport activities. All employees, whether full time, part time or temporary, have a duty to take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others. They must follow company procedures, use equipment correctly and report any hazards, near misses, incidents or concerns to management without delay.
Management Responsibilities
Management is responsible for implementing this Health and Safety policy and ensuring that adequate resources are available to meet our commitments. This includes:
Carrying out and reviewing risk assessments for removal, loading, unloading and driving tasks. Providing safe systems of work and method statements where needed. Ensuring that employees receive necessary training and refresher training. Monitoring working practices, investigating incidents and taking corrective action. Communicating safety expectations clearly to staff, subcontractors and customers.
Employee Responsibilities
Every member of the Man with Van Poplar team must:
Work safely and follow all instructions, procedures and training. Use provided equipment, protective clothing and tools in the proper way. Avoid taking shortcuts that could compromise safety or damage property. Immediately report hazards, damaged equipment, unsafe conditions or accidents. Cooperate fully with any investigation or safety improvement measures.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
We assess health and safety risks before and during each job. Typical risks include manual handling, slips and trips, vehicle movement, working in confined spaces such as narrow stairways, and handling fragile or heavy items. Where significant risks are identified, we put proportionate controls in place, such as using extra staff, specialist moving equipment or alternative access routes.
Before work begins on site, our team will review the environment, including access points, staircases, lifts, parking areas and any known hazards. If the situation is unsafe or significantly different from what was agreed, the team will pause work and contact management and the customer to agree a safe way forward.
Manual Handling and Use of Equipment
Removals involve frequent lifting, carrying and positioning of items. To reduce the risk of injury, we:
Train staff in correct lifting, carrying and team-handling techniques. Use appropriate equipment such as trolleys, dollies, lifting straps and protective covers where necessary. Plan the route for large or heavy items in advance to avoid unnecessary lifting and awkward movements. Set practical limits for the weight and size of items that can be moved by one person. Encourage staff to ask for help whenever a load is too heavy, bulky or awkward.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Our vehicles are essential to our removal and delivery services and must be operated safely at all times. We:
Ensure drivers are competent, hold the correct licences and receive ongoing guidance. Carry out regular vehicle checks and maintenance in line with manufacturer recommendations. Load and secure items safely to prevent movement during transit. Plan routes to minimise risk, avoid unsafe stopping points and reduce driver fatigue. Require drivers to follow all road traffic laws and drive at appropriate speeds for conditions.
Customer Premises and Public Safety
Our work often takes place in and around homes, offices, communal areas and public spaces. While working on site, our teams:
Take care to protect walls, floors, doors and fixtures where reasonably practicable. Keep walkways and escape routes as clear as possible while loading or unloading. Use safe lifting routes that minimise risk to residents, visitors and staff. Communicate clearly with customers about any temporary hazards created during the move, such as trailing straps or open vehicle doors. Act courteously and professionally at all times.
Incident Reporting and Investigation
All accidents, injuries, near misses, damage to property and significant safety concerns must be reported to management as soon as possible. We record and investigate each incident, identify underlying causes and put in place corrective actions to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Lessons learned are shared with relevant team members and, where appropriate, used to update risk assessments and procedures.
Training, Competence and Supervision
We recognise that effective training is central to safe operations. Man with Van Poplar:
Provides induction training to new staff covering core safety procedures, manual handling and vehicle safety. Offers job-specific training for tasks such as handling specialist items or using particular equipment. Provides supervision and mentoring, especially for less experienced staff. Reviews training needs regularly and arranges refresher sessions when required.
Health, Welfare and Fitness for Work
We expect staff to present for work in a fit and proper condition, free from the influence of alcohol, illegal substances or any medication that impairs safe performance unless declared and assessed as safe. We encourage staff to raise any health or wellbeing issues that may affect their ability to perform manual handling or driving tasks so that reasonable adjustments or alternative duties can be considered.
Continuous Improvement and Policy Review
Health and safety is an ongoing priority for Man with Van Poplar. This policy is reviewed periodically, and also following any significant change in our activities or relevant legislation, or after any serious incident. We welcome feedback from employees and customers on how we can further improve the safety of our removal and van services across our operating area.
By choosing Man with Van Poplar, customers can be confident that we take our health and safety responsibilities seriously and work hard to carry out every move in a safe, controlled and professional manner.
