Health and Safety policy

Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Kentish Town

Man with Van Kentish Town is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our staff, customers and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transportation activities. This Health and Safety policy sets out our approach to managing risk, preventing injury and protecting property while delivering man and van and removal services.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to prevent accidents, minimise work-related ill health, protect customer premises and goods, and continuously improve our safety performance. We will take all reasonably practicable steps to identify hazards, assess risks and apply appropriate control measures relevant to domestic and commercial moves, loading and unloading, and short-distance or longer-distance transport.

Legal Responsibilities and Management Commitment

The management of Man with Van Kentish Town accepts overall responsibility for health and safety within the company. We will comply with all applicable health and safety legislation and recognised best practice for handling, lifting, transportation and safe driving. Management will provide leadership, resources and support to implement this policy and review it regularly to ensure it remains effective and appropriate to our operations.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees, drivers, porters and contractors working on behalf of Man with Van Kentish Town have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Staff must follow all safety instructions, use equipment correctly, wear any required personal protective equipment and report hazards, near misses and incidents to management without delay. No task is so urgent that it cannot be carried out safely.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We will carry out risk assessments for our core activities, including manual handling of furniture and boxes, navigating stairways and narrow access points, loading and securing items in vans, and operating in residential streets and commercial locations. These assessments will inform our safe systems of work and will be reviewed if there are changes in work processes, equipment or service area patterns.

Safe working procedures will be communicated to all staff and may cover route planning, parking and unloading arrangements, working in shared or public spaces, and coordination with customers when moving bulky or fragile items.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is central to removal work and presents significant risk if not managed correctly. Man with Van Kentish Town will ensure that staff receive training in safe lifting techniques, team lifting, use of trolleys, dollies, straps and other handling aids. Heavy or awkward items must be assessed before moving, and sufficient personnel and equipment allocated to the task. Staff are instructed not to exceed their individual physical capacity or to take unnecessary risks to save time.

All equipment used for removals, including ramps, straps and protective materials, will be checked regularly and maintained in a safe condition. Defective equipment will be taken out of service immediately.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vehicles are central to our man and van services and must be operated safely at all times. We will maintain our vans in roadworthy condition, carry out regular checks and arrange servicing in accordance with manufacturer guidance and legal requirements. Drivers must hold valid licences for the vehicles they operate and are expected to comply with road traffic laws, speed limits and parking rules.

Loads will be distributed and secured properly to prevent movement during transit. Drivers will be instructed to adjust their driving style to the conditions and to the nature of the load, allowing extra time and distance when carrying heavy or fragile goods.

Customer, Public and Property Protection

When working at customer addresses, business premises or public locations, we will take reasonable measures to protect people and property from harm. This includes careful positioning of vehicles, clear walkways for carrying items, and the use of coverings or protective materials to reduce the risk of damage to floors, walls, lifts and doorways.

Staff will be mindful of noise, obstruction and any impact on neighbours, other road users or pedestrians. Where necessary, we will coordinate with customers to agree safe access times and arrangements, particularly in busy or restricted streets.

Training, Information and Supervision

Man with Van Kentish Town will provide suitable health and safety training for all relevant roles, including induction training for new starters and task-specific guidance for removal operations. Training may cover manual handling, safe driving, use of equipment, hazard awareness and emergency procedures. Information about risks and control measures will be communicated clearly, and additional supervision will be provided where staff are new to a task or work environment.

Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, incidents and near misses involving our staff, customers or members of the public during our work will be reported and recorded in line with our internal procedures. We will investigate incidents to identify root causes and implement improvements to prevent recurrence. Drivers and team members will be briefed on what to do in the event of an injury, collision, fire or other emergency, including how to make the scene safe as far as reasonably practicable.

Health, Welfare and Fitness for Work

We recognise that the physical nature of removal work can place demands on staff. We will encourage safe working limits, adequate rest breaks and responsible scheduling of jobs. Staff are expected to present themselves fit for work, free from the effects of drugs or alcohol, and to inform management of any health conditions that may affect their ability to work safely.

Continuous Improvement and Policy Review

This Health and Safety policy will be reviewed periodically and whenever significant changes occur in our operations, service area coverage, fleet or staffing. We will consider feedback from employees and customers, lessons learned from incidents and developments in industry practice to improve our procedures. By working together, management and staff of Man with Van Kentish Town aim to maintain a consistently high standard of health and safety performance in all our removal and man and van services.