Man with Van Tooting Health and Safety Policy

Man with Van Tooting is committed to providing a professional, safe and healthy environment for our employees, customers, contractors and members of the public who may be affected by our removal activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our commitment to managing risks associated with household, office and commercial moves, and to complying with all relevant health and safety legislation and best practice guidance.

Our Health and Safety Objectives

Our primary objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, protect property, and promote a culture of safety in every removal job we undertake. We plan all work so that it can be carried out safely and efficiently, whether we are completing a small flat move, a larger house removal or a business relocation.

We aim to continually improve our health and safety performance through regular review of our procedures, feedback from staff and customers, and learning from any incidents, near misses or identified hazards.

Responsibilities and Management Commitment

The management of Man with Van Tooting accepts overall responsibility for health and safety within the company. This includes providing clear direction, allocating appropriate resources, and ensuring that safe systems of work are developed, implemented and maintained.

Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for day-to-day health and safety on each job, ensuring that staff understand and follow agreed procedures, use equipment correctly and report any concerns immediately. Every employee has a duty of care to take reasonable steps for their own safety and the safety of others who may be affected by their work.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

Before starting any removal, our team assesses the job to identify potential hazards such as restricted access, staircases, heavy or awkward items, vehicle access, and weather conditions. We then decide on appropriate control measures, such as using moving equipment, adjusting the number of staff on site, or altering the planned route.

We develop safe working practices for lifting and carrying, loading and unloading vehicles, securing loads, parking safely, and working in shared spaces such as communal hallways and loading areas. These procedures are communicated to our staff and reviewed regularly to ensure they remain suitable and effective.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a key part of removal work. To reduce the risk of back injuries and strains, our staff are trained in correct lifting techniques, team lifting, and the use of equipment such as trolleys, dollies and straps. Heavy or bulky items are assessed individually so that the safest method of handling is chosen.

All equipment used in our work, including vehicles, lifting aids and protective materials, is inspected regularly and maintained in good working order. Defective equipment is taken out of service immediately and reported so that it can be repaired or replaced.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our drivers are expected to maintain high standards of road safety at all times. This includes carrying out basic vehicle checks, securing loads correctly, driving within speed limits and adjusting their driving style to account for weather, traffic and road conditions.

Vehicles are loaded in a way that distributes weight safely and prevents movement during transit. Items are secured using straps and appropriate restraints to minimise the risk of damage or injury during loading, transport and unloading.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

We take reasonable steps to protect customers, neighbours and members of the public during our work. This includes keeping access routes as clear as practicable, managing trip hazards such as ramps and protective coverings, and communicating clearly when moving large items through shared or busy areas.

Our teams work with care in and around customer premises, paying attention to security, protection of surfaces, and the respectful handling of goods and belongings. Where necessary, we will agree with the customer on temporary restrictions to access routes to maintain safety.

Training, Information and Supervision

Man with Van Tooting provides staff with appropriate training and instruction so that they can carry out their work safely and competently. This may include induction training, manual handling, vehicle safety, use of equipment, and job-specific briefings before more complex moves.

We ensure that new or less experienced staff are suitably supervised and that all staff receive updates when procedures or equipment change. Health and safety expectations form a core part of our performance standards.

Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, incidents and near misses occurring during our work must be reported to management as soon as reasonably possible. We keep records to help identify patterns, root causes and opportunities for improvement.

Our staff are briefed on emergency procedures, including what to do in case of personal injury, fire, road traffic incidents or damage to property. Where required, we will cooperate with emergency services and provide relevant information to support their response.

Consultation and Continuous Improvement

We encourage open communication about health and safety. Staff are invited to raise concerns, suggest improvements and report hazards without fear of reprisal. Customer feedback is also welcomed as a way to improve our standards and service.

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes in our operations, legislation or best practice. Updates are communicated to staff to ensure that our approach remains current, effective and aligned with our commitment to safe, professional removal services.