Health and Safety policy
Man with Van Fulham Health and Safety Policy
This Health and Safety Policy sets out how Man with Van Fulham manages health, safety and welfare for our staff, customers, contractors and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transport activities. Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health and damage to property during all moving and delivery operations.
Commitment to Health and Safety
Man with Van Fulham is committed to conducting all removal and transport services in a safe and responsible manner. Health and safety considerations are integral to how we plan jobs, train our team and operate our vehicles. We aim to comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice and to continually improve our standards.
Responsibilities
The management of Man with Van Fulham has overall responsibility for implementing and maintaining this Health and Safety Policy. This includes providing appropriate resources, training and supervision to ensure work is carried out safely.
All employees and regular contractors are required to:
• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety.
• Consider the safety of colleagues, customers and the public.
• Follow all safety instructions, training and risk control measures.
• Use equipment correctly and report defects immediately.
• Report hazards, near misses, incidents and injuries without delay.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
Before each job, Man with Van Fulham considers the specific risks associated with the premises, access routes, parking, items to be moved and any special customer requirements. Where significant risks are identified, a more detailed risk assessment is carried out and appropriate control measures are put in place.
Safe working practices may include:
• Planning lifting methods and sufficient staffing levels for heavy or awkward loads.
• Using trolleys, dollies, lifting straps and other handling aids where appropriate.
• Securing clear walkways and keeping access routes free from trip hazards.
• Using safe parking positions for vans to minimise reversing and vehicle movements.
• Ensuring safe stacking and securing of items within vehicles to prevent movement in transit.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is a core part of removal work, and poor technique can lead to injury. Man with Van Fulham provides guidance and instruction to staff on safe lifting and handling, including:
• Assessing the weight, size and shape of items before lifting.
• Using team lifts for heavy, bulky or awkward objects.
• Keeping loads close to the body and avoiding twisting movements.
• Taking regular breaks when handling large volumes of items.
• Refusing to lift items that exceed safe handling limits or present unacceptable risk.
Vehicles and Driving Safety
Our vans are essential to our service and are maintained with safety in mind. Man with Van Fulham ensures that vehicles are regularly inspected and serviced in line with manufacturer and legal requirements. Drivers are required to carry out basic checks, such as tyres, lights and securing points, before use.
Driving safety measures include:
• Only allowing competent, authorised staff to drive company vehicles.
• Safe loading and securing of items to prevent shifting or falling during transit.
• Observing speed limits, parking regulations and local traffic rules.
• Avoiding driving when fatigued or unfit to drive.
• Planning routes to minimise unnecessary reversing or difficult manoeuvres.
Customer Premises and Public Safety
Man with Van Fulham recognises that our staff frequently work in and around customer homes, business premises and public spaces. We take care to minimise risks to occupants and the public by:
• Communicating clearly with customers about access, timing and any potential hazards.
• Placing warning where there are trailing straps, open doors or low headroom.
• Keeping doorways, stairways and footpaths as clear as reasonably possible.
• Using safe lifting routes that avoid unnecessary risk of damage or injury.
• Taking care when moving items in communal areas, corridors and outside spaces.
Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment
Where appropriate, Man with Van Fulham provides suitable equipment and personal protective equipment to reduce risks arising from removal activities. This may include gloves, protective footwear, high-visibility vests for roadside work, and handling aids such as moving blankets, straps and trolleys.
Staff are required to use equipment as instructed and to report any damage or defects immediately so items can be repaired or replaced.
Hazardous Items and Restricted Materials
Some items present particular risks, such as hazardous chemicals, flammable materials, gas cylinders, firearms, explosives or items containing asbestos. Man with Van Fulham does not routinely transport hazardous or restricted materials. Customers must inform us in advance if they intend to move items that may be hazardous or regulated so that we can assess whether it is safe and lawful to transport them.
Training, Information and Supervision
Man with Van Fulham provides staff with information on this Health and Safety Policy and any relevant procedures. New team members receive induction training, including guidance on manual handling, working at customer premises and vehicle safety.
Ongoing supervision and refresher instruction are provided to ensure safe standards are maintained and that staff understand their responsibilities. We encourage feedback from staff on how to improve safety in day-to-day removal work.
Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures
All accidents, injuries, incidents and near misses must be reported to management as soon as reasonably practicable. This allows us to investigate causes, take corrective actions and prevent recurrence.
In the event of an emergency at a job location, such as fire, medical incident or serious damage, staff are instructed to prioritise the safety of people, raise the alarm, contact emergency services if required and follow any site-specific procedures.
Policy Review
Man with Van Fulham reviews this Health and Safety Policy on a regular basis and whenever there are significant changes in our operations, legal requirements or industry guidance. Updates are communicated to staff, and any necessary changes to working practices are implemented as part of our ongoing commitment to safe removal services.
