Man With a Van Plumstead Health and Safety Policy

Man With a Van Plumstead is committed to providing a professional, safe and reliable removal and transport service. This Health and Safety Policy explains how we protect our customers, workers, the public and property while carrying out home moves, office moves and delivery services throughout our operating areas.

Our Health and Safety Commitment

We recognise our responsibility to manage health and safety risks associated with lifting, loading, driving and working in and around customers premises and on public roads. Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, damage to property and disruption to our customers by following sensible, practical safety measures.

All activities are planned and carried out with health and safety as a core priority. We aim to continually improve our standards, learning from experience, customer feedback and changes in best practice within the removals and transport sector.

Responsibilities and Accountability

Overall responsibility for health and safety rests with the owner or manager of Man With a Van Plumstead. They are responsible for ensuring that safe systems of work are developed, implemented and reviewed regularly.

Drivers, porters and any other personnel working for or on behalf of Man With a Van Plumstead are required to:

Cooperate with all safety instructions and procedures.

Take reasonable care of their own safety and the safety of others who may be affected by their work.

Report hazards, near-misses, incidents and unsafe conditions promptly so that corrective action can be taken.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We carry out proportionate risk assessments for our typical activities, including domestic and commercial removals, single item transport and deliveries. These assessments consider manual handling, driving risks, access issues, working in confined or cluttered spaces and interaction with customers and the public.

Findings from risk assessments are used to put in place safe working practices such as planning routes carefully, assessing access before lifting, using appropriate lifting techniques and equipment, and ensuring vehicles are loaded safely and securely.

Manual Handling and Lifting Safety

Manual handling is a core part of our work, and we actively reduce the risk of injury from lifting and carrying furniture, boxes and equipment. Our approach includes:

Planning each lift in advance, including assessing the weight, size, grip and route.

Using team lifts where items are heavy, awkward or long.

Using handling aids where appropriate, such as trolleys, dollies and straps.

Advising customers when an item cannot be moved safely without additional assistance or equipment.

We expect all staff to use proper lifting techniques and to refuse to attempt any lift that they believe is unsafe.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Safe driving and vehicle loading are essential to protecting our staff, customers, goods and other road users. To support this, we:

Ensure vehicles used for removals and deliveries are maintained in a roadworthy condition, with regular checks and defect reporting.

Require drivers to comply with road traffic laws, speed limits and parking rules at all times.

Ensure loads are positioned, stacked and secured to minimise the risk of movement or damage during transit.

Plan routes to allow sufficient time for safe driving and to avoid unnecessary risks such as unsuitable roads or low bridges.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

We work in and around homes, offices and public spaces. To minimise risks in these environments, we:

Take care to protect floors, walls and doorways where possible to prevent damage and trip hazards.

Keep access routes clear, especially stairs, doorways and communal areas.

Use safe techniques when carrying items through tight spaces or communal entrances.

Be mindful of neighbours, pedestrians and other road users when parking, loading and unloading.

If conditions at the property make work unsafe, we will stop, inform the customer and agree safe alternatives where possible.

Personal Protective Equipment

Where appropriate for the task and environment, we use personal protective equipment such as gloves, safety footwear and high visibility garments. The choice of equipment depends on the nature of the items being moved and the conditions at the collection and delivery addresses.

Staff are expected to use the protective equipment provided and to look after it so that it remains effective.

Incident Reporting and Investigation

All accidents, injuries, near-misses and damage to property or vehicles must be reported to management as soon as reasonably practicable. We record and, where necessary, investigate incidents to identify root causes and put in place appropriate corrective measures.

Lessons learned from incidents are used to update risk assessments, procedures and staff guidance, ensuring continuous improvement in our health and safety performance.

Training, Information and Supervision

We provide information and guidance to workers on safe lifting, loading, driving and customer interaction. New staff and contractors are briefed on our safety expectations and procedures before starting work.

Where higher risks are identified, additional instruction or supervision is put in place to ensure tasks are carried out safely and in line with our standards.

Customer Cooperation and Duties

We ask customers to support our health and safety measures by:

Providing accurate information about access, parking and any known hazards at the property.

Ensuring driveways, corridors, stairways and rooms are reasonably clear to allow safe movement of goods.

Keeping children, pets and other occupants away from lifting and loading areas while work is in progress.

Respecting our team members professional judgement when they identify an unsafe situation or request adjustments for safety reasons.

Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed periodically and whenever there are significant changes in our services, legal requirements or industry guidance. Updates may also follow any serious incident or near-miss to make sure our procedures remain practical, effective and aligned with current best practice.

Man With a Van Plumstead is committed to maintaining a safe, reliable and professional removal and transport service, protecting everyone involved in or affected by our work.