Man with Van Lewisham Health and Safety Policy
This Health and Safety Policy sets out the principles and procedures that guide Man with Van Lewisham in providing safe and reliable removal and transportation services. Our objective is to protect our workers, customers, the public, and property while carrying out removal, loading, unloading, and driving activities.
We are committed to complying with applicable health and safety legislation and to continually improving our standards through risk assessment, training, supervision, and regular review of working practices.
Our Health and Safety Responsibilities
Man with Van Lewisham recognises its responsibility to manage and control risks arising from our work activities. Management is responsible for:
Providing and maintaining safe systems of work for all removal and transportation tasks, ensuring all vehicles and equipment used for removals are safe, roadworthy, and suitable for their intended purpose, identifying and assessing risks associated with lifting, carrying, loading, unloading, and transportation, implementing appropriate control measures to reduce those risks, and providing information and guidance so that workers understand their health and safety responsibilities.
All workers, contractors, and anyone undertaking work on our behalf have a duty to cooperate with this policy, follow safe working procedures, use equipment correctly, and report any hazards or incidents promptly.
Risk Assessment and Planning
Before removal work begins, we aim to identify potential hazards and plan safe methods of working. This may include assessing property access, parking arrangements, stairs, narrow corridors, and any obstacles that could affect the safe movement of goods or people.
Where necessary, we will plan additional measures, such as allocating extra staff for heavy or awkward items, using appropriate lifting or moving equipment, scheduling work to avoid peak traffic or unsafe conditions, and adjusting methods to protect vulnerable persons on site.
Risk assessments are reviewed when circumstances change, such as new equipment, new types of jobs, or after incidents or near misses.
Manual Handling and Lifting Safety
Manual handling forms a core part of removal work, and poor practice can cause serious injury. Man with Van Lewisham promotes safe lifting techniques and sensible load management on every job.
Our approach includes training workers in correct lifting posture and team lifting, planning the route before moving heavy or bulky items, using lifting aids and equipment where appropriate, breaking down loads into smaller, manageable units where possible, and refusing unsafe lifts that risk injury to workers or damage to property.
Staff are instructed to prioritise their own safety and that of others over speed or convenience. Any concerns about the weight, shape, or stability of an item must be raised before it is moved.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Safe operation of vehicles is essential to protecting our staff, customers, and the public. All drivers working with Man with Van Lewisham are expected to be competent, licensed, and fit to drive. Vehicles must be maintained in good mechanical condition and used within their load capacity.
Our standards include performing basic pre-use checks on vehicles, driving in accordance with road traffic laws and safe driving practices, securing loads properly to prevent movement during transit, allowing adequate time for journeys to avoid unsafe rushing, and considering weather, road conditions, and congestion when planning routes.
Drivers must not operate vehicles under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any condition that could impair safe driving. Any defects, collisions, or near misses must be reported without delay.
Safe Loading, Unloading, and Property Protection
Loading and unloading activities must be carried out with care to prevent injury and avoid damage to customers property and surrounding areas. We take reasonable steps to ensure items are handled professionally and with respect.
Our safe loading and unloading practices include checking stability and weight before lifting, using appropriate lifting points and avoiding awkward grips, keeping walkways, doorways, and stairs clear of trip hazards, minimising manual handling on steps and uneven ground where possible, and taking care to avoid damage to walls, floors, doors, and fixtures.
We encourage customers to inform us of fragile items, special handling requirements, or restricted access so that appropriate precautions can be taken.
Customer and Public Safety
Man with Van Lewisham recognises its duty to protect customers, visitors, neighbours, and members of the public who may be affected by removal activities. We seek to minimise disruption and risk in and around collection and delivery locations.
This includes keeping access routes as clear as reasonably possible, using safe stacking methods when temporarily placing items outside or in shared spaces, managing vehicle positioning with consideration for pedestrians and other road users, and communicating clearly with customers about any short-term restrictions or safety considerations.
Children, pets, and vulnerable persons should be kept away from active loading areas wherever possible to reduce the chance of accidents.
Training, Information, and Supervision
We provide workers with information on safe working methods relevant to removal activities and encourage open communication about safety concerns. Where needed, staff receive guidance on manual handling, equipment use, vehicle safety, and emergency procedures.
Supervision is proportionate to the experience of workers and the complexity of the job. New or less experienced workers may be paired with more experienced colleagues or given additional oversight until they are competent and confident with our working methods.
Accidents, Incidents, and Near Misses
All accidents, injuries, and significant near misses connected with our work must be reported as soon as practicable. Man with Van Lewisham will record relevant details, investigate contributory factors, and, where necessary, adjust risk controls, training, or procedures to help prevent recurrence.
We encourage a culture in which reporting is seen as positive and essential to continuous improvement, not as a cause for blame.
Review and Continuous Improvement
This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed periodically and whenever there are significant changes in our services, equipment, or legal requirements. Feedback from workers and customers is taken into account to refine and improve our approach.
By following this policy, Man with Van Lewisham aims to carry out all removal and transportation activities in a manner that is safe, responsible, and respectful of everyone affected by our work.
