Health and Safety policy
Health and Safety Policy for Man and a Van Kennington
Man and a Van Kennington is committed to providing removal and delivery services in a way that protects the health, safety and welfare of our customers, employees, contractors and the general public. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks associated with domestic and commercial moves, transport of goods, and related handling activities.
Policy Aims and Scope
The aim of this Health and Safety Policy is to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health arising from our removal operations. It applies to all staff members, including drivers, porters and supervisors, as well as to any contractors working on our behalf.
This policy covers all aspects of our work, including packing, loading, unloading, lifting and carrying, driving, route planning, on-site activities at customer premises, and any storage or short-term holding of goods in transit.
Management Responsibilities
Management is responsible for ensuring that health and safety is integrated into all aspects of our removal services. This includes identifying and assessing risks, implementing appropriate control measures, supplying suitable equipment, and ensuring that staff receive adequate information, instruction and training.
Managers will regularly review working practices, monitor compliance with this policy and update procedures in line with changes in legislation, industry standards and operational needs. When necessary, external advice may be obtained to ensure that all legal duties are met.
Employee Responsibilities
Every employee has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. Staff must follow all training, safe systems of work, and instructions provided by the company.
Employees are required to use equipment correctly, report any hazards, near misses or incidents without delay, and cooperate fully with any investigations and improvement actions. Intentionally ignoring safety procedures or misusing equipment will be treated as a serious matter and may lead to disciplinary action.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
Risk assessments are carried out for all key activities involved in moving, transporting and delivering goods. These assessments consider hazards such as manual handling, slips and trips, working in confined areas, driving and vehicle movements, use of ramps and trolleys, and working at customer sites where conditions may vary.
Safe systems of work are implemented to control identified risks. This includes guidelines for lifting techniques, team lifting for heavy or bulky items, securing loads in vehicles, safe use of lifting aids, and careful planning for access issues such as stairs, narrow corridors and parking constraints.
Manual Handling and Use of Equipment
Manual handling is a core part of our removal services and is managed carefully to reduce strain and injury. Staff receive training in correct lifting and carrying techniques, the importance of assessing the load and route before moving items, and knowing when to stop and seek assistance.
Where possible, mechanical aids such as sack trucks, dollies, lifting straps and ramps are used to minimise manual effort. All equipment is maintained in good condition and is inspected regularly. Drivers and operatives must not use any equipment they believe to be defective or unsafe and must report defects immediately.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Vehicles used for removals are maintained in safe working order with regular checks, servicing and inspections. Drivers are responsible for completing daily vehicle checks, including tyres, lights, securing points and access ramps, and for reporting any faults.
Driving duties are planned to prevent fatigue. Drivers must obey road traffic laws, follow safe driving practices and take extra care when manoeuvring in residential streets, busy areas and at customer locations. Loads are to be evenly distributed and securely fastened to prevent movement during transit.
Customer and Public Safety
Our staff are instructed to work in a way that minimises disruption and risk to customers, neighbours and the public. Access routes are kept as clear as reasonably practicable, and where necessary, warning signs or verbal instructions are used to warn anyone nearby of potential hazards such as ramps or trailing equipment.
Care is taken when moving items through shared spaces, hallways and entrances. Staff will not block fire exits or escape routes and will cooperate with any safety procedures in place at customer premises.
Housekeeping and Site Conditions
Good housekeeping reduces the risk of slips, trips and falls. Staff are expected to keep working areas tidy, manage packing materials and waste as they work, and ensure that floors, stairs and entrances are not obstructed by boxes, tools or equipment longer than necessary.
Any spills, uneven surfaces or other hazards that are identified during a move must be addressed promptly or clearly highlighted to others until they can be made safe.
Training, Information and Supervision
All staff receive induction training covering general health and safety responsibilities, manual handling, safe driving, use of equipment and company procedures for accident reporting and emergency response. Additional task-specific training is provided where required.
Supervisors monitor working practices on jobs, provide guidance and correct unsafe behaviour. Periodic refresher training is delivered to ensure that skills and awareness are maintained, especially for manual handling and vehicle safety.
Accident Reporting and Investigation
All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported promptly to management. Records are kept of these events to help identify patterns and areas for improvement.
Incidents are investigated to determine root causes and to implement corrective actions. Lessons learned are communicated to staff so that similar incidents can be prevented in the future.
Emergency Procedures
Emergency procedures are in place for fire, serious injury, vehicle incidents and other unexpected events. Staff are trained to respond calmly, prioritise the safety of people, contact the relevant emergency services when needed and follow any on-site instructions given by building managers or authorities.
Drivers and team leaders are responsible for knowing the emergency arrangements relevant to their tasks, including safe evacuation routes at customer premises and safe locations to stop vehicles in case of breakdown or collision.
Continuous Improvement and Policy Review
Man and a Van Kennington is committed to continuously improving health and safety performance. Feedback from staff, customers and other stakeholders is encouraged and used to refine our procedures.
This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, equipment or legal requirements. Updated versions are communicated to all employees to ensure ongoing understanding and compliance.
