Health and Safety Policy for Colliers Wood Removal Services

This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of our removal company operating in and around Colliers Wood to protect the health, safety and welfare of our employees, contractors, customers, visitors and members of the public who may be affected by our activities. We aim to provide a professional, reliable and safe removals service, including house moves, office relocations, packing, loading, transport and storage services.

We recognise our responsibilities under applicable health and safety legislation and industry best practice. We will manage our operations so that risks arising from our work are properly controlled and reduced as far as is reasonably practicable.

Management Responsibilities and Commitment

Senior management is responsible for implementing and maintaining this Health and Safety policy and for ensuring that adequate resources, information and supervision are provided. Management will:

Ensure that health and safety is integrated into planning for all removal activities, from initial survey and quotation through to final delivery and unpacking.

Regularly review risk assessments, safe systems of work and training needs to reflect changes in legislation, equipment, work methods or service areas.

Provide suitable work equipment, vehicles and lifting aids that are maintained in a safe condition and used correctly.

Encourage open communication so that all staff can report hazards, near misses and concerns without fear of reprisal.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees, including drivers, porters, supervisors and office staff, share responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. Every employee is expected to:

Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.

Follow all health and safety instructions, safe working procedures and training they have received.

Use vehicles, tools, lifting equipment, personal protective equipment and packing materials in accordance with guidance provided.

Promptly report any accidents, incidents, near misses, unsafe conditions or defective equipment to their supervisor or manager.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices

We conduct risk assessments for typical removal tasks, including manual handling, packing, loading and unloading vehicles, driving, working at customers premises and work in restricted spaces such as stairwells, lofts and basements. These assessments identify hazards and the measures needed to control them.

Safe systems of work and method statements are established and communicated to all relevant staff. These may include, but are not limited to:

Planning routes and parking to reduce reversing and manoeuvring risks.

Using team lifting and mechanical aids for heavy or awkward items such as furniture, appliances and office equipment.

Maintaining clear walkways, safe stacking of goods and secure loading of vehicles to prevent shifting during transit.

Observing safe working distances when moving items near windows, stairways or other potential fall hazards.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a core part of removal work. To minimise the risk of injury, we:

Provide training in correct lifting and carrying techniques, including team lifting and dynamic risk assessment at the point of lift.

Assess the weight, size and shape of items before moving them and adjust staffing or equipment requirements accordingly.

Use appropriate handling equipment such as trolleys, sack trucks, moving straps, ramps and protective covers where suitable.

Regularly inspect and maintain handling equipment, and remove from service any item found to be defective.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vehicles are vital to providing removal services across our operating area, and we manage them with safety as a priority. We will:

Ensure that vehicles are maintained in a roadworthy condition, with regular checks and servicing.

Require drivers to carry out daily vehicle inspections and report any defects without delay.

Provide training and guidance on safe driving, parking, loading and unloading, with particular care in residential streets and busy commercial locations.

Ensure that loads are evenly distributed and properly secured to prevent movement, damage or instability in transit.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Our staff frequently work at customer homes, offices and other sites. We take reasonable steps to protect customers, visitors and the public by:

Assessing access routes, staircases, corridors and external areas before starting work.

Using warning signs or verbal communication to highlight trip hazards, trailing cables or temporary obstructions where appropriate.

Organising work so that heavy or bulky items are moved carefully and with sufficient personnel to maintain control at all times.

Respecting the property and privacy of customers while maintaining safe working practices throughout the move.

Training, Information and Supervision

We believe that competent staff are essential to delivering safe removal services. To support this, we:

Provide induction training covering general health and safety responsibilities, emergency procedures and company rules.

Offer task-specific training on manual handling, use of equipment, vehicle operation and safe working practices at customer premises.

Refresh training periodically and when work methods, equipment or legislation change.

Supervise new or inexperienced employees and monitor ongoing performance to ensure safe standards are maintained.

Accident Reporting and Incident Investigation

All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences, whether on the road, at our premises or at customer locations, must be reported as soon as possible. We will:

Record and investigate incidents to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.

Review findings to improve our risk assessments, procedures and training programmes.

Comply with any applicable reporting requirements to relevant authorities when needed.

Health, Welfare and Fitness for Work

We recognise the importance of employee health and fitness for the physically demanding work involved in removals. We will:

Encourage staff to declare any health issues that may affect their ability to carry out tasks safely.

Discourage excessive working hours and ensure rest breaks and driving time limits are respected.

Prohibit the use of alcohol or drugs during working hours and require employees to be fit for work at the start of each shift.

Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety policy is reviewed regularly, and whenever there are significant changes in our operations, services or legal requirements. We are committed to continuous improvement and to maintaining a culture in which safety is a shared responsibility across the company.

By following this policy and the associated procedures, we aim to deliver safe, efficient and professional removal services for customers in Colliers Wood and the surrounding areas.