Removals Waterloo Health and Safety Policy

Removals Waterloo is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, clients, visitors and members of the public who may be affected by our removals activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks associated with domestic and commercial moves within our service area.

We recognise our responsibilities under relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice. Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, property damage and disruption by planning and carrying out our work in a safe and controlled manner.

Policy Objectives

Our key health and safety objectives are to:

Promote a positive health and safety culture across all areas of our removals operations. Identify, assess and control risks associated with lifting, carrying, transport, access, egress and site conditions. Provide safe systems of work, suitable equipment and appropriate supervision for all tasks. Ensure that all staff are trained and competent to carry out their duties safely. Consult with employees on health and safety matters and encourage feedback. Continually review and improve our performance.

Management Responsibilities

Senior management at Removals Waterloo is responsible for implementing this policy and ensuring adequate resources are provided for health and safety. Management will:

Set clear standards and expectations for safe working practices. Ensure that risk assessments are completed, documented and reviewed regularly. Provide and maintain vehicles, lifting equipment, trolleys and protective equipment in safe working order. Arrange appropriate training, instruction and supervision for all employees and contractors. Monitor health and safety performance through inspections, audits and incident reviews. Take prompt corrective action where hazards or unsafe practices are identified.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees, including temporary and contract staff, have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Employees must:

Follow all safety procedures, instructions and safe systems of work. Use equipment, vehicles and protective gear only as trained and for their intended purpose. Report hazards, near misses, accidents, faulty equipment and unsafe conditions without delay. Cooperate with management on health and safety matters, including attending training and briefings. Avoid horseplay, misuse of equipment or any behaviour that could create risk. Inform their manager of any health condition that could affect their ability to work safely.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We carry out risk assessments for all significant activities, including household and office removals, packing, loading and unloading, working in confined or restricted access locations and transport between properties. These assessments consider manual handling risks, trip and fall hazards, vehicle movements, working on stairs, use of lifting equipment and environmental conditions.

Based on the findings, we establish safe systems of work that may include pre-move surveys, allocation of sufficient staff for heavy or awkward items, use of appropriate lifting aids, route planning to manage vehicle access and movement, and clear communication methods between team members on site and during transport.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core part of removals work and is carefully managed. We aim to minimise the need for hazardous manual handling wherever reasonably practicable. Our approach includes training employees in correct lifting and carrying techniques, planning tasks to avoid unnecessary handling, using trolleys, dollies, straps and other lifting aids wherever possible and team lifting for heavy, bulky or awkward items.

Staff are instructed not to attempt to lift loads that are beyond their capability or that cannot be moved safely. Where necessary, specialist lifting equipment or additional personnel will be provided.

Vehicles, Driving and Road Safety

Our removals vehicles are maintained in a safe and roadworthy condition, with regular inspections and servicing. Drivers are required to hold the appropriate licences, follow road traffic laws and operate vehicles in a safe and considerate manner.

Loads are secured to prevent movement during transit and to protect both staff and clients property. Route planning considers access restrictions, loading and unloading points and local conditions to reduce risk to staff, clients and the public.

Client Premises and Public Safety

Our teams take care to protect clients premises and ensure the safety of everyone present during removals work. This includes maintaining clear access routes, identifying and managing slip and trip hazards, using protective coverings where appropriate, and communicating clearly with clients about the planned work and any safety precautions required.

We take particular care when working in shared buildings, busy streets and areas with high foot traffic, and aim to minimise disruption and risk to neighbours and members of the public.

Training, Information and Supervision

Removals Waterloo provides appropriate health and safety training for all staff, including induction training for new starters, job-specific training on manual handling, use of equipment and vehicles, and periodic refresher training to maintain awareness.

Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for monitoring compliance with safe working practices on site, providing guidance and intervening where necessary to prevent unsafe behaviour or conditions.

Accident Reporting and Investigation

All accidents, incidents, near misses and cases of work-related ill health must be reported promptly. We maintain records of all reports and investigate incidents to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.

Findings from investigations are shared with relevant staff to prevent recurrence and to support continual improvement in our health and safety performance.

Welfare and Occupational Health

We recognise the physical demands of removals work and the importance of maintaining good health and fitness. Where appropriate, we will provide guidance on safe working practices, rest breaks and workload management to reduce the risk of strain and fatigue.

We encourage employees to raise concerns about any health issues that may affect their work and will make reasonable adjustments where practicable to support their wellbeing.

Review of this Policy

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary to reflect changes in legislation, industry standards, our operations or the findings of risk assessments and incident investigations.

All employees are expected to familiarise themselves with this policy and to follow the procedures and guidance that support it. By working together, we aim to ensure that removals carried out by Removals Waterloo are conducted safely and responsibly throughout our service area.