Removals Brent Health and Safety Policy

Removals Brent is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety for our employees, customers, contractors and members of the public. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks associated with removal, packing, loading, transport and unloading activities in homes, offices and commercial premises.

We aim to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health by planning our work carefully, training our staff thoroughly and continually reviewing our procedures. Health and safety is an integral part of how we operate and is considered in every aspect of our removals service.

Policy Aims and Objectives

Our main aims are to:

Identify, assess and control risks arising from removal activities.

Provide and maintain safe systems of work, safe equipment and safe vehicles.

Ensure all employees are competent to perform their tasks through information, instruction and training.

Protect customers, visitors and members of the public from risks created by our work.

Promote a positive health and safety culture throughout the company.

Regularly review this policy and our procedures to drive continual improvement.

Responsibilities for Health and Safety

Health and safety is a shared responsibility that relies on cooperation at every level of Removals Brent.

Management is responsible for:

Providing adequate resources to implement this policy effectively.

Ensuring that risk assessments are carried out, recorded and reviewed.

Maintaining vehicles, equipment and tools in safe working condition.

Providing training, supervision and personal protective equipment where required.

Monitoring health and safety performance and investigating incidents.

Staff are responsible for:

Working safely and following all health and safety procedures and instructions.

Using equipment correctly and reporting any faults immediately.

Wearing and taking care of any personal protective equipment provided.

Reporting accidents, near misses, hazards or unsafe conditions without delay.

Cooperating with management to help meet health and safety objectives.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Before starting removal work, we carry out risk assessments appropriate to the scale and type of job. These assessments consider the particular features of each property, including access routes, stairs, lifts, parking arrangements and any known structural or environmental hazards.

Based on these assessments, we implement safe systems of work which may include:

Planning lifting routes and identifying pinch points and trip hazards.

Allocating suitable team sizes for heavy or bulky items.

Using appropriate lifting and handling equipment.

Coordinating with customers to keep work areas clear of unnecessary people and obstacles.

Where risks cannot be fully eliminated, we take all reasonably practicable steps to reduce them to an acceptable level.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core part of removals work and a key focus of our safety procedures. All staff receive training in safe lifting techniques, including how to assess loads, avoid overreaching, keep loads close to the body and work as a team when handling large or awkward items.

We seek to minimise the need for manual lifting by:

Using equipment such as sack trucks, dollies and removal straps where appropriate.

Disassembling furniture and equipment when it is safe and practical to do so.

Planning the sequence of loading and unloading to reduce unnecessary handling.

No employee is required to lift or carry a load they reasonably believe to be beyond their capability or unsafe to move without additional assistance or equipment.

Vehicle Safety and Loading

Our vehicles are maintained to a high standard, with regular checks and servicing to ensure they are roadworthy and safe to operate. Drivers are only allocated vehicles they are competent and authorised to drive.

Safe loading procedures are followed at all times, including:

Spreading weight evenly and securing loads to prevent movement in transit.

Ensuring that escape routes, doors and emergency exits are not blocked by goods.

Checking that access ramps and tail lifts, where fitted, are used correctly and safely.

Preventing unauthorised persons from entering loading areas during operations.

Working in Customers Premises

We recognise our duty of care when working in homes and business premises. Our teams take particular care to protect both people and property by:

Maintaining clear walkways and keeping cables, tools and equipment tidy.

Using protective coverings where appropriate to reduce slip and trip risks.

Controlling access to areas where heavy lifting and moving is taking place.

Communicating clearly with customers about the work being carried out and any temporary restrictions needed for safety.

We expect customers to cooperate in maintaining a safe environment by keeping children, pets and visitors away from work areas while our team is operating.

Training, Information and Supervision

All employees receive induction training that covers our health and safety policy, emergency procedures and safe working practices relevant to their role. Additional training is provided for specialist tasks, such as operating lifting equipment or driving larger vehicles.

Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for monitoring working practices on site, correcting unsafe behaviours and ensuring that procedures are followed. Refresher training is arranged as needed, especially when we update our methods or equipment.

Accidents, Incidents and Near Misses

All accidents, injuries, incidents and near misses must be reported to management as soon as possible. We review and investigate such events to understand what happened and to identify any steps required to prevent recurrence.

Where appropriate, we update our risk assessments, methods and training materials to reflect lessons learned. We encourage an open reporting culture where staff feel able to raise concerns without fear of blame.

Health, Welfare and Wellbeing

We recognise that the physical nature of removal work can affect health and wellbeing. We aim to manage working hours sensibly, provide adequate rest breaks and ensure access to drinking water and welfare facilities during jobs.

We are committed to supporting employees who report work-related health issues and will consider adjustments to duties where feasible to promote long-term wellbeing.

Review of Policy

This Health and Safety policy is reviewed regularly and updated when necessary to reflect changes in legislation, best practice or our operating methods. The updated policy is communicated to all employees and forms a central part of our commitment to conducting removals safely and responsibly.