Health and Safety Policy for Man With a Van Archway

Man With a Van Archway is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, contractors, customers, visitors, and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and transport activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety within our moving and delivery operations and forms part of our wider commitment to professionalism and responsible service.

Policy Aims and Scope

This Health and Safety Policy applies to all employees of Man With a Van Archway, as well as agency staff, subcontractors, and any other individuals engaged in our work. It covers all activities associated with our removal and transportation services, including home and office moves, packing and loading, driving, unloading, and the handling of furniture, appliances, and personal or commercial items.

Our aims are to prevent injury and ill health, to comply with applicable health and safety legislation and recognised industry standards, and to continuously improve our safety performance.

Management Responsibilities

Senior management at Man With a Van Archway accepts overall responsibility for health and safety within the company. Management will provide clear leadership, set safety objectives, and ensure appropriate resources, equipment, and training are available to maintain safe working conditions.

Managers and supervisors are responsible for implementing this policy on a day-to-day basis, including planning work safely, conducting risk assessments, monitoring performance, and taking prompt action to address any issues that may arise during removal or transport activities.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees and contractors have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Everyone working for Man With a Van Archway must:

Follow safety procedures and instructions provided by the company, use equipment correctly and report defects immediately, cooperate with risk control measures and training, wear suitable clothing and any required personal protective equipment, and report accidents, near misses, or hazards without delay.

No employee should undertake work or lifting tasks that they consider unsafe, beyond their physical capability, or for which they have not been trained.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We carry out risk assessments for our key removal activities, including manual handling, vehicle loading, driving, working in customers premises, navigating stairs, and handling bulky or fragile items. These assessments are reviewed periodically and whenever there are significant changes to our work processes, equipment, or service area demands.

On arrival at each job, our team assesses on-site conditions such as access routes, parking, staircases, lifts, floor conditions, and weather. Where necessary, work is adapted to reduce risk, for example by using additional staff, using handling aids, planning alternative routes, or adjusting timings to avoid congestion and unsafe manoeuvres.

Manual Handling and Lifting

Manual handling is a core part of our removal service, and we recognise the potential for injuries if it is not managed properly. All staff receive guidance on safe lifting techniques and team lifting. We plan lifting tasks in advance where possible, taking into account the weight, shape, and fragility of items, and any constraints at loading and unloading locations.

Where appropriate, we use handling equipment such as trolleys, dollies, straps, and blankets to reduce strain and protect both staff and customers belongings. Staff are instructed not to lift items alone that are too heavy or awkward and to request assistance or additional equipment when required.

Vehicles, Driving and Loading Safety

Our vehicles are maintained in a roadworthy condition in line with regulatory standards. Drivers are responsible for carrying out basic pre-use checks and reporting any defects immediately for repair. We aim to plan routes that minimise risk, taking account of traffic, access restrictions, and loading requirements within our operating areas.

Loading is carried out to ensure that items are adequately secured, weight is evenly distributed, and access for safe unloading is maintained. We take care to use appropriate securing methods to prevent loads from shifting in transit, reducing the risk of injury and damage.

Customer and Public Safety

We recognise that our work often takes place in and around homes, workplaces, shared spaces, and public roads. Our teams are expected to work courteously and safely around customers, neighbours, pedestrians, and other road users.

To protect others, we manage trip hazards such as boxes, tools, and wrapping materials, keep access routes as clear as reasonably possible, use safe lifting routes that avoid unnecessary obstruction, and take extra care when moving large items through narrow hallways, stairwells, or shared entrances. Where necessary, we will briefly restrict access to an area while heavy or bulky items are being moved.

Equipment and Personal Protective Measures

We provide suitable tools and equipment for our moving operations and ensure they are maintained in a safe condition. Staff must not use defective equipment and should report any issues immediately. Where necessary, employees may use protective items such as safety footwear or gloves, depending on the nature of the work.

Any specific safety needs arising from the type of property, access, or items being moved will be considered when planning jobs so that the correct equipment and precautions are in place.

Training, Information and Supervision

Man With a Van Archway ensures that team members receive appropriate instructions and on-the-job guidance relevant to their roles. This includes information on safe manual handling, vehicle use, load securing, working on customer premises, and incident reporting procedures.

More experienced staff provide supervision to newer team members to ensure that tasks are carried out safely and in line with this policy and any supporting procedures. Additional training will be provided as our services develop or as new equipment and working methods are introduced.

Accident, Incident and Near Miss Reporting

All accidents, incidents, and near misses that occur during our work must be reported to management as soon as reasonably practicable. This allows us to investigate what happened, identify any underlying causes, and put in place measures to prevent a recurrence.

Where required, incidents will be recorded formally and, if applicable, reported to relevant authorities in line with legal obligations. Lessons learned will be used to improve our risk assessments, training, and day-to-day working methods.

Review and Continuous Improvement

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains relevant, effective, and aligned with current legislation and best practice in the removals and transport sector. We also review the policy when there are significant changes in our operations, new types of work, or following serious incidents.

We actively encourage feedback from employees and customers on safety matters. By learning from experience and maintaining a culture where health and safety is taken seriously by everyone, Man With a Van Archway aims to deliver reliable, safe, and responsible removal services across our service areas.