Health and Safety policy
West Hampstead Movers Health and Safety Policy
West Hampstead Movers is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, customers and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and relocation activities. This policy sets out our approach to health, safety and welfare across our operations, including packing, loading, transport, unloading and storage of household and commercial goods.
Policy Aims and Objectives
The aim of this Health and Safety Policy is to prevent injury and ill health, protect property and maintain a culture of safety in every aspect of our removals work. We will:
Identify, assess and control risks associated with manual handling, driving, working at height, use of equipment and working in customers premises.
Comply with all applicable health and safety legislation and recognised industry best practice for moving and storage activities.
Provide employees with information, instruction, training and supervision to carry out their duties safely and competently.
Consult with employees on health and safety matters and encourage active participation in improving standards.
Continually review and, where necessary, improve our safety performance, procedures and working practices.
Management Responsibilities
Company management holds overall responsibility for implementing this Health and Safety Policy. Management will ensure that adequate resources are made available for health and safety, including time, equipment and training.
Managers and supervisors are responsible for:
Ensuring that risk assessments are carried out, recorded and kept up to date for removal and storage activities.
Monitoring day-to-day operations to ensure that safe systems of work are followed.
Investigating accidents, incidents and near misses and implementing corrective actions.
Ensuring that employees understand this policy and any related procedures or method statements.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees, including drivers, porters and office 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 the training, instructions and safe working procedures issued by the company.
Use vehicles, equipment, tools and personal protective equipment correctly and report any defects immediately.
Report accidents, incidents, near misses and hazardous situations without delay.
Cooperate with management in achieving the aims of this policy and take part in safety briefings and refresher training.
Refrain from any unsafe behaviour, including horseplay or working under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We will undertake suitable and sufficient risk assessments for our removals and storage operations. These assessments will cover, as appropriate:
Manual handling of furniture, appliances, boxes and specialist items.
Use of lifting aids such as sack trucks, dollies and straps.
Working on stairs, in confined spaces and in shared areas such as pavements or car parks.
Driving and vehicle manoeuvring in residential streets and busy urban areas.
Loading and securing loads within vehicles and storage units.
Where necessary, written method statements and safe systems of work will be produced and briefed to staff before work starts.
Manual Handling and Handling Aids
Manual handling is a core part of removal work and presents a risk of injury if not properly controlled. West Hampstead Movers will:
Provide training in safe lifting and carrying techniques tailored to removals tasks.
Encourage the use of team lifting for heavy or awkward items to avoid lone handling.
Supply appropriate handling equipment and ensure it is used wherever reasonably practicable.
Plan moves to minimise carrying distances, awkward routes and unnecessary handling.
Assess particularly heavy, high value or fragile items individually and plan safe methods for their movement.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Our vehicles are central to our service and must be operated safely at all times. We will:
Maintain vehicles in safe working order through regular checks and servicing.
Ensure that drivers are competent, properly licensed and familiar with their vehicles.
Require drivers to carry out daily vehicle checks and report defects.
Load, secure and unload vehicles in accordance with safe loading practices to prevent movement of goods and vehicle instability.
Promote safe driving behaviour, including adherence to speed limits, parking regulations and consideration for other road users and pedestrians.
Working in Customers Premises
Our teams often work inside customers homes and businesses, where we must respect both safety and property. We will:
Take reasonable steps to protect floors, walls and fixtures from damage during moves.
Keep work areas tidy and routes clear to reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls.
Use appropriate lifting techniques in stairwells, narrow corridors and shared access areas.
Coordinate with customers about access, parking and timing to reduce congestion and risk.
Ensure that children, pets and other occupants are kept away from hazardous areas while work is in progress, as far as reasonably possible.
Welfare, Training and Information
We recognise that good welfare and training contribute directly to safe working. West Hampstead Movers will:
Provide information about hazards, safe practices and emergency procedures to all employees.
Deliver induction training for new starters, followed by role-specific training for drivers and porters.
Offer refresher training periodically or when new equipment or procedures are introduced.
Encourage staff to raise concerns and suggestions related to health and safety, and respond to these promptly.
Accidents, Incidents and Emergency Procedures
All accidents, incidents and near misses related to our removal activities must be reported and recorded. We will:
Investigate incidents to determine root causes and implement improvements.
Ensure that a suitable first aid kit is available in vehicles and at operational bases.
Provide guidance to staff on emergency procedures, including fire, road traffic accidents and serious injury.
Cooperate with relevant authorities where required.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and updated when necessary, for example following changes in legislation, work practices or significant incidents. Management will monitor compliance through supervision, inspections and feedback from employees and customers.
West Hampstead Movers is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety performance as an integral part of delivering reliable, professional removal services. All employees are expected to support this commitment and work together to maintain a safe environment for everyone involved in our operations.
