Health and Safety policy
Health and Safety Policy for Man with Van Millbank
Man with Van Millbank is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, contractors, customers, and members of the public. This Health and Safety Policy sets out the principles and practical measures we follow when providing man and van, removal, and transport services throughout our service area.
Policy Objectives
The primary objectives of this policy are to prevent injury, ill health, and damage to property arising from our activities. We aim to manage all removal and transport tasks in a way that reduces risk, promotes safe behaviour, and complies with applicable health and safety legislation and best practice guidance.
We integrate health and safety considerations into our planning and daily operations, from initial booking and site assessment through to loading, transport, and final delivery.
Management Responsibilities
Management at Man with Van Millbank is responsible for implementing and maintaining this policy. This includes:
Ensuring that suitable risk assessments are undertaken for our activities, including domestic and commercial removals, small moves, and item delivery.
Providing appropriate equipment, vehicles, and personal protective equipment that are safe, properly maintained, and suitable for the tasks carried out.
Ensuring that staff receive appropriate information, instruction, and training so they are competent to carry out work safely.
Monitoring health and safety performance and reviewing procedures to identify improvements.
Making sure that any accidents, near misses, or incidents are recorded, investigated where necessary, and used to prevent recurrence.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees and regular contractors of Man with Van Millbank share responsibility for health and safety. They are required to:
Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of anyone who may be affected by their actions.
Follow all safety procedures, instructions, and training provided by the company.
Use vehicles, lifting equipment, and protective equipment correctly and report any defects or concerns immediately.
Cooperate with managers and supervisors in achieving a safe working environment.
Report accidents, near misses, hazards, or unsafe conditions as soon as they are identified.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
Before commencing any removal or delivery job, we assess the hazards associated with the premises, the items to be moved, access routes, and traffic conditions. This allows us to plan safe methods of work, allocate sufficient staff, and select the right equipment.
Typical control measures include:
Planning safe lifting routes and avoiding unnecessary manual handling where possible.
Using trolleys, dollies, ramps, and other handling aids for heavy or bulky items.
Securing loads correctly in vehicles to prevent movement during transit.
Assessing stairways, corridors, and doorways for trip hazards and obstructions.
Considering weather, lighting, and traffic around loading and unloading locations.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is central to removal work and is a key focus of our safety arrangements. To reduce risks from lifting and carrying, we:
Train staff in correct lifting techniques, including team lifts and the use of equipment.
Assess the weight, shape, and stability of items before moving them.
Break down loads into smaller parts where possible and safe to do so.
Avoid twisting and overreaching, and encourage workers to ask for help if a load is too heavy or awkward.
Plan rests during demanding moves to reduce fatigue and the likelihood of injury.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Our vehicles are essential to our services, and their safe operation is a core part of this policy. Man with Van Millbank ensures that:
Vehicles are kept in a roadworthy condition through regular checks, servicing, and inspections.
Drivers hold the appropriate licences and are competent to operate the vehicles they use.
Loads are distributed and secured to maintain vehicle stability and prevent shifting.
Routes are planned to consider access restrictions, traffic conditions, and safe loading and unloading areas.
Drivers follow all road traffic laws and drive in a manner that is courteous and considerate to other road users and pedestrians.
Customer Premises and Public Safety
Our teams frequently work at customer homes, business premises, and public spaces throughout our service area. We take care to protect customers, visitors, and members of the public by:
Keeping walkways and entrances clear of trip hazards such as straps, boxes, and packaging.
Placing warning where work is taking place close to doorways, pavements, or shared access routes.
Handling customer property carefully to prevent damage to belongings, fixtures, and fittings.
Respecting any site-specific safety rules that apply to commercial or managed premises.
Training, Information, and Supervision
Man with Van Millbank invests in ongoing training to ensure that staff understand their responsibilities and are competent in safe working practices. This may include:
Induction training on company safety rules and procedures.
Instruction in manual handling, use of moving equipment, and load securing.
Guidance on working safely in different environments, such as residential blocks or business premises.
Regular briefings to share lessons from incidents, near misses, or changes in best practice.
Supervision of new or less experienced staff to ensure that safe systems of work are followed.
Accident and Incident Reporting
All accidents, injuries, and near misses that occur during our operations must be reported to management as soon as reasonably practicable. We keep appropriate records and, where necessary, investigate incidents to identify root causes and introduce corrective actions.
Lessons learned are shared with our teams so that improvements can be made across our services and future incidents can be prevented.
Policy Review and Continuous Improvement
This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, relevant legislation, or industry guidance. Man with Van Millbank is committed to continuously improving health and safety performance and welcomes feedback from staff, customers, and other stakeholders on how we can make our removals and transport services safer and more effective.
By choosing Man with Van Millbank, customers can be confident that every removal, delivery, and man and van service is planned and carried out with safety as a top priority.
