Health and Safety Policy for Man With a Van Cowley

Man With a Van Cowley is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, customers, contractors and members of the public who may be affected by our moving and removal activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with loading, transporting and unloading goods for domestic and commercial clients.

Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, damage to property and disruption to the local environment through effective planning, supervision and control of all work carried out by our team.

Management Responsibilities

Management at Man With a Van Cowley accepts overall responsibility for health and safety performance. We will allocate adequate resources, time and attention to ensure that our activities, including house moves, office relocations and single-item deliveries, are planned and carried out in a safe manner.

We will regularly review this policy, at least annually or when our operations significantly change, to ensure that it remains relevant, effective and in line with current best practice.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees and regular contractors of Man With a Van Cowley have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions during removal work.

Employees must:

Follow all health and safety instructions and safe systems of work provided by the company.

Use vehicles, equipment and personal protective equipment correctly and report any defects immediately.

Cooperate fully with management on health and safety matters, including participation in training and incident investigations.

Report all accidents, near misses and unsafe conditions as soon as they are identified so that corrective action can be taken.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We will identify, assess and control risks associated with our services, including lifting and carrying items, navigating stairways, moving bulky loads through confined spaces, loading vehicles and driving in mixed traffic conditions.

Before starting any job, our team will consider key hazards such as access routes, parking and loading areas, weight and dimensions of items, manual handling requirements, potential trip hazards, fragile or high-value items, and interaction with customers and the public. Where necessary, we will adapt our working methods to control risks, such as using additional staff for heavy items, employing lifting aids where practicable, or adjusting routes through properties.

Our procedures are designed to minimise harm to people and property, while also ensuring an efficient and reliable removal service.

Manual Handling and Safe Lifting

Manual handling is a significant aspect of removal work. Man With a Van Cowley will take all reasonably practicable steps to reduce the need for hazardous manual handling and to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.

We will:

Provide guidance on correct lifting and carrying techniques, including team lifts for heavy or awkward items.

Encourage staff to assess the load and route before lifting, and to refuse any lift that they believe is unsafe without additional controls.

Use equipment such as trolleys, dollies, straps and blankets where appropriate to redistribute loads and reduce strain.

Plan moves to avoid unnecessary carrying distances and to maintain safe posture and balance.

Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards

Our vehicles are central to our service, and their safe operation is critical. Man With a Van Cowley will ensure that all vehicles used for removals are maintained in a roadworthy condition, inspected regularly and loaded within legal and safe limits.

Drivers are required to:

Hold the appropriate, valid driving licence and comply with all road traffic laws.

Conduct basic pre-use checks, including tyres, lights and securing points, and report any defects immediately.

Secure all loads properly to prevent movement during transit, protecting both goods and other road users.

Drive safely and considerately, allowing extra time for manoeuvring and parking near customer properties.

Customer and Public Safety

We recognise our responsibility towards customers and members of the public in the areas where we operate. During collection and delivery, our team will aim to keep access routes clear, minimise noise and disruption, and position vehicles to reduce risk to pedestrians and other road users, while following local parking and access requirements.

We will provide clear communication to customers about our working practices, including any areas that they should avoid while items are being moved, and will seek to coordinate activities to keep everyone safe on the day of the move.

Training, Information and Supervision

Man With a Van Cowley will provide appropriate information, instruction and training to ensure that employees understand the hazards associated with removal work and the measures in place to control them.

This includes induction for new starters, on-the-job guidance, refreshers where required and supervision by experienced personnel. Where specialised tasks are undertaken, such as handling particularly heavy or fragile items, additional instructions will be given.

Accident Reporting and Continuous Improvement

All accidents, incidents and near misses that occur during our operations must be reported to management as soon as possible. We will investigate each event to determine root causes and take action to prevent recurrence.

We are committed to continuously improving our health and safety performance. Feedback from employees, customers and other parties is welcomed and used to review and refine our procedures. Lessons learned from incidents, industry developments and changes in guidance will be incorporated into our systems of work.

Policy Review and Availability

This Health and Safety Policy reflects the current scope of services provided by Man With a Van Cowley and will be reviewed regularly to ensure it remains appropriate as our business develops. Updated versions will be made available to employees and to customers on request.

By implementing this policy, we seek to deliver safe, reliable and professional removal services while protecting the wellbeing of our team, our customers and the communities in which we work.