Health and Safety policy
Removals Finsbury Park Health and Safety Policy
Removals Finsbury Park is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, customers, contractors, visitors and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and relocation activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our guiding principles and the practical steps we take to prevent injury, ill health and damage to property during all moving, packing, loading, transport and unloading operations.
Policy Statement and Objectives
Our objective is to conduct all removal services in a manner that eliminates or, where this is not reasonably practicable, minimises risks to health and safety. Senior management accepts overall responsibility for health and safety performance and will provide the leadership, resources and support required to maintain high standards throughout our work.
We aim to:
Identify hazards and assess risks associated with removal work, including manual handling, driving, use of equipment and work at height.
Implement effective control measures and safe systems of work to protect employees and others.
Provide information, instruction, supervision and training to ensure that staff are competent to carry out their duties safely.
Maintain vehicles, tools and equipment in safe working order and in accordance with legal and manufacturer requirements.
Continuously improve health and safety performance through monitoring, review and learning from incidents and near misses.
Legal Duties and Responsibilities
The company will comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and recognised industry best practice relating to removal and transport operations. The management team is responsible for ensuring that this policy is implemented and reviewed regularly, and for allocating appropriate resources to health and safety matters.
Employees 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. All staff must follow company procedures, use equipment correctly, cooperate with instructions and report hazards, near misses, injuries and unsafe conditions without delay.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
Risk assessments are carried out for all key aspects of our operations, including but not limited to lifting and carrying, use of trolleys and lifting aids, loading and unloading vehicles, securing loads, driving and access to properties. Assessments are reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes in work practices, equipment or locations.
Findings from risk assessments are used to develop safe systems of work which may include specific lifting techniques, use of protective devices, traffic management measures, designated walkways, and agreed procedures for working in confined spaces, stairwells, communal areas and shared access routes.
Manual Handling and Use of Equipment
Manual handling is a core element of removal work and presents a significant risk of musculoskeletal injury if not properly managed. Removals Finsbury Park reduces these risks by:
Providing manual handling training that covers safe lifting techniques, team lifts, assessing the load, planning the route and recognising personal limitations.
Using appropriate handling equipment such as sack trucks, dollies, sliders, straps and lifting aids wherever practicable to reduce physical strain.
Planning jobs to ensure sufficient staff are available for heavy or awkward items, and refusing to move items that cannot be handled safely with available resources and equipment.
All tools and equipment are inspected regularly and removed from service if found to be defective or unsafe.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Our vehicles are essential to our services and are operated with safety as the foremost priority. Vehicles are maintained and inspected at appropriate intervals and drivers are required to carry out basic safety checks before use.
Drivers must adhere to road traffic laws, speed limits and parking restrictions. We expect courteous and defensive driving at all times, paying particular attention in residential streets, busy high streets and areas with high pedestrian or cyclist activity. Loads must be properly secured, evenly distributed and checked during the journey as required.
Fatigue, impairment and distraction pose serious risks; therefore, drivers must not operate vehicles under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medication that impairs performance, and must avoid the use of handheld devices while driving.
Customer, Public and Property Protection
We recognise our duty of care to customers, neighbours and members of the public who may be affected by our activities. Our teams are instructed to work considerately and to:
Maintain safe access and egress routes wherever possible during collection and delivery.
Use protective coverings, corner guards and floor protection where appropriate to reduce the risk of damage and slips.
Store equipment and packed goods in a manner that prevents tripping hazards or obstruction of doorways, stairwells, pavements and shared corridors.
Take extra care where children, elderly people or vulnerable individuals are present, and to stop work immediately if any activity becomes unsafe.
Training, Consultation and Communication
Health and safety training is provided to all new employees as part of their induction, and additional role‑specific training is provided for drivers, team leaders and staff using specialist equipment. Refresher training is arranged as needed to maintain competence and awareness of safe practices.
We encourage open communication on safety matters. Employees are consulted on changes that may affect their health and safety, and their feedback is welcomed to improve methods of work. Safety information, procedures and updates are communicated through briefings, toolbox talks and written instructions.
Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures
All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported as soon as possible to a supervisor or manager. Incidents are recorded, investigated and reviewed to identify root causes and to implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Emergency arrangements, including fire safety, first aid and evacuation procedures, are in place for our premises and are adapted as necessary when working at customer locations. Staff are instructed in what to do in the event of fire, medical emergencies or other serious incidents, including when and how to alert emergency services.
Monitoring, Review and Policy Availability
Removals Finsbury Park monitors health and safety performance through inspections, feedback, incident data and regular management review. This policy and associated procedures are reviewed at least annually, and sooner if there are significant changes in legislation, operations or organisational structure.
This Health and Safety Policy is made available to all employees and to customers on request. By working together and following these principles, we aim to provide reliable removal services while safeguarding the wellbeing of everyone involved.
