Health and Safety Policy for Kingston upon Thames Man with Van Services

Policy Statement: Kingston upon Thames Man with Van operations prioritise the health, safety and welfare of all employees, contractors and members of the public affected by our rubbish removal and man-and-van activities. This policy sets out a clear commitment to maintain safe working practices, reduce risk in waste collection and domestic or commercial clearance, and ensure compliance with applicable health and safety requirements. The policy covers our rubbish removal, clearance, transportation and disposal activities in the service area and applies to all staff providing man with van services.

Scope and Objectives: The aim of this document is to define responsibilities, outline risk management and establish procedures that minimise harm. We will implement sensible precautions for vehicle operations, manual handling, segregation of waste types, and public safety during collection and drop-off. The objectives include preventing accidents, controlling exposures to hazardous materials, and promoting a safety-first culture among our man with van Kingston teams.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Our operations operate in accordance with relevant health and safety legislation and environmental controls pertaining to rubbish collection and disposal. We will keep up to date with statutory duties for waste carriers and adopt best practices for secure loading, vehicle maintenance and correct classification of waste types. A named senior manager is responsible for ensuring the policy is implemented and reviewed annually, or more frequently where operational changes or incidents require.

Organisational Responsibilities

Management Duties: Managers and supervisors must ensure safe systems of work are in place for each task carried out by the man and van teams. This includes pre-shift vehicle checks, provision of appropriate PPE, verification that drivers hold valid licences and training records, and maintenance of clear records of incidents and near misses. Where contractors are engaged, they must meet our health and safety standards and operate under the same risk controls.

Employee Responsibilities: All staff are required to follow this policy, attend training, use issued safety equipment, and report hazards promptly. Personnel engaged in rubbish removal should use mechanical aids where practicable, adopt safe manual handling techniques and ensure loads are secured within vehicles to prevent shifting during transit. Staff must not undertake tasks beyond their competence and should immediately escalate concerns.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems: Regular risk assessments will be conducted for collections, clearance sites and depot operations. Risk controls include clear job briefings, route planning to avoid high-risk maneuvers, traffic management for roadside collections, and safe segregation of recyclable and hazardous waste. The following controls form a core part of our approach:

Key Controls and Procedures

Equipment and PPE: Vehicles will be maintained to a high standard with documented service records. Staff will be provided with PPE such as gloves, high-visibility clothing, steel-toe boots and eye protection where necessary. Mechanical aids (trolleys, lifting straps) will be available to reduce manual handling risks.

Waste Handling and Hazardous Materials: Staff will follow clear procedures for identifying and segregating hazardous or bulky waste. Items such as asbestos-containing materials, certain chemicals, and electrical goods require specialist handling and disposal; these items will be managed in line with waste regulations and will not be placed in general loads. A refusal-to-collect protocol protects staff and the environment where unsafe or illegal waste is presented.

Training, Competence and Communication: Training programmes ensure teams are competent in manual handling, vehicle safety and hazardous material awareness. Induction training, periodic refreshers and toolbox talks will reinforce safe practices. Clear lines of communication, reporting procedures and daily briefings will ensure risks are identified and managed before work starts.

Emergency Preparedness and Incident Reporting: We maintain emergency procedures for vehicle incidents, spill response and first aid. All staff must know emergency contacts and the location of first aid kits and spill kits carried on vehicles. Incidents and near misses will be recorded promptly, investigated and used to inform improvements to work practices and training.

Monitoring, Audit and Review: Regular audits, vehicle inspections and site observations will measure compliance with this policy. Performance indicators include incident frequency, training completion rates and audit results. The policy will be reviewed at least annually and amended in response to significant changes in operations, legislation or as a result of incident investigation.

Continuous Improvement: We are committed to continuous improvement in our rubbish collection and man with van services. Feedback from staff (reported through internal channels) will be used to refine procedures, enhance safety equipment and promote a proactive safety culture. Management will ensure resources are available to address identified shortfalls.

Summary of Responsibilities (quick list):

• Management: policy implementation, vehicle and equipment provision.
• Supervisors: risk assessments, briefings and compliance checks.
• Employees: safe working, PPE use and hazard reporting.

Final Statement: This health and safety policy represents the commitments of Kingston upon Thames man with van and associated rubbish removal services to protect people, property and the environment. It will be published internally and applied consistently across operations to ensure a safe and compliant service offering.

Reviewed and maintained by senior management; this document is a living policy and will be updated to reflect operational, legal and best practice changes.