Health and Safety policy
Movers St. John's Wood Health and Safety Policy
Movers St. John's Wood is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, customers, and visitors. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with household and commercial removals, packing, loading, transportation, and delivery services. We aim to prevent accidents, injuries, and ill health by promoting a proactive safety culture throughout our operations.
Policy Objectives
The primary objectives of this policy are to protect people, property, and the environment during all aspects of our moving and removal activities. We will identify and control hazards, comply with applicable health and safety laws and regulations, and continually seek to improve our safety performance. Health and safety considerations are central to planning, decision-making, and day-to-day work on every move.
Management Responsibilities
Company management has overall responsibility for implementing and maintaining this Health and Safety Policy. Management will ensure that appropriate resources, training, supervision, and equipment are available to allow work to be carried out safely. Managers and supervisors are responsible for:
Ensuring staff understand and follow safe systems of work. Conducting and reviewing risk assessments for removal tasks, specialist items, and site-specific conditions. Maintaining vehicles, lifting equipment, and tools in a safe and roadworthy condition. Investigating accidents, incidents, and near misses and implementing corrective actions. Promoting a culture where health and safety concerns can be raised without hesitation.
Employee Responsibilities
Every employee shares responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. All staff must:
Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Cooperate with management on all health and safety matters and follow instructions and training. Use equipment, vehicles, and personal protective equipment correctly. Report hazards, unsafe conditions, incidents, and near misses immediately to a supervisor. Avoid horseplay or unsafe behaviour while on duty or on customer premises.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
Movers St. John's Wood carries out risk assessments for tasks and environments typical of removal work, including residential properties, commercial locations, stairways, narrow access points, and shared spaces. These assessments consider manual handling, slips and trips, working at height when loading vehicles, and potential damage to property.
Based on these assessments, we implement safe systems of work that cover route planning, loading and unloading procedures, use of lifting aids, and the handling of fragile or heavy items. These systems are communicated clearly to staff and are periodically reviewed to reflect changes in work practices or lessons learned from incidents.
Manual Handling and Safe Lifting
Manual handling is a key aspect of removal work, and we place particular focus on safe lifting techniques. Employees are trained to assess the weight and stability of items before lifting, use team lifts where appropriate, and make use of equipment such as dollies, trolleys, straps, and ramps.
Staff must avoid lifting loads that are too heavy or awkward for them and must request assistance when needed. Items are packed, wrapped, and secured in a manner that reduces the risk of sudden movement or imbalance. Floors and access routes are kept as clear as reasonably practicable to reduce lifting hazards.
Use of Vehicles and Driving Safety
Our vehicles are maintained in line with manufacturers recommendations and legal requirements. Pre-use checks are carried out by drivers to identify defects such as faulty lights, tyres, or securing points inside the load area.
Drivers are required to hold the appropriate licence, follow road traffic laws, and drive in a manner that prioritises safety and consideration for other road users. Loads are distributed and secured to prevent shifting during transit. Routes and schedules are planned to minimise fatigue and avoid unnecessary risks.
Personal Protective Equipment
Where identified by risk assessment, personal protective equipment is provided and must be used as instructed. This may include safety footwear, gloves, high-visibility clothing, and other protective items appropriate to the task. Employees are responsible for looking after issued equipment and reporting any damage or loss so that it can be replaced.
Housekeeping and Site Safety
Good housekeeping is essential to safe removal operations. Staff must keep working areas, vehicle loading spaces, and customer properties as tidy as reasonably practicable. Packaging materials, tools, and waste must be stored or disposed of safely to reduce trip hazards.
When working in shared or public areas, staff should use appropriate warnings or barriers where necessary and take care to protect members of the public from moving loads, open vehicle doors, and equipment in use.
Training, Information, and Supervision
All employees receive induction training that covers key health and safety procedures, emergency arrangements, and safe working practices relevant to moving services. Ongoing training is provided on manual handling, use of equipment, vehicle safety, and any specialised tasks undertaken by the business.
Supervisors monitor adherence to procedures and provide guidance and mentoring where needed. Additional instruction is given when work methods change, new equipment is introduced, or new risks are identified.
Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures
All accidents, injuries, near misses, and significant hazards must be reported as soon as possible. This enables prompt action to prevent recurrence and supports accurate record keeping. Incidents are investigated to identify underlying causes and to implement appropriate improvements.
Emergency procedures are in place for fire, serious injury, and other significant events, both at our base and when working on customer premises. Staff are briefed on how to respond, who to inform, and how to assist emergency services where necessary.
Health, Welfare, and Wellbeing
We recognise the importance of overall health and wellbeing in maintaining a safe workforce. Workloads and schedules are managed with consideration for rest breaks and the physical demands of removal activities. Employees are encouraged to report health concerns that may affect their ability to carry out tasks safely so that suitable adjustments can be considered.
Monitoring, Review, and Continuous Improvement
This Health and Safety Policy is monitored on an ongoing basis and formally reviewed at regular intervals, or sooner if there are significant changes in our operations or in relevant legislation. Feedback from employees and customers, findings from incident investigations, and the results of safety inspections are all used to improve our systems.
By working together to uphold this policy, Movers St. John's Wood aims to deliver safe, reliable, and professional moving and removal services while protecting the health and safety of everyone involved.
