Health and Safety policy
Ruislip Movers Health and Safety Policy
Ruislip Movers 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 policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety across all moving, packing, loading, transportation and storage operations.
We recognise our legal and moral duties to prevent injury and ill health and to promote a strong safety culture throughout the company. Health and safety is an integral part of how we plan and deliver every move, from small domestic relocations to larger commercial and office removals.
Health and Safety Objectives
Our primary health and safety objectives are to:
Prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health arising from our removal services.
Assess and control significant risks associated with lifting, carrying, driving, loading, unloading and working in customers premises.
Provide appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision so employees are competent to perform their tasks safely.
Consult with staff on health and safety matters and encourage active participation in improving safety performance.
Ensure that vehicles, equipment, tools and materials are safe, properly maintained and used in accordance with training and guidance.
Continually improve our health and safety arrangements and performance through regular review.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management has overall responsibility for implementing and maintaining this policy. Management will:
Lead by example and demonstrate visible commitment to safe working practices in all removal activities.
Ensure suitable and sufficient risk assessments are carried out for our services, including home and office visits, packing, handling heavy or awkward items, and transportation.
Provide adequate resources to manage health and safety, including training, protective equipment and vehicle maintenance.
Investigate accidents, near misses and incidents to identify root causes and prevent recurrence.
Regularly review this policy to ensure it remains effective and relevant to our operations.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees, including drivers, porters, supervisors and office staff, share responsibility for health and safety. Every employee must:
Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.
Follow all safety procedures, safe systems of work, training and instructions provided by the company.
Use correctly all equipment, vehicles, tools and personal protective equipment supplied.
Immediately report any unsafe conditions, accidents, near misses, injuries or concerns to their supervisor or manager.
Cooperate with management in implementing this policy and participate in safety briefings and training sessions.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
Ruislip Movers will conduct risk assessments for typical removal tasks and for specific moves where additional hazards are identified. These assessments will consider, where relevant:
Manual handling of furniture, appliances and other heavy or awkward items.
Working in confined spaces, stairways, narrow access routes and shared areas.
Loading and unloading vehicles at residential and commercial locations.
Use of moving equipment such as sack trucks, trolleys, lifting straps and ramps.
Driving, parking and operating vehicles in different traffic and weather conditions.
Slips, trips and falls, including from uneven surfaces and wet or contaminated floors.
Based on these assessments, we will develop safe systems of work, method statements and briefings that are communicated to staff and applied on every job.
Training and Competence
We recognise that competent, well-trained staff are essential to safe removal operations. Ruislip Movers will:
Provide induction training for all new employees covering company health and safety rules, emergency procedures and safe working practices.
Deliver job-specific training on manual handling, safe lifting techniques, loading and securing loads, use of moving equipment and vehicle safety.
Offer refresher training where necessary and when work processes, equipment or legislation change.
Ensure that only suitably trained and authorised employees drive company vehicles or operate specialised equipment.
Vehicles, Equipment and Premises
Ruislip Movers will maintain all vehicles and equipment in a safe and roadworthy condition. We will:
Carry out regular inspections and servicing of vehicles according to manufacturer recommendations and legal requirements.
Check that lifting aids, trolleys, ramps and other tools are in good condition, suitable for purpose and correctly used.
Ensure that company premises, including offices, storage areas and yards, are kept clean, tidy and free from unnecessary hazards.
Control access to work areas where there may be risks to unauthorised persons, especially during loading or unloading operations.
Customer and Public Safety
We understand our duty of care to customers, visitors and members of the public who may be near our work. To protect them, we will:
Plan moves to minimise disruption and hazards in shared spaces such as corridors, stairwells and car parks.
Use warning signs and barriers where appropriate when moving items through public or communal areas.
Communicate clearly with customers about any restrictions, hazards or safety measures relevant to their move.
Take particular care when working in homes with children, pets or vulnerable people, ensuring hazards are controlled and access routes are kept clear.
Emergency Procedures and Incident Reporting
Ruislip Movers will maintain clear procedures for responding to emergencies, including accidents, injuries, vehicle incidents, fires and spillages. Employees must:
Follow emergency instructions given during training and safety briefings.
Report all accidents, injuries and near misses as soon as possible so that they can be recorded, investigated and addressed.
Cooperate fully with any investigation and support the implementation of corrective actions.
Monitoring and Review
This Health and Safety Policy will be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure it is effectively implemented. Ruislip Movers will review the policy regularly, and whenever there are significant changes to our operations or applicable legislation.
We are committed to continuous improvement and welcome feedback from employees and customers to help us enhance safety across all removal and relocation services we provide.
