Health and Safety policy
Clapham Movers Health and Safety Policy
Clapham Movers is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, contractors, customers and members of the public affected by our removals and related services. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with lifting, transport, packing, loading, unloading and storage activities.
Our objective is to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health, while promoting safe behaviour and continuous improvement across all aspects of our operations. Health and safety is an integral part of how we plan, deliver and review our removal services.
Management Responsibility and Commitment
Senior management at Clapham Movers accepts overall responsibility for health and safety performance and for ensuring that this policy is implemented, maintained and reviewed. Managers are responsible for:
Providing appropriate resources to manage health and safety, including time, equipment and training.
Ensuring that safe systems of work are in place for all removal activities.
Checking that risk assessments and method statements are completed, communicated and followed.
Reviewing incidents, near misses and feedback to prevent recurrence and improve performance.
Promoting a positive safety culture where concerns can be raised without hesitation.
This policy will be reviewed regularly, and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, to ensure it remains effective and relevant.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees, including temporary and agency staff, share responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. Every team member is expected to:
Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions.
Follow all safety procedures, instructions and training provided by Clapham Movers.
Use equipment, tools and vehicles only for their intended purpose and in a safe manner.
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment when required.
Report hazards, unsafe conditions, accidents, near misses, injuries or vehicle defects as soon as possible to a supervisor or manager.
Cooperate fully with investigations, training and any measures introduced to improve safety.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We carry out risk assessments for our removal services to identify potential hazards and implement appropriate control measures. This includes, but is not limited to:
Manual handling of furniture, boxes and equipment.
Use of trolleys, lifting aids and removal vehicles.
Access issues such as stairs, tight corridors, lifts and uneven surfaces.
Weather conditions, lighting and site security.
Traffic management when loading or unloading near roads and driveways.
Where necessary, we prepare method statements to describe how specific tasks will be carried out safely. Team leaders and crew members are briefed on these methods before work begins, and any changes to the working environment are assessed dynamically on site.
Manual Handling and Use of Equipment
Manual handling is a key element of removal work. To minimise the risk of injury, Clapham Movers will:
Provide manual handling training to all operational staff, focusing on safe lifting techniques and teamwork.
Use mechanical aids such as trolleys, skates and lifting straps where appropriate.
Plan loads to minimise unnecessary lifting, carrying and awkward movements.
Encourage employees to refuse any lift they believe is unsafe or beyond their physical capability.
All equipment is to be inspected regularly and maintained in good working order. Defective or damaged equipment must be removed from use and reported without delay.
Vehicles, Driving and Road Safety
Our vehicles are central to our services and are operated to high safety standards. Clapham Movers will:
Ensure that all drivers hold the appropriate licence, are competent and are familiar with the vehicles they use.
Carry out regular vehicle checks, servicing and maintenance to ensure roadworthiness.
Implement safe driving practices, including adherence to speed limits, securing loads correctly and planning routes to minimise risk.
Discourage the use of mobile phones or other distractions while driving, except hands-free in accordance with applicable regulations.
Take into account driving hours, rest breaks and fatigue management to reduce the risk of accidents.
Customer Premises and Public Safety
We recognise our responsibility to protect customers, visitors and members of the public while working at or near their premises. To achieve this, we will:
Assess each site on arrival and identify any hazards such as trip risks, narrow access routes or shared areas.
Take care to protect property, fixtures and fittings while moving items through homes, offices or communal spaces.
Organise loading and unloading so that access is controlled and bystanders are kept clear of moving items and vehicles.
Place equipment and packed items safely to avoid blocking exits or emergency routes.
Maintain professional and considerate behaviour at all times while working in or around occupied premises.
Training, Information and Supervision
Clapham Movers provides suitable information, instruction, training and supervision to enable employees to work safely and competently. This includes:
Induction training covering company safety rules and expectations.
Task specific training such as manual handling, safe vehicle loading, working in confined spaces and use of lifting aids.
Toolbox talks, briefings and ongoing updates when procedures or equipment change.
Supervision of new or inexperienced staff until they are able to work safely without direct oversight.
Records of training are maintained to ensure that skills are kept up to date and refreshed when necessary.
Incident Reporting and Continuous Improvement
All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported promptly. Clapham Movers will:
Investigate incidents to identify root causes, not to place blame.
Implement corrective and preventive actions where needed, such as revised procedures, additional training or equipment changes.
Monitor health and safety performance, trends and feedback to drive continuous improvement.
Communicate lessons learned to staff so that improvements are understood and applied in daily work.
Wellbeing and Fitness for Work
We recognise the physical nature of removal work and the importance of wellbeing. Employees must present themselves fit for duty, free from the influence of alcohol or drugs and capable of performing their tasks safely. Any health condition, injury or concern that may affect an employee's ability to work safely should be reported so that appropriate support or adjustments can be considered.
Policy Communication and Review
This Health and Safety Policy is communicated to all employees and is available to customers and other interested parties on request. It forms part of our commitment to delivering professional removal services with safety at the forefront of everything we do. The policy is reviewed periodically to ensure that it reflects current operations, legislation and best practice within the removals industry.
