Health and Safety policy

Health and Safety Policy for Canary Wharf Removals

Canary Wharf Removals is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, visitors and customers. This Health and Safety policy sets out our responsibilities and the standards we expect during all removal, packing, transport and storage activities in our operating areas.

Policy Statement and Objectives

Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, property damage and environmental harm arising from our work. We will actively manage health and safety risks associated with household moves, office relocations, commercial clearances and related services. We will comply with applicable health and safety legislation and recognised best practice in the removals industry.

We will provide the resources, training, supervision and equipment necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of our team and the public. Health and safety performance is considered alongside service quality, customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Management Responsibilities

Company management has overall responsibility for implementing and maintaining this policy. Management will:

Identify, assess and control risks related to manual handling, driving, lifting operations, loading and unloading, working at height, use of equipment and interaction with customers and the public.

Ensure all vehicles and equipment used for removals are suitable, maintained, inspected and used in accordance with manufacturer guidance and legal requirements.

Provide appropriate information, instruction, supervision and training so that employees can carry out their roles safely and competently.

Investigate accidents, near misses, work-related ill health and unsafe conditions, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

Review this policy regularly and update it when changes occur in legislation, guidance, company operations or identified risks.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees, including temporary and agency workers, share responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. Every worker must:

Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and for the safety of others who may be affected by their work.

Follow all safety procedures, training and instructions provided by Canary Wharf Removals.

Use correctly all equipment, vehicles, protective clothing and safety devices supplied by the company.

Report accidents, incidents, near misses, hazards and defective equipment immediately to their supervisor or manager.

Cooperate fully with investigations, risk assessments, training and health and safety initiatives.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

We conduct risk assessments for our operations, including domestic and commercial moves, packing services, dismantling and reassembly of furniture, carrying items through shared spaces, stairwells and lifts, and handling heavy or fragile goods. From these assessments, we develop safe systems of work that describe how tasks must be planned and carried out.

Method statements and task-specific procedures are communicated to staff before work begins. Supervisors are responsible for checking that safe systems are followed on site and that changing conditions are properly managed.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a significant part of removal work and represents a key risk area. Canary Wharf Removals will:

Provide manual handling training covering lifting techniques, team lifting, use of handling aids and recognition of personal limits.

Use appropriate equipment such as sack trucks, dollies, furniture sliders, straps and ramps to reduce manual effort.

Plan moves to minimise carrying distances, avoid awkward routes where possible and reduce the need to carry items on stairs where lifts or alternative methods exist.

Ensure that loads are assessed for weight, stability and fragility before lifting or moving, and that items too heavy or awkward for safe manual handling are identified for mechanical assistance or team lifting.

Vehicle Safety and Driving

Our vehicles are essential to our services and must be operated safely at all times. The company will:

Ensure that vehicles used for removals are roadworthy, serviced, inspected and loaded within their safe weight limits.

Ensure that all drivers are competent, appropriately licensed and trained in safe driving, loading and securing of loads.

Promote safe driving practices, route planning and adherence to road traffic laws, including speed limits and parking rules.

Require drivers to carry out pre-use checks, report defects and not operate any vehicle they believe is unsafe.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Our teams often work inside customer homes, offices and shared buildings, and in busy streets where the public may be present. We will:

Plan access routes to minimise disruption and risks in and around properties and building entrances.

Use warning signs, barriers and clear pathways where necessary to protect occupants, visitors and the public from trip, fall and impact hazards.

Take care to protect floors, walls, lifts and communal areas to prevent damage that may cause safety risks.

Maintain professional and considerate behaviour at all times when working in residential and commercial environments.

Training, Information and Supervision

We will provide initial and refresher training appropriate to each role, including induction training for new employees and specific training for drivers, porters and supervisors. Training topics include manual handling, vehicle safety, loading techniques, use of equipment, emergency procedures and reporting of incidents and hazards.

Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that staff are competent for the tasks they undertake, understand the risks involved and receive additional instruction when new tasks or methods are introduced.

Accidents, Incidents and Emergency Procedures

All work-related accidents, incidents and near misses must be reported as soon as possible so that first aid, medical assistance and investigation can be arranged. We will maintain appropriate first aid arrangements and ensure that employees know how to obtain assistance in an emergency.

Emergency procedures are in place for fire, evacuation and other foreseeable incidents and will be followed at customer premises and in our vehicles and facilities. Staff must familiarise themselves with escape routes, assembly points and any location-specific requirements.

Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

Canary Wharf Removals will monitor health and safety performance through inspections, audits, review of incident reports and feedback from employees and customers. Management will review this policy periodically to ensure it remains effective and relevant to our removal services and operating areas.

We are committed to continuous improvement in health and safety. Suggestions from staff and customers for improving safety standards and working practices are welcomed and will be considered carefully as part of our ongoing review process.