Health and Safety Policy for House Clearance Cranford

Purpose and scope: This Health and Safety Policy sets out the commitment of the house clearance operation to protect employees, contractors, members of the public and property while delivering professional house clearance and rubbish removal services. The policy applies to all activities undertaken by the clearance company including domestic and commercial waste removal, safe handling of bulky items and clearance site management across the service area.

Policy statement: We recognise our legal and moral duty to ensure safe systems of work and to reduce harm and environmental impact. The aim is to provide a consistent, safe service for clients seeking house clearance in Cranford and the surrounding service area. Our approach emphasises prevention, assessment, training and continual improvement in all aspects of rubbish collection and waste clearance.

Responsibilities: Responsibility for health and safety is shared. Senior management retains overall accountability for the safety culture, while supervisors and team leads ensure safe execution during on-site house clearances and rubbish collection tasks. All staff are required to follow procedures and report hazards. Contractors must comply with the same standards.

Comprehensive risk assessments are conducted before any clearance work commences. These consider manual handling, slips, trips and falls, vehicle movements, hazardous materials (including possible asbestos or sharps), and environmental risks related to waste segregation and disposal. Controls follow the hierarchy: eliminate, substitute, engineer, administrate and use personal protective equipment (PPE).

Safe systems of work: Written safe systems are provided for routine activities such as furniture removal, garden clearance, loft and cellar clearances and secure loading for transport. Work plans identify roles, required equipment and sequencing to avoid congestion and reduce manual handling. When necessary, mechanical aids are used to protect staff and reduce injury risk.

Personal protective equipment: Appropriate PPE is provided and maintained. This includes gloves, high-visibility clothing, steel-toe boots, eye protection and respiratory protection where dust, mould or other airborne hazards may be present. Contractors and temporary staff receive PPE briefings and must use equipment as instructed.

Training is a core element of our safety policy. All team members receive induction training covering manual handling, vehicle safety, waste segregation, hazardous materials awareness and incident reporting. Regular refresher sessions and toolbox talks address seasonal risks and service area-specific issues that affect rubbish removal operations.

Competence checks are used to confirm that operatives can safely perform assigned tasks. Supervisors conduct on-the-job coaching and audits to ensure compliance with safe working practices and to support continuous improvement within the clearance company.

Site supervision ensures that rubbish removal and clearance activities meet safety and environmental standards. Supervisors may stop work if immediate risks are identified and only resume when controls are in place.

Vehicle and transport safety: Vehicles used for house and waste removal are maintained to a safe standard and inspected regularly. Load securing, weight distribution and route selection minimise the risk of accidents in the service area. Drivers are trained in defensive driving and in safe loading/unloading procedures to protect public and operative safety.

Handling hazardous and controlled waste: Where hazardous items are identified, the clearance team follows specialist procedures for segregation, containment and transfer to licensed facilities. Items that require special disposal—such as chemicals, certain electronics and medical wastes—are handled only by trained personnel and transported in accordance with statutory controls.

Incident reporting and investigation: All incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions are reported promptly. Investigations aim to identify root causes and to implement corrective actions. Lessons learned are shared through briefings and updated procedures to prevent recurrence during future clearances and rubbish collection operations.

Monitoring, review and continual improvement: Performance is monitored by routine inspections, audits and review of incident records. Key performance indicators include training completion rates, incident trends and audit findings. This policy is reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect changes in operations, legislation or best practice in waste removal and house clearance.

We expect every team member to contribute to a positive safety culture. House clearance Cranford activities will only be undertaken where safe systems are in place. Non-compliance with safety requirements may lead to disciplinary action to protect everyone involved.

Commitment: The organisation is committed to providing resources, training and leadership necessary to deliver safe, reliable and environmentally responsible clearance services. By following this policy, we aim to deliver high-quality rubbish company services across our service area while preserving the health and safety of staff, clients and the public.