Health and Safety Policy

Statement of intent

Hussey Removals is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of our employees, workers, subcontractors, customers, visitors and members of the public who may be affected by our work.

Removal work involves manual handling, driving, loading and unloading vehicles, using handling and lifting equipment, working on stairs and operating within unfamiliar properties. We recognise these risks and will take all reasonably practicable steps to eliminate them or reduce them to an acceptable level.

We will:

• Comply with applicable health and safety legislation.
• Complete suitable and sufficient risk assessments.
• Provide safe systems of work, equipment and vehicles.
• Provide appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision.
• Consult workers about risks and safety arrangements.
• Provide required personal protective equipment free of charge.
• Investigate accidents, injuries, near misses and unsafe conditions.
• Review this policy regularly and improve our working practices where necessary.

Everyone working for Hussey Removals is expected to cooperate with this policy and take reasonable care of themselves and others.

Management responsibilities

Hussey Removals management has overall responsibility for implementing this policy and providing adequate time, equipment and resources to manage health and safety.

Management will:

• Appoint a competent person to assist with health and safety responsibilities.
• Complete and review general and task-specific risk assessments.
• Ensure workers understand the hazards associated with their work.
• Provide suitable induction, manual-handling and equipment training.
• Confirm that drivers are appropriately licensed, insured, competent and fit to drive.
• Ensure vehicles and work equipment are properly maintained and inspected.
• Arrange statutory examinations of lifting equipment where required.
• Provide suitable personal protective equipment.
• Provide appropriate first-aid arrangements.
• Record and investigate accidents, injuries, work-related illness and near misses.
• Report qualifying incidents under RIDDOR.
• Consult workers about health and safety matters.
• Monitor working practices and take action where unsafe behaviour is identified.
• Review this policy at least annually and following significant changes or incidents.

Specific responsibilities must be allocated to named people in the signed internal copy of this policy.

Employee and worker responsibilities

All employees, workers and subcontractors must:

• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety.
• Consider colleagues, customers and members of the public who could be affected by their actions.
• Follow training, risk assessments and safe systems of work.
• Use vehicles, tools and equipment only when trained and authorised.
• Inspect equipment before use and report faults immediately.
• Use handling aids where provided.
• Wear required PPE and look after it properly.
• Never deliberately misuse or interfere with safety, fire or first-aid equipment.
• Report hazards, defective equipment, accidents, injuries and near misses immediately.
• Stop work and seek guidance if a task cannot be completed safely.
• Tell management about any health condition, injury, medication or fatigue that may affect their ability to work or drive safely.
• Never work or drive while impaired by alcohol, illegal drugs or any other substance.
• Cooperate with accident investigations and safety reviews.

No worker will be criticised for stopping a task where they reasonably believe there is a risk of injury or serious property damage.

Risk assessments

Hussey Removals will assess risks to workers, customers and members of the public arising from our activities.

Risk assessments will consider:

• The task being completed.
• The weight, size, shape and condition of the load.
• The number and capability of people required.
• Stairs, steps, tight spaces and uneven surfaces.
• Access, parking and traffic.
• Weather and lighting conditions.
• Children, pets, customers and other members of the public.
• Vehicles, tail lifts, ramps, trolleys and other equipment.
• Particularly heavy, fragile or unusual items.
• Fatigue, working hours and driving requirements.

A dynamic assessment must also be completed at each property. If conditions differ significantly from those expected, the team must reassess the work before continuing.

Risk assessments will be reviewed when:

• Work activities or equipment change.
• A new hazard is identified.
• An accident or near miss occurs.
• There is reason to believe the assessment is no longer suitable.
• A worker raises a legitimate safety concern.

Manual handling

Manual handling is one of the main risks in removal work.

We will follow the hierarchy required by the Manual Handling Operations Regulations:

1. Avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable.
2. Assess manual-handling tasks that cannot be avoided.
3. Reduce the risk of injury as far as reasonably practicable.

Where necessary, controls may include:

• Using sack trucks, dollies, skates, lifting straps, ramps or other handling aids.
• Reducing or dividing loads where possible.
• Dismantling suitable furniture before moving it.
• Using additional workers for heavy or awkward items.
• Planning the route and removing obstructions.
• Allowing adequate rest and recovery.
• Refusing to move an item where it cannot be handled safely.

Workers must not attempt to lift or control an item beyond their ability. There is no expectation that an unsafe lift should be completed simply to save time.

Loading, unloading and securing belongings

Loading and unloading must be planned and controlled.

The team will:

• Park as safely and legally as reasonably practicable.
• Use hazard lights, warning signs or high-visibility clothing where appropriate.
• Keep customers, children, pets and unnecessary pedestrians away from loading areas.
• Prevent vehicles from moving during loading and unloading.
• Keep ramps, tail lifts and access routes clear.
• Distribute loads appropriately within the vehicle.
• Secure belongings using suitable straps and other equipment.
• Avoid exceeding vehicle weight limits.
• Check load security before departure and during the journey where appropriate.
• Avoid working beneath an unsupported or suspended load.

Vehicles and driving for work

Only authorised and appropriately licensed drivers may drive company vehicles.

Drivers must:

• Complete required vehicle safety checks.
• Report defects, warning lights, damage or concerns immediately.
• Ensure loads are secure before driving.
• Comply with road traffic law and applicable driving-hours requirements.
• Wear seat belts and drive according to road and weather conditions.
• Never use a handheld mobile telephone while driving.
• Take suitable breaks and report fatigue.
• Refuse to drive a vehicle they reasonably believe is unsafe or overloaded.

Management will ensure vehicles are serviced, maintained, insured and tested as required.

Schedules must allow sufficient time for safe driving, loading, unloading and rest. Workers must not be pressured to speed or drive while excessively fatigued.

Work equipment and lifting equipment

Work equipment—including trolleys, dollies, skates, ramps, straps and tools—must be:

• Suitable for its intended use.
• Maintained in a safe condition.
• Inspected at appropriate intervals.
• Used only by trained and competent people.
• Removed from service if defective.

Tail lifts and any other equipment covered by the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations must be properly maintained, marked with its safe working load and thoroughly examined by a competent person at the required intervals.

Lifting operations must be properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out safely.

Working at height and preventing falls

Work at height will be avoided wherever reasonably practicable.

Workers must not:

• Climb onto unsecured furniture or customer belongings.
• Use unsuitable chairs, boxes or other improvised access equipment.
• Jump from vehicle load areas or tail lifts.
• Work from an unprotected edge where safer access can be provided.
• Enter a loft without safe access, suitable flooring and adequate lighting.

Suitable steps or access equipment must be used where required. Extra care must be taken on stairs, ramps, tail lifts and wet or uneven surfaces.

Personal protective equipment

Suitable PPE will be provided free of charge where a risk assessment identifies that it is required.

Depending on the task, PPE may include:

• Protective gloves.
• Safety footwear.
• High-visibility clothing.
• Eye protection.
• Suitable weather protection.
• Other task-specific equipment.

PPE is a final level of protection and will not be used as a substitute for controlling the underlying risk.

Customer properties and members of the public

Our work regularly takes place in occupied homes and public areas.

Workers must:

• Maintain clear routes wherever practicable.
• Avoid leaving tools, packaging or equipment where they create a trip hazard.
• Protect floors, doors and other surfaces where appropriate.
• Ask customers to keep children and pets away from work areas.
• Use additional care in communal areas, pavements and shared access routes.
• Immediately report damage, hazards or unsafe conditions.
• Treat customers and their property with care and respect.

Hazardous substances and prohibited items

We will assess and control exposure to substances hazardous to health where relevant.

Customers must not submit paint, fuel, gas bottles, explosives, chemicals or other prohibited hazardous materials for removal unless expressly agreed and suitable arrangements have been made.

Workers must not handle an unknown, leaking or potentially dangerous substance without instruction and appropriate controls.

Fire and emergency arrangements

Fire risks at premises under our control will be assessed and suitable precautions maintained.

Workers must:

• Familiarise themselves with emergency arrangements where applicable.
• Keep fire exits and access routes clear.
• Never interfere with fire-safety equipment.
• Report fire hazards immediately.
• Follow evacuation instructions during an emergency.

Emergency arrangements will also cover vehicle incidents, breakdowns, serious injuries and unsafe customer properties.

First aid

Hussey Removals will assess its first-aid needs and provide appropriate:

• First-aid equipment.
• Appointed persons or trained first aiders.
• Information explaining how to obtain assistance.
• Arrangements for workers operating away from the depot.

First-aid supplies in company vehicles must be checked and replenished regularly.

Accidents, injuries and near misses

All work-related accidents, injuries, property damage, equipment damage, dangerous occurrences and near misses must be reported to management as soon as possible.

Incidents will be recorded and investigated to identify their cause and prevent recurrence.

Management will determine whether an incident must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive or another enforcing authority under RIDDOR.

Serious incidents must be reported immediately. The scene and relevant equipment should be preserved where safe and reasonably practicable until management has assessed the situation.

Personal information in accident records will be handled confidentially and in accordance with data-protection law.

Information, instruction and training

Workers will receive training appropriate to their responsibilities and the risks involved.

This may include:

• Health and safety induction.
• Manual handling.
• Safe loading and load security.
• Use of tail lifts, ramps and handling aids.
• Vehicle checks and driving for work.
• Accident and emergency procedures.
• Use and care of PPE.
• Fire safety and first aid awareness.

Training will be refreshed when necessary, particularly after changes to equipment, working practices or risk assessments.

Consultation and reporting concerns

Workers will be consulted about hazards, risk assessments, equipment, training and changes affecting their safety.

Suggestions and concerns should be reported to management. Workers are encouraged to recommend improvements and identify unsafe practices without fear of unfair treatment.

Monitoring and review

Management will monitor compliance through:

• Workplace observations.
• Vehicle and equipment checks.
• Review of accident and near-miss records.
• Worker feedback.
• Review of training and maintenance records.

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and whenever there is a significant change, accident, enforcement action or reason to believe it is no longer effective.

A signed and dated master copy will be maintained by Hussey Removals.

Last reviewed: August 2026