Brixton Removals Health and Safety Policy

Brixton Removals is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, customers and members of the public who may be affected by our moving and storage activities. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with removals work, including lifting and handling, transport, packing, loading and unloading at homes, offices and commercial premises.

Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, damage to property and disruption to the communities we serve. We will meet or exceed applicable health and safety legislation and recognised industry good practice in the removals sector.

Management Responsibilities

The management of Brixton Removals has overall responsibility for implementing and maintaining effective health and safety arrangements. This includes providing adequate resources, suitable equipment and appropriate training to ensure that work can be carried out safely at all times.

Managers are responsible for planning work with health and safety in mind, conducting and reviewing risk assessments, monitoring standards on site and ensuring that staff understand and follow company procedures. Management will regularly review this policy to ensure it remains suitable, communicated and effective.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. All staff must:

Follow company safety procedures and instructions given by managers and supervisors.
Use vehicles, tools, lifting aids and protective equipment correctly and for their intended purpose.
Report accidents, near misses, unsafe conditions and faulty equipment without delay.
Cooperate with any health surveillance, training or safety initiatives introduced by the company.
Refrain from horseplay, misuse of equipment or any behaviour that could put people at risk.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Brixton Removals will identify and assess significant hazards associated with our moving and transport operations. This includes manual handling, working in confined or cluttered spaces, use of staircases, vehicle movements, parking and access, loading and unloading, and working in shared residential and commercial environments.

Where risks are identified, we will establish safe systems of work and communicate them clearly to our teams. Risk assessments will be reviewed when there are changes to work methods, new equipment, new locations or following any significant incident.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling is a core part of removals work and will be managed carefully to reduce the risk of injury. We will:

Provide manual handling training, including correct lifting techniques, team lifts and use of handling aids.
Plan jobs to minimise unnecessary lifting and carrying, using mechanical aids where reasonably practicable.
Ensure that trolleys, dollies, straps and similar equipment are maintained and suitable for the loads they carry.
Avoid asking staff to handle items that are excessively heavy, unstable or unsafe to move without specialist arrangements.

Only trained and authorised employees may operate specialist equipment. All equipment will be inspected regularly and withdrawn from use if any defect is identified.

Vehicles, Driving and Road Safety

Our vehicles are essential to our removals service and must be operated safely at all times. Brixton Removals will:

Ensure vehicles are maintained, serviced and inspected in line with legal requirements and manufacturer guidance.
Require drivers to hold the appropriate licence and demonstrate competence for the type of vehicle driven.
Plan routes and schedules to reduce the risk of fatigue and unsafe driving behaviour.
Ensure loads are packed and secured correctly to prevent movement, damage or instability during transit.
Promote courteous and responsible driving in residential streets, city centres and commercial areas.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Our teams work daily in customer homes, offices and shared buildings. We will take reasonable steps to protect customers, visitors, neighbours and the general public from risks arising from our activities. This includes:

Assessing access routes, stairways and communal areas before starting work.
Using floor protection, corner protectors and similar measures where appropriate to prevent damage and trips.
Controlling access to work areas where possible and keeping walkways clear of trip hazards.
Moving vehicles carefully near pedestrians and using spotters where visibility is limited.
Keeping noise and disruption to a reasonable level and working considerately in residential and busy commercial locations.

Training, Information and Supervision

Brixton Removals will provide employees with the information, instruction and training they need to work safely. This may include induction training, manual handling, safe loading, vehicle safety, use of equipment and site-specific instructions.

Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for monitoring compliance with safety procedures on site, giving clear instructions and correcting unsafe behaviour. Additional guidance will be provided when staff encounter new equipment, unfamiliar premises or unusual loads.

Health, Welfare and Fitness for Work

We recognise that removals work can be physically demanding. Employees are encouraged to report any health concerns that might affect their ability to carry out tasks safely. No one should undertake work if they are unfit due to illness, injury, fatigue, alcohol or drugs.

Where appropriate, Brixton Removals will consider adjustments to tasks or duties to support staff with health limitations, provided that safety standards can be maintained.

Incident Reporting and Continuous Improvement

All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported promptly to management. We will investigate incidents to identify causes and implement measures to prevent recurrence.

We are committed to continual improvement in health and safety performance. Feedback from employees and customers is welcomed and will be used to refine our procedures and standards.

Policy Communication and Review

This Health and Safety Policy will be communicated to all employees and made available to customers and other interested parties on request. Management will review the policy regularly and whenever there are significant changes in our operations, legislation or industry guidance.

By working together and following the principles set out in this policy, Brixton Removals aims to deliver every move safely, professionally and with care for people, property and the wider community.