Health and Safety policy
Putney Movers Health and Safety Policy
Putney Movers is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, visitors, and customers. As a professional removals company, we recognise that our work involves manual handling, transport operations, and working in and around domestic and commercial premises. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks and promoting a culture of safe working practices across all moving and storage activities.
Our Health and Safety Commitments
We are committed to preventing injury, ill health, and damage to property in the course of our removals and related services. We will ensure that health and safety considerations are integrated into planning, decision-making, and daily operations. We aim to continually improve our health and safety performance and to comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice for moving services.
Health and safety is a shared responsibility. Every person working with or for Putney Movers has a duty to act safely, follow instructions, and report hazards or incidents promptly.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management at Putney Movers is responsible for establishing, maintaining, and reviewing this Health and Safety Policy. Management will:
Provide clear leadership and set expectations for safe working in all removal and transport activities.
Identify significant risks associated with moving, packing, loading, unloading, and storage tasks, and implement appropriate control measures.
Ensure employees receive appropriate information, instruction, training, and supervision to carry out their roles safely.
Provide and maintain vehicles, equipment, and work equipment in a safe, roadworthy, and serviceable condition.
Ensure that risk assessments and safe systems of work are in place, communicated, and periodically reviewed.
Investigate accidents, incidents, and near misses to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees, including team leaders, drivers, and porters, must:
Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.
Follow all safety instructions, safe systems of work, and training provided by Putney Movers.
Use equipment, vehicles, and personal protective equipment properly and only for their intended purpose.
Report hazards, unsafe conditions, faulty equipment, and any accidents or near misses to management without delay.
Refrain from horseplay, unsafe behaviour, or any conduct likely to put themselves, colleagues, clients, or the public at risk.
Never work under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any substance that may impair their ability to work safely.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
Putney Movers will carry out risk assessments for typical and specialist removal tasks, including lifting and carrying items, stair work, use of trolleys, working in confined spaces, and vehicle loading and unloading. These risk assessments will be used to develop safe systems of work that reflect the specific requirements of our service area and the environments in which we operate.
Site-specific risks at customer premises, such as restricted access, uneven surfaces, traffic, or nearby construction, will be assessed before work begins wherever reasonably practicable. Teams are expected to adapt working methods in line with risk assessments and escalate any new or unexpected hazards to management.
Manual Handling and Use of Equipment
Manual handling is a significant aspect of our removals operations. To reduce the risk of injury, Putney Movers will:
Provide training on correct lifting and carrying techniques and on safe team handling of large or heavy items.
Encourage the use of mechanical aids, such as sack trucks, dollies, and lifting straps, wherever reasonably practicable.
Plan lifting tasks to avoid unnecessary carrying distances, awkward routes, and unsafe handling of oversized items.
Require staff to assess loads before lifting and to seek assistance for heavy, unstable, or awkward items.
Ensure that removal equipment is regularly inspected, maintained, and withdrawn from service if found to be defective.
Vehicle Safety and Driving Standards
Our vehicles are essential to our removal services and must be operated safely at all times. Putney Movers will:
Maintain vehicles in good mechanical condition and ensure they are regularly serviced and inspected.
Provide guidance and training on safe driving, route planning, securing loads, and operating in residential and commercial streets.
Require drivers to complete basic checks before use and to report any defects immediately.
Ensure that loads are evenly distributed, properly secured, and within vehicle weight limits.
Promote safe driving behaviour, respect for speed limits, and consideration for other road users and pedestrians.
Client Premises and Public Safety
When working at client premises, our teams will take reasonable steps to protect the safety of customers, visitors, neighbours, and the general public. This includes:
Keeping access routes as clear as reasonably practicable.
Using warning signs or verbal warnings where there is a risk of trips, slips, or moving loads.
Managing doors, lifts, and stairways safely to avoid collisions and falls.
Taking care to prevent damage to property and to avoid creating unnecessary hazards.
Training, Communication, and Consultation
Putney Movers will provide induction and ongoing training in relevant health and safety topics, including manual handling, vehicle safety, safe loading, and hazard awareness. Information about risks and controls will be communicated through briefings, written procedures, and on-the-job instruction.
Employees are encouraged to raise health and safety concerns, suggestions, or improvement ideas with management. We recognise that open communication is essential to a strong safety culture.
Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures
All accidents, injuries, incidents, and near misses must be reported to management as soon as possible. Putney Movers will record and, where required, investigate these events to identify trends and implement corrective and preventive measures.
Emergency procedures will be in place for situations such as fire, serious injury, or road traffic incidents. Staff will be briefed on how to respond, including how to seek medical assistance and how to make the area safe where reasonably practicable.
Monitoring and Policy Review
Putney Movers will monitor compliance with this policy through supervision, vehicle and equipment checks, site visits, and review of incident records. Where shortcomings are identified, appropriate action will be taken, which may include additional training, changes to procedures, or disciplinary measures.
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and updated as necessary to reflect changes in legislation, best practice, and the nature of our removal services. The latest version will be made available to all employees and can be provided to clients on request.
This policy applies to all activities carried out by Putney Movers in the course of providing moving and related services.
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