Health and Safety policy
Battersea Movers Health And Safety Policy
Battersea Movers is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, customers, contractors, and members of the public affected by our removals and related services. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks in all areas of our operations, including domestic and commercial removals, packing, loading, unloading, and transportation of goods.
We aim to prevent accidents, injuries, and work-related ill health by actively identifying hazards and implementing appropriate control measures. Every member of our team is expected to support and promote safe working practices at all times.
Legal Duties And Responsibilities
Battersea Movers recognises its responsibilities under applicable health and safety legislation and accepted industry standards for the removals sector. We will take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure:
Safe systems of work are in place for lifting, carrying, loading, and transporting items. Equipment and vehicles used in our services are maintained in safe working condition. Employees receive appropriate information, instruction, training, and supervision to carry out their tasks safely. Workplace conditions, including customer premises where we operate, are assessed and managed to reduce risks as far as reasonably practicable.
All employees also have 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. They must follow safety procedures, use equipment correctly, and report hazards, near misses, or incidents without delay.
Risk Assessment And Safe Working Practices
We regularly carry out risk assessments relevant to our removals activities. These include assessments for manual handling, working in confined spaces such as narrow hallways or stairwells, moving heavy or awkward items, and operating in shared or public areas during collections and deliveries.
Findings from risk assessments are used to create and maintain safe systems of work. These procedures are communicated to staff and reviewed whenever there are significant changes in our operations, equipment, or working environment, or following an incident or near miss.
Manual Handling And Lifting
Manual handling is a core part of our work and is recognised as a key risk area. Battersea Movers will:
Provide training in safe lifting and carrying techniques, including team lifting and use of handling aids. Plan moves carefully to minimise unnecessary manual handling, using appropriate equipment where possible. Assess items before moving them to determine weight, stability, and the safest handling method. Avoid asking employees to lift or carry loads that are beyond safe limits or that cannot be moved safely given site conditions. Encourage staff to stop and seek help if they believe a lift or movement cannot be completed safely.
Use Of Equipment And Vehicles
Battersea Movers ensures that all vehicles and equipment used for removals and related services are suitable for their intended purpose and maintained in safe working order.
Only trained and authorised personnel may operate company vehicles or specialised equipment, such as lifting devices or trolleys. Pre-use checks are carried out to identify defects, which must be reported promptly. Vehicles are loaded and secured to prevent shifting of goods during transit, reducing risks to employees, customers, and other road users.
Site Safety At Customer Premises
Our teams work at a wide range of locations, including homes, offices, and storage sites. We take care to plan work to minimise disruption and maintain safety on each site.
On arrival, team leaders will consider access routes, stairs, lifts, parking positions, and any obvious hazards before beginning work. Pathways are kept as clear as reasonably possible to reduce trip and collision risks. Where necessary, our team will communicate with customers, neighbours, or building management to coordinate safe access, use of lifts, and timing of moves.
Protection Of Customers, Public, And Property
We take reasonable steps to protect customers, visitors, and members of the public from risks arising from our activities. This includes careful movement of large items through shared spaces, use of warning where appropriate, and clear communication while handling bulky or heavy goods.
Property, fixtures, and fittings are handled with care to reduce the likelihood of damage or unsafe conditions such as blocked exits, unstable stacks of items, or trailing packing materials.
Training, Supervision, And Competence
Battersea Movers provides initial and ongoing training so that employees can perform their roles safely and effectively. Training covers areas such as manual handling, use of equipment, safe driving practices, hazard awareness, and emergency procedures.
New employees receive an induction that includes our health and safety expectations and the reporting of hazards and incidents. Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for monitoring working practices, correcting unsafe behaviour, and supporting staff in applying their training on site.
Incident Reporting And Investigation
All accidents, injuries, near misses, and dangerous occurrences must be reported promptly to a responsible person within the company. Battersea Movers will investigate incidents as appropriate to identify root causes and put in place corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Records of incidents and investigations are kept and reviewed periodically to monitor performance and drive improvements in our health and safety management.
Welfare, Health, And Wellbeing
We recognise that removal work can be physically demanding. Battersea Movers encourages employees to work at a sustainable pace, take appropriate rest breaks, stay hydrated, and use correct techniques and equipment to reduce strain.
Where employees highlight health concerns that may affect their ability to work safely, we will consider reasonable adjustments and seek to ensure tasks are allocated in a way that protects individual and team safety.
Continuous Improvement And Policy Review
We are committed to continuous improvement in our health and safety performance. This policy and related procedures are reviewed regularly, and at least annually, to ensure they remain effective, relevant, and up to date with current legislation and best practice in the removals industry.
Employees are encouraged to contribute suggestions for improving safety at work. Feedback from customers and partners is also welcomed as part of our drive to provide a safe, professional, and reliable removals service.
This Health and Safety policy applies to all operations and activities carried out by Battersea Movers and is communicated to all staff. It is available to customers and other interested parties on request.
