Health and Safety Policy — House Clearance Chislehurst

Purpose: This policy defines how our house clearance operations are managed to protect employees, contractors, customers and the public across our rubbish company service area and associated waste removal activities. The aim is to maintain safe working systems, reduce risks from manual handling and hazardous materials, and ensure compliance with applicable statutory requirements. House Clearance Chislehurst commits to continuous improvement in occupational safety and environmental protection.

Scope: This policy covers all aspects of house clearance, including full estate clearances, single-room removals, bulky rubbish disposal, and temporary storage handling in our service area. It applies to all staff, subcontractors and visitors during operational tasks such as sorting, lifting, loading, transport and disposal of household items and waste.

Responsibilities

Management will ensure adequate resources, safe systems of work and training. Team leaders are responsible for risk assessments, job briefings and ensuring PPE is available and used. Employees must follow instructions, use provided safety equipment and report hazards promptly. Contractors must operate in accordance with this policy and company procedures while on site.

Risk Assessment and Control Measures

All tasks must be preceded by a site-specific risk assessment that identifies hazards such as trip and fall risks, hazardous substances, sharps, electrical items and asbestos suspect materials. Control measures include safe access arrangements, segregation of hazardous waste, appropriate lifting aids and use of marked containment for sharp or contaminated items. Records of assessments are retained and reviewed periodically.

Manual handling and transport hazards are a primary concern for a rubbish removal company operating in both domestic and commercial environments. We adopt mechanical aids where practicable, encourage team lifting for bulky items, and enforce maximum safe load limits. Staff receive training in safe lifting techniques and are instructed to stop work and seek assistance if a load is unstable or likely to cause injury. Vehicle loading procedures are defined to secure loads and prevent shifting during transit.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Appropriate PPE such as gloves, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and eye protection must be worn as determined by the risk assessment. For tasks involving dust, mold or biohazard risk, approved respiratory protective equipment is mandatory. The company will supply, maintain and replace PPE as required to meet safety standards.

Safe handling of hazardous materials is critical for any waste clearance and rubbish collection business. Items such as paints, solvents, batteries, electronic waste, asbestos-containing materials and medical waste require specialised handling and disposal pathways. Staff must identify suspect items, isolate them, and follow documented procedures for transfer to licensed disposal facilities. The company will not accept items that cannot be legally or safely processed without prior arrangement.

Environmental protection and spill response are integral to our policy. Spill kits are carried on vehicles and staff are trained in containment, reporting and cleanup procedures. Fuel, hydraulic fluid and other potential pollutants must be managed to prevent soil and water contamination. Waste segregation promotes recycling and reduces landfill where possible, supporting our duty to minimise environmental impact within the rubbish collection and clearance area.

Training and competence: Employees undergo induction training covering health and safety, manual handling, hazardous waste awareness and vehicle safety before unsupervised work. Ongoing refresher training is scheduled, and competency is assessed regularly. Records of training, qualifications and toolbox talks are maintained to demonstrate compliance and to support continuous learning.

Incident reporting and investigation procedures ensure that all accidents, near misses and dangerous occurrences are reported without delay. Investigations identify root causes and controls are revised to prevent recurrence. Emergency procedures include first aid provision, contact with emergency services, and rapid notification to relevant authorities when required by law.

Monitoring and review: The company will monitor performance through site inspections, vehicle checks, health surveillance where necessary, and analysis of incident trends. Management review meetings will consider audit findings, legislative changes and operational feedback to update this policy. Records of inspections and corrective actions are maintained to ensure transparency and accountability across our waste clearance operations.

Commitment: House Clearance Chislehurst is committed to providing a safe working environment and protecting the health of everyone affected by our activities in the rubbish removal and clearance sector. We expect cooperation from all staff and contractors to uphold these standards. If you have concerns about safety practices, they should be raised through internal reporting channels for prompt action.