Lambeth Removals Health and Safety Policy

Lambeth Removals is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health, safety, and welfare for our employees, customers, contractors, and members of the public who may be affected by our removal and relocation activities. Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, and damage to property by managing risks in a sensible, proportionate, and consistent way.

This policy applies to all operations carried out by Lambeth Removals, including domestic and commercial moves, packing services, loading and unloading, transport, and storage-related tasks.

Management Responsibilities

Senior management holds overall responsibility for the effective implementation of this Health and Safety Policy. They will provide clear leadership, appropriate resources, and visible commitment to safe working practices across all removal services.

Management will ensure that suitable and sufficient risk assessments are completed, that preventive and protective measures are implemented, and that all workers understand their duties. Managers and supervisors must lead by example, promote a positive safety culture, and intervene immediately where unsafe acts or conditions are observed.

Employee Responsibilities

Every employee has a legal and moral 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 the companys safe working procedures and instructions, use equipment correctly, wear any required personal protective equipment, and report hazards, near misses, incidents, or concerns without delay. Employees must not misuse or interfere with anything provided in the interests of health and safety.

All workers are expected to contribute to continual improvement in safety performance, including participating in training, toolbox talks, and post-job reviews when requested.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Lambeth Removals undertakes formal risk assessments for typical removal activities, including manual handling, working in and around vehicles, use of lifting aids, work at height for vehicle access or storage, and operations in customers premises. Site-specific assessments are carried out where unusual or complex conditions exist, such as restricted access, high-value or delicate items, or shared access with other trades.

From these assessments, we develop safe systems of work that set out step-by-step methods for completing tasks safely. These are communicated to staff through training, briefings, and job instructions. All employees must follow these systems and raise any concerns if they believe a task cannot be done safely as planned.

Manual Handling and Use of Equipment

Manual handling risks are a major focus for a removal company. Lambeth Removals provides staff with training on safe lifting techniques, team lifting, and the use of handling equipment such as trolleys, dollies, straps, and ramps. Wherever reasonably practicable, mechanical aids are used to reduce the need for manual lifting.

Items that are particularly heavy, bulky, fragile, or awkward are planned and assessed in advance so that the correct number of staff, appropriate equipment, and safe access routes are in place. Staff must not attempt to lift or move loads that exceed their individual capability or that cannot be handled safely with the available equipment.

Vehicles, Driving, and Road Safety

The safe operation of vehicles is critical to our work. Only trained and authorised personnel may drive company vehicles. Drivers must perform pre-use checks, report defects, and ensure vehicles are loaded and secured correctly so that loads cannot move during transit.

Drivers and crew must comply with traffic laws, speed limits, and parking restrictions, and must take particular care when manoeuvring in residential streets, shared driveways, and busy commercial areas. Whenever reversing, the use of a banksman or guide is encouraged where possible to protect pedestrians, property, and other road users.

Customer Premises and Public Safety

Removal work often takes place in and around customer homes and business premises, and may impact neighbours, visitors, and passers-by. Our teams are required to maintain high standards of housekeeping, keep access routes clear, and use appropriate signage or barriers when there is a risk to others.

Floors, stairs, and entrances are kept as free as reasonably practicable from trip hazards such as packing materials, tools, or loose items. Where necessary, protective coverings are used to reduce slip risks and protect surfaces. Staff must remain courteous and vigilant at all times, ensuring that members of the public are not exposed to avoidable risks arising from our operations.

Training, Competence, and Supervision

Lambeth Removals provides appropriate induction and ongoing training to all employees in relation to health and safety, including manual handling, vehicle safety, safe loading, use of equipment, and emergency procedures. Additional role-specific training is provided for supervisors, drivers, and specialist handlers.

Competence is monitored through on-the-job assessment, supervision, and refresher training. Less experienced staff are supervised by competent team leaders who are responsible for ensuring that work is carried out safely and in accordance with company procedures.

Equipment, Maintenance, and Personal Protective Equipment

All tools, vehicles, lifting equipment, and accessories used in our removal services are selected to be suitable for their intended purpose and are maintained in a safe condition. Regular inspections are carried out, and defective equipment is removed from service until it can be repaired or replaced.

Where risk assessments identify the need, appropriate personal protective equipment, such as safety footwear and gloves, is provided. Employees must use this equipment as instructed and take reasonable care of it, reporting any damage or loss immediately.

Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

All accidents, near misses, injuries, and significant safety concerns must be reported as soon as practicable to a supervisor or manager. Lambeth Removals investigates such events to identify underlying causes and to implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

Emergency arrangements are in place for foreseeable situations such as fire, injury, vehicle breakdown, and spillages. Staff are briefed on what to do in an emergency, including how to evacuate premises safely and how to summon appropriate assistance.

Consultation, Communication, and Review

Lambeth Removals is committed to consulting with employees on matters affecting their health and safety and encourages open communication about risks and improvements. Feedback from staff and customers is actively sought and used to enhance our safety management systems.

This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our activities, work environments, or applicable regulations. Updated versions are communicated to all employees so that everyone understands their responsibilities and our shared commitment to safe removal services.