House Clearance Acton Health & Safety Policy

This Health and Safety policy sets out the standards and commitments of House Clearance Acton for safe and compliant house clearance and rubbish removal operations. The policy applies to all personnel, contractors and sub-contractors engaged in waste clearance, rubbish collection and property clearance activities carried out on behalf of the company. It is intended to promote a consistent approach to risk management across our service area while aligning with general statutory health and safety duties.

We are committed to preventing injury and ill-health by embedding safe working practices for house clearance services, bulky waste removal and domestic rubbish collection. Responsibilities are defined at all levels of the organisation to ensure that operational teams conduct work in a way that protects employees, clients, members of the public and the environment.

The company will identify hazards commonly associated with property clearance, including manual handling, sharps and contaminated items, hazardous household waste, slips, trips and falls, and vehicle-related risks. Risk assessments are carried out before project commencement and updated when site conditions change or new tasks arise. Findings will be communicated to everyone involved and control measures implemented.

Organisational Responsibilities

Senior management retains overall accountability for health and safety policy implementation and review. Managers and site supervisors are responsible for ensuring that operating procedures for rubbish clearance and waste removal are followed, that training is provided and that appropriate equipment is available.

All employees and operatives are required to follow this policy, take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others, and report hazards or incidents promptly. Contractors engaged for house clearances must demonstrate equivalent safety standards before work begins.

The policy promotes a culture of reporting and learning; staff are encouraged to report near-misses, unsafe conditions, or concerns without fear of reprisal to support continuous improvement.

Hazard Control and Safe Systems of Work

Work will be planned to minimise manual handling through mechanical aids, team lifts and staged removal techniques. When manual handling cannot be avoided, task-specific assessments and safe lifting procedures will be used. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, safety boots, hi-vis clothing and eye protection must be used where necessary.

Special controls are applied to hazardous items: asbestos risks, chemicals, sharps, electrical appliances and biological contamination. Suspected hazardous materials will be isolated and handled only by trained personnel or specialist contractors. Waste will be segregated and transported according to regulatory requirements for safe disposal.

Vehicles and loading areas will be maintained to a high standard. Drivers and loaders will follow safe loading/unloading routines, secure loads effectively and comply with vehicle weight limits and road safety obligations to reduce the risk of incidents during rubbish transportation.

Training, Competence and Communication

We provide training to develop competence in waste clearance techniques, manual handling, hazardous waste awareness and vehicle safety. Training records are maintained and refreshed at suitable intervals or whenever new processes are introduced.

Clear communication channels will be maintained so operational teams understand their responsibilities. Pre-task briefings and site-specific instructions are used to confirm control measures. Emergency procedures are displayed or made available for every site where house clearance operations take place.

Key actions include:

• Pre-start risk assessment for each clearance job
• Allocation of competent staff and appropriate PPE
• Safe segregation and storage of waste types before disposal

Incident Reporting and Investigation

All incidents, injuries and near-misses are reported and investigated promptly. Lessons learned will be shared and control measures revised to prevent recurrence. Records of incidents and corrective actions are retained in order to support trend analysis and continual improvement.

Where an incident indicates a statutory reporting requirement, the company will ensure relevant authorities are notified in accordance with applicable reporting obligations. Internal investigations focus on root causes and practical solutions rather than attributing blame.

Review and monitoring arrangements include periodic audits, site inspections and consultation with staff to verify that policy commitments are being met. This policy is reviewed at least annually and updated when changes to operations, legislation or industry best practice occur.

Implementation of this Health and Safety policy supports reliable, safe and respectful delivery of house clearance, rubbish removal and estate clearance services. By maintaining structured risk management, clear responsibilities, appropriate training and continuous monitoring, the company aims to protect people, property and the environment while delivering professional clearance services.

The policy should be read in conjunction with operational procedures for specific tasks and the site-specific risk assessments that accompany each contract. Adherence to these standards is mandatory for all personnel engaged in clearance work.

Signed on behalf of the management team as a declaration of commitment to effective health and safety practice across all domestic and commercial clearance activities.