Health & Safety Policy for House Clearance Seven Sisters

This Health and Safety Policy describes the commitment of our house clearance operation to safe, compliant, and professional waste and rubbish removal in our service area. It sets out responsibilities, safe working procedures, risk control measures and training to protect employees, clients and the public during house clearance, rubbish removal, and waste collection activities. The policy applies to all staff, contractors and volunteers involved in house clearances, loft and garden waste removals and related site preparation tasks.

Our objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, to minimise environmental impact, and to ensure that every clearance is performed in a manner that protects property, utilities and neighbours. We will comply with relevant health and safety legislation and good practice for domestic and commercial waste clearance.

Scope: This policy covers all house clearance services, including bulky item removal, hazardous waste segregation, recycling, and general rubbish company duties across our service area. It addresses manual handling, vehicle operation, site assessment, hazardous materials, sharps and clinical waste, and traffic management during drop-off and collection.

Responsibilities and Leadership

Management will ensure that adequate resources are allocated to implement this policy. Line managers and team leaders are responsible for safe planning of clearances, toolbox talks, and ensuring staff have appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Employees are expected to follow instructions, report hazards and use provided PPE correctly.

Employee Duties

Employees must carry out a site risk assessment before starting any job, identify manual handling risks, assess access and egress, and highlight potential hazardous items such as asbestos-containing materials, chemicals, needles or electrical hazards. All staff should be trained in safe lifting techniques and the correct use of trolleys and sack trucks.

Supervisors will maintain a clear chain of responsibility for each clearance project. This includes pre-clearance checks, on-site supervision, incident reporting procedures and ensuring that waste is segregated for recycling, reuse or lawful disposal in accordance with environmental controls.

Risk Assessment and Control Measures

A formal risk assessment will be completed for each property clearance. Key control measures include: simple permitting where required, isolation of utilities if necessary, use of PPE (gloves, boots, eye protection, high-visibility clothing), and safe stacking and load securing methods. If a risk is beyond the team’s competence, work will be stopped and specialist contractors engaged.

Operations will follow safe manual handling protocols: assess, plan, test the load, and use mechanical aids whenever possible to reduce strain injuries. Vehicles will be loaded to legal and safe limits and secured to prevent shifting during transit.

Waste segregation is mandatory. Hazardous items are to be identified and segregated for specialist handling; recyclables should be separated to reduce landfill. Sharp objects must be boxed and labeled, and clinical waste will be handled only by appropriately trained personnel.

Training, Competence and Communication

Staff will receive induction training, periodic refresher sessions and specific instruction on dealing with hazardous materials and first aid. Communication channels will be maintained so every employee can report hazards, near-misses and incidents promptly. We will conduct regular toolbox talks addressing seasonal risks, manual handling refreshers and vehicle safety topics.

Emergency procedures are in place for injuries, fires, chemical spills and asbestos discovery. First aid kits and spill kits will be available on-site and in vehicles. If an incident occurs, the area will be secured and the incident logged in the company's reporting system for review and corrective action.

Monitoring and continuous improvement are central to this policy. We will review incidents, audit operations and update procedures to reflect changes in legislation, technology and operational experience. Regular audits of vehicle maintenance and PPE use will be undertaken to maintain standards.

Contractors and Subcontractors: All contractors engaged for specific tasks must comply with this policy and provide evidence of competence, insurance and safe systems of work. They must coordinate with our supervisors to ensure site rules are followed and hazards communicated.

Community and Environmental Considerations: House clearance activities will be planned to minimise disruption, noise and obstruction. We will manage waste streams responsibly to prioritise reuse and recycling and reduce disposal to landfill. Spill prevention and stormwater protection measures will be used where necessary to protect local environments.

In summary, this policy commits our house clearance operation to proactive risk management, lawful waste handling and protection of health and safety for our team and the public in the rubbish removal and waste clearance service area. Compliance will be enforced through training, supervision and a culture of safety and responsibility.

All employees and contractors are required to read, understand and apply this policy. Non-compliance may result in disciplinary measures and suspension of duties until remedial actions are complete. The policy will be reviewed at least annually or after any significant incident to ensure it remains effective and up to date.

By embedding these principles in our daily operations we aim to deliver a safe, reliable and environmentally responsible house clearance service that protects people, property and the wider community.

Approved by management and effective from the date of issue; this Health & Safety Policy is a living document guiding our house clearance and rubbish removal activities across the service area.