St Johns Wood House Clearance — Health and Safety Policy

St Johns Wood House Clearance is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety across its house clearance and rubbish removal operations. This policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with rubbish collection, waste removal and clearance service activities. Our primary aim is to protect employees, contractors, clients and the public while ensuring compliant, efficient and responsible removal of household and commercial refuse.

Policy statement

We will: comply with applicable health and safety law, provide adequate resources for safe rubbish clearance operations, and continually improve our systems. The policy applies to all work under our control, including domestic and commercial rubbish company service area tasks, vehicle loading and site clearance. We expect every employee to engage with this policy and follow safe systems of work.

Responsibilities

Directors retain overall accountability for health and safety and will ensure the policy is implemented. Managers and supervisors are responsible for risk assessments, training and day-to-day supervision of waste removal teams. Employees must follow instructions, use provided personal protective equipment and report hazards or incidents promptly. Subcontractors must meet our safety expectations before starting any rubbish clearance contract.

Risk assessment and control measures

We carry out documented risk assessments for each job type, site and client property. Controls are selected on the basis of reducing exposure to hazards such as manual handling, slips, trips, vehicle movement and harmful substances. Where elimination is not practicable we apply safe systems, engineering controls, administrative measures and PPE. Safe rubbish handling techniques and vehicle loading protocols are emphasised in all assessments.

Key control measures include:

• Pre-job surveys to identify hazards and access issues;
• Safe manual handling techniques, mechanical aids and team lifts where necessary;
• PPE provision – gloves, high-visibility clothing, safety boots and eye protection;
• Vehicle safety checks and secure load practices for rubbish vans and skip deliveries;
• Hazardous waste controls and segregation for safe disposal and recycling.

These measures support a consistent, auditable approach to rubbish clearance and waste collection activities throughout our service area to reduce incidents and environmental harm.

Training, competence and supervision form a core part of our safety plan. All staff undertaking waste removal duties receive induction training, refresher courses and task-specific instruction covering manual handling, sharps awareness, safe lifting, COSHH basics and vehicle operation. Supervisors conduct toolbox talks and spot checks to ensure skills are applied in the field. Records of training and competency assessments are maintained for audit and continuous improvement.

Incident reporting and investigation: all accidents, near misses and dangerous occurrences are reported without delay. We investigate incidents to identify root causes and apply corrective measures. Learning from incidents is shared with teams to prevent recurrence. Near-miss reporting is encouraged as a proactive way to improve safety standards in our rubbish removal operations.

Contractor and supplier management: we assess and monitor contractors working on our behalf to ensure they operate to the same safety standards. Contracts specify health and safety obligations and may require evidence of insurance, method statements and risk assessments. Coordination arrangements are in place where multiple parties are present at a site to control traffic, access and segregation of duties during clearance work.

Hazardous materials and environmental controls: when potentially hazardous items are encountered — such as chemicals, batteries, asbestos-containing materials or medical waste — we follow strict segregation, containment and disposal procedures. We will not undertake specialist removal without appropriate competencies and will defer to licensed waste carriers or specialists where required. Our approach protects people and prevents unlawful disposal that could harm the environment.

Management commitment and employee duties: senior management will review safety performance regularly and provide appropriate resources. Employees are expected to work responsibly, wear issued PPE, follow safe systems and report problems. Failure to comply with safety requirements may result in disciplinary action. Strong leadership and worker involvement ensure the waste clearance service meets legal and best-practice standards.

Monitoring, review and continuous improvement: health and safety performance is tracked through inspections, audits, incident metrics and feedback from operational teams. This policy is reviewed at least annually, or sooner following significant changes to operations, legislation or after serious incidents. Our commitment to improvement ensures the rubbish clearance and waste removal services remain safe, compliant and effective across the entire service area.