East Ham House Clearance — Health and Safety Policy

Purpose: This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of East Ham House Clearance to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees, contractors and members of the public who may be affected by our house clearance and rubbish removal service activities. The aim is to provide a safe working environment, ensure compliance with statutory obligations and promote a culture of risk awareness across the rubbish company service area. This statement applies to all operations and is supported by documented procedures for routine and non-routine tasks.

Scope: The policy applies to all staff, temporary workers and subcontractors engaged in house clearances, waste removal and rubbish clearance service activities. It covers work on private premises, communal properties, commercial clear-outs and vehicle operations. Responsibilities include identifying hazards, completing risk assessments and implementing control measures so that waste is handled, transported and disposed of in a manner that minimises risk to people and the environment.

Principles: We will:

• Comply with relevant health and safety law and regulations applicable to a professional rubbish collection service area;
• Assess risks and maintain safe systems of work;
• Provide suitable equipment and training to reduce manual handling and exposure to hazardous materials.

These guiding principles ensure the business operates consistently and safely while delivering reliable rubbish removal services.

Managers are responsible for: ensuring risk assessments are current, providing safe plant and vehicles, and monitoring compliance. Supervisors must ensure that staff follow safe working procedures, wear required personal protective equipment and report unsafe conditions. Employees must take reasonable care for their own safety, follow instructions and report incidents promptly. These duties are essential in a waste clearance environment where changing conditions require active vigilance.

Risk assessment and control: All activities require a documented risk assessment that identifies hazards such as sharps, asbestos, chemical containers, unstable loads and biological contamination. Where hazards are identified, hierarchy-of-controls measures will be applied: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE. Control measures will be reviewed after any incident or change in work method.

Training and competence: Staff will receive induction training and periodic refresher training covering safe handling of household waste, manual handling techniques, safe use of machinery and vehicles, basic hazardous waste awareness and emergency procedures. Competence will be assessed and recorded. Training records are maintained and made available for audit to demonstrate that the workforce meets the requirements of a professional rubbish clearance operation.

Manual handling: The company promotes safe manual handling by providing mechanical aids, trolleys and guidance on team lifts. Tasks should be planned to minimise repetitive heavy lifting. Employees must use appropriate lifting techniques and request assistance for awkward or heavy items commonly encountered during house clearance work.

Hazardous materials: Suspected asbestos, medical waste, chemicals and solvents must not be handled without specialist training and controls. Such items will be isolated and secured until a suitably qualified contractor can undertake safe removal. Waste segregation procedures will be followed to ensure hazardous items are identified and transported under correct regulatory arrangements within the rubbish company service area.

Vehicles and plant: Company vehicles and equipment will be maintained to a safe standard through scheduled inspections and servicing. Load security protocols must be observed to prevent shifting cargo. Drivers will follow defensive driving standards and adhere to legal limits for driver hours when conducting waste collection and delivery tasks.

Personal protective equipment: Appropriate PPE will be provided and maintained, including gloves, steel-toe boots, eye protection, high-visibility clothing and respiratory protection where required. The selection of PPE reflects task-specific risks identified in assessments and is a final control layer in the waste clearance process.

Incident reporting and investigation: Any accident, near miss or unsafe condition must be reported immediately and recorded. Investigations will determine root causes and identify corrective actions to prevent recurrence. Records of incidents and corrective actions will be retained and reviewed as part of the company’s continual improvement process for rubbish removal services.

Monitoring and review: The policy will be reviewed at least annually and following significant incidents or operational changes. Performance will be monitored through site inspections, audits and consultation with employees. Continuous improvement is expected to maintain high standards and responsiveness across the rubbish clearance and house clearance service operations.