Health and Safety Policy — House Clearance New Cross

Purpose and commitment: This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of House Clearance New Cross to protect the health, safety and welfare of all employees, contractors, clients and members of the public affected by our house clearance and rubbish removal activities. The policy applies across our rubbish company service area and to all operations including domestic clearances, commercial decluttering and waste uplift. We will provide a safe working environment, safe systems of work and the resources required to manage risk effectively.

Scope: This policy covers all work undertaken by our operatives within the wider rubbish removal service area and addresses hazards commonly associated with house clearance, including manual handling, sharps and hazardous materials, vehicle operations, and contamination risks. The policy is intended for internal use and for partners and contractors who operate on our behalf and is not a substitute for legal advice; it establishes a framework for compliance with applicable health and safety standards and good practice in waste removal and clearance.

Roles and responsibilities: Every team member has responsibilities under this policy. The following core roles outline duties and accountability:

• Management: to implement and maintain safe systems, provide training and ensure adequate resources.
• Supervisors: to monitor day-to-day compliance and ensure safe task allocation.
• Operatives: to follow safe working procedures, use PPE and report hazards and incidents.

Risk assessment: We will carry out, record and review suitable and sufficient risk assessments for all routine and non-routine tasks in the waste clearance sector. Assessments will consider risks in the locality of the job, the condition of the property, types of waste encountered and the potential for hazardous or contaminated materials. Controls will be proportionate and include task planning, PPE, safe equipment and provision of welfare facilities.

Personal protective equipment (PPE): Appropriate PPE will be provided and its use enforced where assessments indicate a need. Typical items include gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, protective footwear and respiratory protection where dust or airborne contaminants are present. PPE use will be documented and operatives trained in correct selection, inspection and disposal.

Manual handling and mechanical aids: Manual lifting and carrying are common in house clearance and rubbish collection. We will eliminate risky lifting where possible and provide mechanical aids such as sack trucks, trolleys and lifting straps. Safe lifting techniques will be taught and supervisors will ensure that heavy items are handled by teams or by mechanical means. This standard applies across our waste removal company service area and during vehicle loading.

Hazardous materials: When suspected hazardous materials are encountered (asbestos, chemical containers, syringes, unknown liquids) work will stop and a competent decision-maker will be consulted. Where specialist removal is required, operations will be paused until safe disposal contractors or trained personnel can be engaged. Procedures for segregation, labelling and containment of hazardous wastes will be followed to prevent harm and cross-contamination.

Vehicle and transport safety: Vehicles used for clearance operations will be maintained to roadworthy standards and loaded to prevent shifting of waste in transit. Drivers and loaders must comply with load restraint guidance and legal weight limits. Daily vehicle checks and scheduled maintenance will be recorded to ensure safety across the rubbish clearance service area.

Site security and public protection: Work areas will be secured to protect members of the public and residents. Clear signage, exclusion zones and supervision will be provided where required. Parking and access plans will be agreed with property owners to reduce the risk to pedestrians and road users during clearance operations.

Environmental protection and waste hierarchy: We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of our operations by following the waste hierarchy: prevention, reuse, recycling and responsible disposal. Materials suitable for reuse or recycling will be segregated at source and documented. Where disposal is necessary, licensed facilities and compliant methods will be used across our rubbish disposal service region to ensure regulatory obligations and environmental best practice are met.

Incident reporting and emergency procedures: All accidents, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported immediately. We will maintain an incident register and investigate events to identify root causes and preventive measures. Emergency procedures—including first aid arrangements, fire response and spill control—will be established and communicated to all personnel operating in the waste removal area.

Training, monitoring and review: Competence is essential for safe operations. Induction training for new staff will cover policy, PPE, manual handling and hazard recognition. Regular refresher training, toolbox talks and supervised on-the-job coaching will be provided. Audit and inspection programmes will measure compliance and performance. This policy will be reviewed periodically and after any significant incident to ensure continuous improvement across the rubbish company service area.