Health and Safety Policy for Twickenham House Clearance

Purpose: This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of Twickenham House Clearance to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees, contractors and members of the public while providing house clearance and rubbish removal services. The policy applies across our entire rubbish company service area and underpins all operational procedures, vehicle operations and site activities. Our aim is to minimise harm and deliver safe waste clearance in a professional manner.

Scope: The policy covers all staff, temporary workers and subcontractors engaged in domestic and commercial house clearances, bulky item removal and waste disposal tasks. It includes vehicle-based collections, in-property clearance, skip and container handling, and sorting for recycling or disposal. The scope also addresses site safety, manual handling, COSHH-type considerations for hazardous items, and safe working practices for team members and customers.

Responsibility and Accountability: Management retains overall responsibility for health and safety, ensuring risk assessments are completed and controls are implemented. Supervisors and crew leaders are responsible for day-to-day adherence to safe systems. Every employee has a duty to follow procedures and report hazards. We maintain clear chains of responsibility so that safety is embedded in rubbish clearance operations and delivery within our service area.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

Risks are identified through site-specific risk assessments prior to any clearance activity. Assessments consider manual handling loads, trip and slip hazards, confined spaces such as lofts or basements, unstable furniture and potential sharps or hazardous wastes. Control measures include team lifting protocols, use of mechanical aids, and exclusion zones to protect the public. These measures are reviewed and updated to reflect changing work patterns and seasonal hazards in the rubbish collection sector.

Training and competency are central to our approach. All operatives receive induction training, manual handling instruction and periodic refresher sessions. Competency checks ensure drivers understand safe vehicle loading and securement, and that operatives can identify hazardous items such as asbestos-containing materials, sharp objects or chemical containers. We document training and maintain records to support continuous improvement.

Personal Protective Equipment and Vehicle Safety

PPE is provided to staff and must be worn at all relevant times. This includes gloves, high-visibility clothing, safety boots and eye protection. Additional PPE is provided for specific tasks. Vehicles are subject to regular maintenance and inspections to ensure roadworthiness and secure storage of collected items. Load restraints and safe loading practices are mandatory to prevent shifting during transit.

Waste segregation and environmental controls form part of our safety policy. Clear procedures ensure appropriate separation of recyclable materials, general waste and hazardous items, complying with permitted disposal routes. When hazardous materials are identified, work is paused and specialists are engaged. Our rubbish clearance teams are trained to recognise and safely manage potentially dangerous materials to protect people and the environment.

Emergency procedures are established for first aid, fire, vehicle incidents and accidental release of hazardous substances. First aid kits and trained responders are available on-site. Incidents are reported, recorded and investigated to identify root causes and prevent recurrence. We encourage a culture of open reporting and learning, ensuring that near-misses and accidents inform practical safety improvements.

Operational planning includes traffic management and pedestrian segregation for roadside clearances. Where work affects public footpaths or drives, we implement temporary control measures to reduce risk. Our teams coordinate with property owners and other trades on site to maintain safe access and ensure that waste removal does not create hazards for neighbours or passersby.

Contractor management ensures that subcontractors meet our safety standards. Before engagement, subcontractors supplying skip hire, specialist disposal or demolition support must demonstrate competence and evidence of insurance. Rubbish contractor arrangements are audited and monitored to ensure consistent safety performance across the wider service delivery chain.

Monitoring and Review: The Health and Safety policy is reviewed regularly and following any significant incident, legislative change or operational shift. Performance metrics, including incident rates, training completion and audit results, are used to evaluate effectiveness. Continuous improvement is driven by periodic reviews of procedures and proactive risk management within our waste clearance operations.

Commitment: Twickenham House Clearance is committed to providing a safe working environment for all who engage with our house clearance and rubbish removal services. We will maintain robust health and safety governance, promote safe working behaviours and ensure that all clearance operations within our service footprint are conducted responsibly and safely. This policy is supported by management and requires full cooperation from every team member.