Health and Safety Policy — Flat Clearance Wembley

Scope and Commitment

This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitments and practical measures adopted by Flat Clearance Wembley to protect employees, contractors and members of the public during rubbish removal, waste clearance and related flat clearance services. The organisation is committed to reducing risk and ensuring that every clearance operation is planned and executed in a safe, legal and environmentally responsible way. Safety is a core value and we expect everyone engaged in waste removal and property clearing to follow the procedures laid down in this policy.

Our policy covers all activities associated with flat clearances and flat removal services including bulky waste handling, sorting of recyclable materials, secure disposal of household items and responsible rubbish collection. It applies to permanent employees, temporary staff, subcontractors and any visitors to work sites. The policy is periodically reviewed and updated to reflect changes in legislation, industry best practice and operational lessons learned.

The objectives are clear: protect health, prevent accidents and harm, minimise environmental impact and ensure safe rubbish handling from collection to disposal. We will integrate health and safety into planning and day-to-day operations by setting measurable targets, monitoring performance and acting on corrective actions.

Responsibilities and Management

Senior management has overall responsibility for implementing and maintaining this policy. Line managers and site supervisors are responsible for ensuring work is carried out safely on the ground, including assessing hazards at each flat clearance, issuing safe systems of work and ensuring the correct equipment is available. Employees must work safely, follow instructions, use provided personal protective equipment (PPE) and report hazards.

Specific responsibilities include: risk assessments before each job, ensuring waste segregation for reuse and recycling, safe manual handling techniques, and secure loading of vehicles to prevent shifting during transport. Where specialist or hazardous materials are encountered, work will be stopped until qualified guidance and safe procedures are in place.

We will appoint competent people to supervise rubbish removal operations and will maintain clear lines of communication so that duty holders understand their roles. Training records and competence checks will be kept and reviewed to ensure standards are met consistently across services and clearances.

Risk Assessment, Controls and Safe Work

Risk assessment is central to our approach. Before any flat clearance we conduct a task-specific assessment to identify hazards such as sharps, asbestos risk, biohazardous waste, broken glass, electrical items, trip hazards and manual handling risks. Control measures include elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and, where necessary, PPE. Safe systems of work will be produced and communicated to everyone on site.

Controls are documented and include, but are not limited to:

• Pre-job walkthroughs and written risk assessments;
• Use of appropriate lifting aids, trolleys and team lifting for bulky items;
• Segregation of recyclable and hazardous materials for compliant disposal;
• Securing loads on vehicles and safe parking protocols to protect the public;
• Clear signage and cordoning where public access may create additional hazards.

We emphasise safe rubbish handling methods and regularly review control effectiveness. All operations must meet statutory requirements and any haulage or disposal will follow permitted waste transfer and environmental rules.

Training, PPE and Incident Management

Employees and contractors will receive induction training and job-specific instruction covering manual handling, safe use of equipment, correct use of PPE, emergency procedures and waste segregation requirements. Training is refreshed periodically and whenever new risks are introduced.

PPE requirements are determined by risk assessment and may include gloves, high-visibility clothing, protective footwear, eye protection and respiratory protection where dust or biohazards are present. All PPE will be maintained, inspected and replaced as necessary to ensure it provides effective protection.

Incidents, near misses and health concerns must be reported immediately. We maintain an incident reporting and investigation system to identify root causes and implement corrective actions. Where accidents occur, first aid is provided promptly and relevant regulatory notifications are made.

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

Performance is monitored through site inspections, supervision, audits and review of incident trends. Continuous improvement is driven by lessons learned, changes in legislation and emerging best practice for rubbish collection and waste management. Management review meetings ensure the policy remains effective and proportionate.

We will engage with workers to identify practical safety improvements and encourage proactive reporting of hazards. Contractors and partners are expected to align with this policy and demonstrate their own safety arrangements prior to engagement.

Commitment: Flat Clearance Wembley is committed to preventing injury and ill health, protecting the environment, and delivering a high standard of service in every clearance. By following this policy and cooperating across the workforce, we aim to provide safe, compliant and responsible flat clearance and rubbish removal services.