Barnes Man with Van — Health and Safety Policy for Rubbish and Waste Services

Policy objective: Barnes Man with Van is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of all employees, contractors and members of the public affected by our rubbish removal and waste collection services. This policy sets out the standards, responsibilities and working practices required to maintain a safe working environment across our man with van rubbish operations and refuse removal activities. It applies to all tasks related to rubbish clearance, rubbish disposal, waste removal and any ancillary work carried out by our staff.

Scope and commitment: We will take all reasonably practicable steps to prevent accidents, injuries and occupational ill health. Our waste collection and rubbish clearance teams must follow safe working methods, use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and adhere to safe loading and vehicle procedures. Management will ensure resources are available to meet statutory duties and good practice for safe rubbish disposal and waste handling.

Legal and regulatory compliance: Barnes Man with Van will comply with relevant health and safety legislation, environmental obligations and waste handling standards. We will not rely on a single source of information; instead, we will maintain current knowledge of applicable rules and industry best practice to manage hazards associated with refuse removal and man with van collections.

Responsibilities

Our responsibilities are clearly defined so that everyone understands their role in achieving a safe rubbish removal service. Senior management must set the tone and allocate resources. Supervisors will implement procedures and ensure rubbish collection crews and drivers are trained and competent. All employees have a duty to work safely, report hazards and cooperate with health and safety requirements.

Employee duties

Employees engaged in rubbish collection, clearance or waste transfer must:

• Follow safe systems of work and risk assessments.
• Use PPE such as gloves, high-visibility clothing and safety boots.
• Report near misses, incidents and unsafe conditions promptly.
• Comply with manual handling controls to prevent musculoskeletal injuries during lifting and loading of refuse.

Management duties include: carrying out regular risk assessments, ensuring vehicles are maintained, scheduling adequate rest breaks to reduce fatigue, and arranging training on safe rubbish disposal, hazardous materials, and emergency response. We will maintain records of training, inspections and incident investigations to support continuous improvement.

Risk assessment and control measures: Before starting any job, a site-specific risk assessment will identify hazards such as sharp objects, hazardous waste, unstable loads, traffic movement and confined spaces. Control measures include segregation of waste types, use of mechanical aids where possible, clear exclusion zones during loading, and safe stacking practices in the van to prevent shifting during transit.

To mitigate manual handling risks during rubbish collection, staff will be trained in correct lifting techniques and encouraged to use dollies, sack trucks or two-person lifts for heavy items. Where waste is suspected to contain hazardous substances, employees must not handle it until instructed by a trained supervisor or specialist contractor.

Vehicle operations and maintenance: Vehicles used in rubbish collection and removal are subject to routine checks and servicing. Drivers must complete pre-start inspections and ensure loads are correctly secured. Safe reversing procedures, seatbelt use and adherence to safe speeds are mandatory. Any defects that could affect safety or waste containment must be reported and rectified before the vehicle returns to service.

Hazardous materials and specialist waste

Some items encountered during rubbish clearance may be hazardous (e.g., chemicals, sharp waste, batteries, solvents). Such items will be identified, segregated and, where necessary, handled only by staff with specific training or by licensed specialist contractors. We will maintain clear procedures for handling suspected asbestos-containing materials and will never permit untrained personnel to remove or disturb such materials.

Safe disposal routes will be used for all waste streams. Where recycling or specialist treatment is appropriate, the team will follow correct segregation and transfer procedures to minimise environmental harm and reduce the risk of contamination during waste collection and transfer.

Training, incident reporting and review

Training is provided to ensure competence in safe rubbish handling, vehicle operation, manual handling and emergency procedures. All incidents and near misses are to be reported immediately, investigated and used to inform corrective actions to prevent recurrence. This policy will be reviewed periodically and following any significant incident, change in work methods or regulatory update.