Plaistow House Clearance Health & Safety Policy

Plaistow House Clearance is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety across all house clearance and rubbish removal activities. This policy sets out the core principles and practical measures that govern our waste clearance operations, waste removal service area management and general rubbish company duties. Our objective is to protect employees, contractors, clients and the public by minimising risk from manual handling, hazardous materials and traffic movements, while complying with applicable legislation and recognised industry practice.

We adopt a proactive risk-control approach to every job in our house clearance and rubbish collection service area. Responsibilities are clearly allocated: senior management provides leadership and resources, supervisors enforce safe systems of work, and every worker is expected to follow procedures and report hazards. Training is provided on induction and refreshed regularly to ensure competence in handling general waste, bulky items and potentially harmful substances. The policy emphasises prevention, and the need for adequate documentation including risk assessments, method statements and incident records.

Scope and Application

The policy applies to all operations conducted by Plaistow House Clearance across our rubbish company service area, including but not limited to domestic house clearances, tenancy clear-outs, and commercial waste collection when contracted. It covers on-site activities, transportation of collected material, storage of items prior to disposal or recycling, and interactions with third-party waste processors. The document is intended as a legal and operational statement of intent and does not replace the need for site-specific assessments or permit requirements where they apply.

The core elements of our safety management system include hazard identification, control measures, safe work procedures and continuous monitoring. Hazard controls follow the hierarchy from elimination and substitution to engineering controls, administrative measures and personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE is provided where required and includes gloves, high-visibility clothing, appropriate footwear and respiratory protection for dusty or contaminated environments. Supervisors ensure PPE is used correctly and maintained in good condition.

Risk Assessment and Safe Working Methods

Every assignment is preceded by a risk assessment that identifies potential hazards—such as asbestos-containing materials, sharps, biological waste, chemical containers and unstable loads. Control options are selected to manage these risks and are documented in a method statement. Manual handling risks are minimised by using mechanical aids, team lifts and correct lifting techniques. Traffic management plans are established for roadside pickups to protect workers and pedestrians. Records of assessments are retained for accountability and review.

Emergency preparedness is an integral part of the policy. First aid provision and emergency contact procedures are maintained for all sites and vehicles within the rubbish removal service area. Incidents, near-misses and non-conformances are reported, investigated and analysed to prevent recurrence. Regular drills, audits and inspections are undertaken to test the effectiveness of controls and to support continuous improvement of our health and safety performance.

Supervision, training and competence are critical. Staff receive role-specific instruction in safe waste handling, segregation for recycling, identification of hazardous materials and the safe operation of clearance equipment. Recruitment and vetting ensure that personnel have the necessary physical ability and qualifications for tasks assigned. Contractors engaged for specialised work are required to demonstrate their own safety arrangements and to comply with Plaistow House Clearance requirements while on site.

Environmental protection and legal compliance sit alongside safety commitments. Our policy promotes reuse and recycling where practicable and ensures that hazardous items are segregated and disposed of by authorised facilities. We maintain records to demonstrate conformity with waste transfer obligations and ensure that vehicles and containment systems are maintained to prevent spillages. Insurance and licensing statuses are kept current to support safe and lawful operation within the wider rubbish company service area.

Responsibilities are distributed to ensure clarity: directors set the policy and allocate resources; managers develop systems and monitor compliance; supervisors apply controls on site; and workers follow instructions and report concerns. The policy is reviewed at least annually or after significant incidents, regulatory changes or operational shifts to ensure it remains effective. Plaistow House Clearance encourages an open safety culture where concerns can be raised without fear of reprisal and where learning from events is embedded into everyday practice.