Kensington House Clearance - Health & Safety Policy

Kensington House Clearance is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety across our rubbish company service area. This policy sets out our approach to protecting staff, contractors, customers and the public from harm associated with house clearance, waste removal and rubbish collection activities. Our objective is to prevent injury, minimise environmental impact and ensure all operations comply with relevant health and safety obligations. All employees and subcontractors must familiarise themselves with this policy and adopt its requirements during every clearance job.

We operate a proactive risk management framework tailored to the unique demands of a rubbish removal service and clearance work. Risk assessments are carried out before each assignment to identify hazards such as manual handling, sharp objects, hazardous materials, confined spaces and vehicular movements. Where hazards are identified, we apply control measures consistent with the hierarchy of controls, including elimination, substitution, engineering controls, safe systems of work and, where necessary, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

All personnel engaged in our rubbish clearance service area are given clear duties and responsibilities. Managers are responsible for ensuring effective implementation of controls, supervisors for day-to-day site safety, and operatives for reporting hazards and following safe working methods. We emphasise safe lifting techniques and provide training to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury. Clear communication and induction briefings are mandatory for new staff and for each new worksite to reinforce expectations and emergency procedures.

Scope, legal compliance and safe operations

Kensington House Clearance maintains a compliance register covering applicable health and safety legislation for rubbish and waste operations. While this document does not replace legal advice, we commit to observing statutory duties, codes of practice and industry standards relevant to a rubbish collection and clearance company. Our policy covers domestic and commercial house clearance, bulk rubbish removal, hazardous item handling and secure disposal methods. We ensure that all waste is segregated, labelled and transported in accordance with waste carrier obligations and environmental protection principles.

Training is central to safe performance in the rubbish collection area. We provide induction training, periodic refresher courses and job-specific instruction for equipment such as compactors, lifting aids and vehicles. First aid provision and trained first aiders are available where required by risk assessment. Incident reporting procedures are established to record near misses, accidents and unsafe conditions. Investigations are conducted to identify root causes and prevent recurrence, with corrective actions tracked to completion.

Operational controls include pre-task briefings, use of appropriate PPE such as gloves, high-visibility clothing and respiratory protection when necessary, safe ladder and access practices and secure vehicle loading. We maintain vehicle safety checks, secure load procedures and driver training to reduce road risk during waste transport. Subcontractors and temporary staff are expected to meet the same safety standards as employed personnel and must provide evidence of competency where applicable.

Risk assessment, monitoring and continual improvement

Risk assessments form the basis of our working arrangements in the clearance and waste removal service area. Assessments are reviewed regularly and updated following any change in operations, introduction of new equipment, or after incidents. Controls are monitored through site inspections, operational audits and performance metrics. Management reviews the effectiveness of the safety management system and implements improvements based on audit findings and feedback from staff and partners.

We maintain clear emergency procedures for spill response, fire, medical emergencies and exposure to hazardous substances. Emergency contacts and documented procedures are available to all teams, and drills are carried out periodically to test readiness. Environmental protection is integrated into our health and safety approach: measures to prevent pollution, reduce landfill contribution and encourage reuse and recycling are standard practice in our waste handling and clearance operations.

This policy is communicated to all staff, contractors and stakeholders. Responsibilities are clearly assigned and performance expectations are measurable. Regular training, consultation with employees and the use of safe systems support our commitment to a safe, reliable and compliant rubbish clearance service. The company will review this policy annually or sooner if operational changes or legislative updates require it, ensuring Kensington House Clearance continues to deliver a safe and professional rubbish removal and house clearance service across its service area.