Stratford House Clearance — Health & Safety Policy

Stratford House Clearance is committed to delivering a safe, compliant and professional house clearance and rubbish removal service across its service area. This policy sets out the health and safety principles and controls that govern our waste removal, clearance service and related activities. It applies to all employees, contractors and operatives engaged in any form of clearance work, from light rubbish collection to full property clear-outs.

Our objectives are to minimise risk, prevent injury and avoid environmental harm through active risk management and continuous improvement. Key aims include: compliance with statutory requirements, promotion of safe systems of work, and clear communication of responsibilities. The policy supports safe manual handling, correct segregation of waste, secure transportation of materials and appropriate disposal in line with current waste regulations.

The policy is underpinned by a set of responsibilities and practical controls. Management will ensure resources and training are provided, while staff and subcontractors must follow method statements, wear specified PPE and report hazards. Employees are encouraged to identify risks in the field and to contribute to safety reviews. The strategy covers routine rubbish collection, bulky item removal, loft and garage clearances, and hazardous material identification.

Senior management retains overall accountability for health and safety performance and will: set policy, allocate responsibilities, carry out periodic audits and ensure legal compliance. Supervisors and site leads implement controls on the ground and confirm that teams follow safe systems of work for house clearances and waste removal operations.

Employees and subcontractors must adhere to site-specific risk assessments, wear approved PPE and use correct equipment. Training and briefings will cover:

• Manual handling and lifting techniques
• Use of mechanical aids and safe vehicle loading
• Segregation and handling of potentially hazardous items

These measures ensure that our rubbish collection and clearance crews work safely and consistently.

We operate a documented incident reporting and investigation procedure. All accidents, near misses and hazardous finds must be reported promptly so that causes can be identified and corrective actions implemented. Records will be maintained to support ongoing risk reduction and compliance reviews.

Risk assessments are completed for every job type and are reviewed when working conditions change. Assessments address site access, structural hazards, presence of sharps, chemicals, asbestos risks and biohazards. Controls are established to ensure safe rubbish collection and secure transportation to transfer facilities or authorised disposal sites.

Controls include clear method statements, site exclusion zones, signage, and the use of suitable containment for contaminated or broken materials. For house clearances involving lofts, basements or multi-storey properties, additional precautions are applied to prevent falls, manual handling injuries and property damage.

Personal protective equipment is mandatory where identified as necessary. This may include safety boots, gloves, high-visibility clothing, respiratory protection and eye protection. PPE selection is task-specific and regularly inspected to ensure integrity and suitability for tasks such as hazardous waste handling or heavy furniture removal.

Vehicle safety is integral to our operations. Drivers and loaders must follow secure loading procedures, ensure loads are safe for transit and conform to road safety regulations. Vehicles are subject to routine inspections and maintenance to reduce mechanical failure and environmental risk from spillages.

Handling of hazardous or potentially controlled wastes is strictly controlled. Items identified as hazardous will be managed according to statutory guidance, with immediate isolation and specialist disposal arranged when required. Staff are trained to recognise signs of contamination, chemical containers, batteries, asbestos-containing materials and medical waste so they can take appropriate action.

Contractors and temporary workers must demonstrate competence and be inducted on company procedures before being assigned to clearance work. The company maintains training records and provides refresher training for key competencies, including manual handling, vehicle loading and emergency response.

Monitoring, review and continual improvement are central to the policy. Performance is evaluated through audits, toolbox talks, incident analysis and client feedback channels. Findings are used to update risk assessments, refine method statements and improve training content so our waste removal and clearance service evolves with regulatory change and operational experience.

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and following any significant incident or regulatory update. The review process includes consultation with staff and appropriate stakeholders to ensure practical, effective controls are maintained for the wide range of clearance and rubbish collection activities we undertake.

Commitment: Stratford House Clearance will maintain a proactive safety culture that protects people, property and the environment while providing a professional, reliable house clearance and rubbish removal service across its service area. Everyone engaged in our activities must play their part in keeping themselves and others safe.