Health & Safety Policy — Mayfair Man with Van

Mayfair Man with Van is committed to providing safe, responsible rubbish and waste collection services across our service area. This policy outlines our approach to identifying hazards, controlling risks, and maintaining a safe working environment for staff, clients and the public. It applies to all activities undertaken by the company, including collection, loading, transport and disposal of domestic and commercial waste, and covers our teams when operating as a man and van or larger crewed vehicle.

Policy Intent and Responsibilities

Our objective is to prevent injury and ill health, minimise environmental impact from rubbish removal activities, and ensure legal and regulatory compliance where applicable. The responsibility for health and safety is shared: the management will ensure adequate resources and oversight, while every employee and contractor must follow safe systems of work. Supervisors will carry out regular checks and communicate safety expectations, and staff must report hazards and incidents promptly using the company's reporting system.

Scope — This policy covers all operations under the brand, from manual handling of bulky items to roadside rubbish collections and waste transfer. It includes routine removals, one-off clearances and small-scale construction waste where appropriate precautions are taken. We recognise the specific challenges associated with rubbish collection: unpredictable loads, presence of sharps or hazardous materials, and work in public spaces. Training, supervision and equipment are tailored to these risks.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems

Risk assessments are undertaken before new tasks or sites are accepted. Assessments consider manual handling risks, traffic interaction, working at height when loading, and the potential presence of hazardous waste. We implement control measures such as planned loading procedures, safe access to vehicles, and exclusion zones where necessary. Where risks cannot be adequately controlled on site, the job will not proceed until safer arrangements are made.

Control measures include, but are not limited to:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): high-visibility clothing, gloves suitable for waste handling, steel-toe footwear and eye protection where needed.
• Safe lifting techniques: team lifts, mechanical aids and trolleys for heavy or awkward items to reduce musculoskeletal injury.
• Vehicle safety: secure load methods, regular vehicle inspections and adherence to weight limits to prevent incidents in transit.

All staff are trained in these measures and refresher training is scheduled periodically. Training records are maintained and reviewed during supervisory audits to ensure competence in rubbish handling and clearance tasks.

Operational Controls and Waste Segregation — Mayfair rubbish removal operations require clear procedures for segregation and handling. Non-hazardous domestic waste is separated from recyclable materials where possible, and items such as asbestos, chemical containers or contaminated waste are identified and either refused or handled by specialist contractors. Our operatives are instructed to assume unknown items may be hazardous and to follow escalation procedures if they encounter suspect materials.

Transport controls are in place to prevent spillage and exposure during transit. Vehicles are fitted with appropriate containment and tying-down equipment. Drivers follow pre-departure checks and carry documentation outlining permitted waste types and relevant licensing rules for certain waste streams. The policy emphasises the importance of minimising environmental impact during rubbish collection, including preventing fly-tipping and ensuring correct disposal at authorised facilities.

Emergency procedures are established for incidents such as spills, sharps injuries, vehicle breakdowns or roadside hazards. First-aid provision, spill kits and clear communication protocols form part of the response plan. Incidents are recorded, investigated and lessons learned are incorporated into training and risk controls to reduce repeat occurrences.

Accident Reporting and Investigation — All accidents, near-misses and hazardous exposures must be reported immediately. Prompt reporting enables timely medical intervention, containment of risks and thorough investigation. Investigations identify root causes and inform corrective actions. Findings are shared with teams and used to update the risk assessment register. We emphasise learning from incidents rather than assigning blame, fostering an open safety culture where staff feel able to raise concerns.

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement — Management reviews this policy and associated procedures on a scheduled basis and after any significant incident or operational change. Performance is monitored through audits, site inspections and feedback from staff. Key performance indicators include incident rates, training completion and compliance with vehicle and equipment maintenance schedules. Continuous improvement is achieved through regular review cycles and implementation of corrective measures.

Commitment — Mayfair Man with Van recognises that effective health and safety management is integral to delivering professional rubbish clearance services. We commit to providing adequate resources, training and oversight to ensure that our operations protect people and the environment. Every employee, contractor and partner has a role to play in maintaining safety standards and must cooperate with this policy to ensure safe, compliant service delivery.