Health and Safety Policy — Finsbury Park House Clearance

This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of Finsbury Park House Clearance to protect employees, customers and the public when delivering house clearance and rubbish removal across our service area. The document explains how the rubbish company service area is managed, the duties of staff and contractors, and the measures in place to reduce risk. It is intended to operate alongside statutory requirements and industry best practice while remaining concise and practical for everyday operations.

Scope and Objectives

This policy applies to all operations undertaken by the clearance team, including domestic and commercial waste clearance service area tasks, vehicle loading, disposal of general household rubbish, and management of reuse or recycling. Our objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, to minimise environmental impact, and to ensure safe working practices across every waste removal activity. The policy complements risk assessments and site-specific safety briefs conducted before work begins.

Roles and Responsibilities

Clear responsibilities are allocated to ensure the policy is effective. Key duties include:

• Management — set standards, provide resources and maintain oversight of the rubbish removal operations;
• Supervisors — ensure that safe systems of work are followed and that assessments are up to date;
• Operatives — follow instructions, use PPE correctly and report hazards immediately.

Risk assessment is central to our approach. Before any clearance, operatives complete a dynamic assessment of the site to identify manual handling hazards, trip or fall risks, sharps and biological contamination, fire risks and vehicle movement. Controls include safe lifting techniques, mechanical aids where feasible, and exclusion of lone working when a risk cannot be managed. The policy emphasises that every operative must be able to stop work if they judge a situation to be unsafe.

To protect staff we supply and maintain appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, boots, high-visibility clothing and respiratory protection where dust or biohazards may be present. Training covers correct PPE selection and maintenance. Staff receive instruction in manual handling, safe use of equipment and the importance of reporting near-misses to improve safety.

Vehicles and equipment are maintained to a high standard. Routine checks are conducted pre-shift and faults are reported through a documented system. Load security, safe loading practices and correct segregation of recyclable and non-recyclable items are enforced to reduce spillage and environmental risk. For larger or specialist clearances, mechanical lifting equipment is used under approved safe systems of work.

Emergency procedures are documented and communicated to staff. These include first-aid arrangements, fire response, procedures for dealing with hazardous materials and actions to take in the event of a serious incident during a clearance. The policy requires that operatives carry a basic first-aid kit and have immediate access to emergency contacts as outlined in site-specific briefs.

Certain items may present special hazards: asbestos-containing materials, chemicals, solvents, sharps, and electrical equipment. Such items are identified during pre-clearance checks and handled in accordance with legal obligations and environmental controls. Hazardous waste is segregated and sent to authorised facilities. We do not attempt to reprocess controlled hazardous materials on-site.

Incident reporting and investigation are mandatory. All accidents, near-misses and instances of property damage must be recorded and reviewed. The list below highlights reporting priorities:

• Any injury requiring first aid or medical attention
• Damage to vehicles, equipment or third-party property
• Near-misses that could lead to serious harm

We ensure that subcontractors and temporary staff meet our safety standards before they begin work. Contractors are required to provide evidence of competence and insurance and must comply with on-site safety rules. The organisation conducts periodic checks to confirm that external partners adhere to the same expectations for safe clearance and responsible waste handling within the rubbish removal service area.

Continuous improvement is embedded in the policy. Regular audits, toolbox talks and refresher training are used to keep procedures current. Management reviews consider operational feedback, audit findings and changes in legislation or industry practice. Where weaknesses are identified, corrective actions are implemented and monitored until closure.

In summary, this Health and Safety policy represents the commitment of Finsbury Park House Clearance to operate a safe, compliant and responsible house clearance and waste removal service. It sets out expectations for staff behaviour, the systems used to manage hazards across the rubbish company service area, and the mechanisms for monitoring performance. This policy is reviewed annually or sooner if there are significant changes to operations or legal requirements. Everyone involved in our operations is expected to understand and apply these standards.