Penge House Clearance — Health & Safety Policy

Penge House Clearance is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety across all house clearance and rubbish removal operations. This policy sets out our approach to risk control, safe working, and continuous improvement. The statement applies to every employee, contractor and sub-contractor engaged in household clearance, waste removal and rubbish collection within our service area. Safety is integral to how we operate and is treated with the same importance as quality and customer care.

Our objectives include preventing injury and ill health, reducing environmental impact, and ensuring reliable, safe clearance services. Responsibilities are clearly allocated: management provides leadership and resources; supervisors enforce procedures; staff follow safe systems of work. We emphasise shared responsibility — every team member must take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others while performing a clearance job.

Scope and key controls

This policy covers domestic property clearances, bulky waste removal, recycling segregation and vehicle-based rubbish collection in the wider clearance service area. Key controls include:

• Risk assessments for every site to identify hazards such as sharp objects, asbestos risk indicators, biohazards and manual handling challenges.
• PPE provision including gloves, eye protection, hi-vis clothing and sturdy footwear appropriate to the task.
• Safe vehicle operation and load securing during transit to prevent spills and road hazards.

Hazard identification and control measures

All clearance tasks begin with a pre-job assessment. This includes a walk-through to locate potential risks and an assessment of accessibility issues, stairway constraints and parking arrangements. Control measures are then selected from a hierarchy that favours elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and then personal protective equipment. Where a hazard cannot be fully controlled on-site, the job is either re-planned or specialist help is engaged.

Training and competence are essential. All staff complete induction training, periodic refresher courses and task-specific instruction for heavy lifts, electrical safety around household items and handling hazardous waste streams. Training records are maintained and reviewed to ensure the rubbish removal team remains competent. Supervisors conduct on-the-job coaching and toolbox talks to reinforce safe systems for removal, loading and segregation of materials for recycling.

Manual handling is a frequent hazard in house clearance. We employ mechanical aids where possible, adopt team lifting techniques and issue safe lifting guidance. For heavier or awkward items, a planned lift approach is mandatory: assessment, use of aids, and defined roles for each team member to minimise strain injuries and dropped loads.

Waste handling, segregation and vehicle safety

Waste is segregated on-site to maximise recycling and minimise landfill. Staff are trained to identify recyclable materials, controlled wastes and items that require specialist disposal. Clear labeling and secure containment is used to prevent cross-contamination and hazards during transport. Refuse removal follows established routes and loading plans to reduce time on site and exposure to traffic risks.

Emergency preparedness and first aid are included in every planning phase. Each vehicle carries a first aid kit and staff are trained in basic first aid and spill response. In the event of an incident, procedures include securing the area, providing immediate aid, notifying management and recording the event. Incident records are reviewed to determine root causes and prevent recurrence.

Monitoring, reporting and continuous improvement

We monitor health and safety performance through regular inspections, driver and crew checks, and audits of site procedures. Near-miss reporting is encouraged and treated as an opportunity to improve processes. Corrective actions are tracked to completion. Our rubbish clearance operations are subject to periodic review to adapt to changes in waste streams, regulatory expectations and customer needs.

Communication is central to effective safety management. Pre-job briefings, signage on site and clear instructions from supervisors ensure everyone understands the risks and controls for each clearance. Staff are encouraged to raise concerns freely and to stop work if immediate safety risks are identified. The policy supports a culture where safety observations are shared and acted upon promptly.

Contractors and partners providing services on our behalf must comply with this policy and demonstrate equivalent standards. Sub-contractors are required to provide evidence of training, valid insurance and safe systems of work before commencement. Collaborative planning helps align expectations and ensures safe operations across multi-provider jobs.

Performance measures include incident frequency, near-miss reports, audit findings and training completion rates. These metrics inform management reviews and resource allocation so that our house clearance and rubbish collection services remain safe, reliable and responsive to change.

This health and safety policy is supported by written procedures, training materials and standard operating practices for every type of clearance activity we deliver. It is available to staff and is reviewed regularly to reflect operational experience and evolving best practice for waste clearance providers and rubbish removal companies.

Everyone involved in the clearance process is expected to read, understand and comply with this policy. Management will provide the leadership, time and resources necessary to implement the policy effectively across the clearance service area. Continued compliance underpins our commitment to protect people, property and the environment while delivering professional house clearance services.

Signed on behalf of Penge House Clearance: Policy owner and management team — this statement is reviewed and updated as required to maintain relevance and effectiveness in ensuring safe rubbish removal and house clearance operations.