Health & Safety Policy — St Johns Wood Skip Hire

St Johns Wood Skip Hire is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health, safety and environmental protection across all skip hire and rubbish removal operations. This policy sets out the company's approach to managing risks in the rubbish company service area and describes the responsibilities, controls and systems required to protect staff, contractors, clients and the public. The policy applies to all activities including skip delivery and collection, on-site waste handling, transport and disposal, and any ancillary services supplied by the skip hire business.

Policy scope: The safety framework covers the full lifecycle of waste handling from site assessment through to lawful disposal or recycling. Our objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, avoid environmental harm, and ensure compliance with relevant statutory duties and recognised industry standards. The company will ensure that adequate resources are allocated to deliver safe and legal skip hire and rubbish collection services within the defined service area.

Roles, responsibilities and organisation

Management commitment: Senior management holds ultimate responsibility for health and safety performance and will demonstrate visible leadership. The operations manager is responsible for implementing this policy, ensuring risk assessments are completed and controls are monitored. Supervisors and drivers must follow safe systems of work and report hazards promptly. Every employee and contractor engaged in skip hire, rubbish clearance or waste transport has a duty to take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others.

Risk assessment and control measures

Before any skip is placed or moved, a formal risk assessment will be carried out. Assessments identify hazards such as manual handling, vehicle movements, working at the roadside, hazardous materials in loads, and uneven ground. Controls include using appropriate mechanical aids, traffic management measures, wheel chocks, reflective signage and high-visibility clothing. The company will ensure that equipment is properly maintained and inspected to reduce the likelihood of incidents during rubbish collection and waste management activities.

Operational procedures

Operational standards cover loading limits, segregation of recyclables and hazardous waste, safe lifting techniques and securement of loads for transport. Drivers and operatives must follow a written procedure for skip placement, ensuring skips do not obstruct footpaths or carriageways and that permits are obtained where necessary. The company maintains documented routines for contaminated waste and for dealing with unknown or hazardous materials encountered during rubbish removal, with immediate cessation of work and notification to management if a significant risk is identified.

Training forms a core part of our safety policy. All employees receive induction training, job-specific instruction and periodic refresher courses on manual handling, hazardous waste recognition, vehicle safety and emergency procedures. Subcontractors are required to demonstrate equivalent competence before being authorised to perform work in the service area. Records of training, licenses and competence checks are maintained as part of our audit trail.

Incident reporting, investigation and emergency response: Any accident, near miss or environmental release must be reported promptly and recorded. Investigations aim to identify root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence. The business maintains emergency response plans including first aid provision, spillage control kits and liaison protocols with emergency services when necessary. Regular drills and scenario reviews will ensure readiness for potential incidents related to skip hire and rubbish removal tasks.

Monitoring, inspection and continuous improvement are essential to sustain safe performance. Routine vehicle and equipment checks, site inspections and periodic health and safety audits will be carried out by internal or external competent persons. Performance indicators such as incident frequency, training completion rates and corrective action closure will be reviewed by management to drive continual improvement. Where weaknesses are identified, the company will act to strengthen controls without delay.

Legal compliance and documentation: St Johns Wood Skip Hire will comply with applicable health, safety and environmental legislation and relevant codes of practice applicable to skip hire and waste transport activities. The company maintains records of risk assessments, safe systems of work, training, incidents and service-specific permits. Insurance and professional indemnity cover appropriate to the waste management and rubbish collection business are maintained. This policy will be reviewed at least annually and updated in response to changes in operations, legislation or following a significant incident.

Employee welfare and wellbeing: We recognise that safe operations are supported by a healthy workforce. The company promotes wellbeing initiatives, access to occupational health advice where needed and a supportive culture encouraging early reporting of health concerns. Where tasks involve repetitive manual handling or extended driving, ergonomics and scheduling will be managed to reduce fatigue and musculoskeletal risk.

Contractor and third-party management: All suppliers, subcontractors and temporary staff engaged in skip hire, rubbish removal or associated services are required to adhere to this policy and to demonstrate safe working practices. Contract terms will include clear safety obligations and the right to suspend work if unsafe practices are identified. Collaboration with waste transfer stations and disposal partners will ensure lawful and environmentally responsible treatment of collected materials.

Commitment statement: The company is fully committed to preventing harm and protecting the environment while delivering professional skip hire and rubbish collection services. Management will ensure this Health & Safety Policy is communicated to all employees, contractors and other stakeholders and will actively work to embed safety-minded behaviours across the organisation. Regular review and transparent reporting will support ongoing compliance and continual improvement in service delivery and safety performance.