Health & Safety Policy — Merton House Clearance

Merton House Clearance is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety across all rubbish removal and house clearance operations. This policy outlines responsibilities, safe working procedures and the controls that ensure staff, contractors and the public are protected while our rubbish company service area activities are conducted. It applies to every task we undertake, from domestic clearances to commercial waste removal, and reflects our duty to comply with relevant health and safety legislation.

Our objectives include preventing injury and ill health, controlling risks associated with waste handling and maintaining a safe environment during all clearance work. Management will provide appropriate resources, training and supervision to ensure safety standards are maintained. All employees are expected to cooperate fully with safety measures and to report hazards or unsafe acts without delay. The policy supports continuous improvement and regular review to adapt to changing operational needs.

Scope and Responsibilities

In the rubbish clearance and waste removal service area, duties are defined at every level. Senior management holds overall accountability for health and safety performance. Supervisors are responsible for implementing safe systems of work, while operatives must follow procedures and use specified personal protective equipment (PPE). Contractors engaged for specialized services must demonstrate competency and adhere to Merton House Clearance safety requirements. Clear roles reduce ambiguity and improve on-the-job safety.

Risk assessment is central to our approach. Before any clearance job the site is surveyed and a written risk assessment produced, identifying hazards such as sharps, asbestos suspicion, hazardous chemicals, manual handling risks and traffic or public exposure. Control measures are then recorded and communicated. Where hazardous waste is suspected, work will stop and specialist advice sought. Risk controls include segregating materials, using mechanical aids, and isolating dangerous areas.

Training, Competence and Supervision

All staff receive induction training covering safe lifting techniques, PPE use, correct waste segregation and emergency procedures. Regular refresher courses and toolbox talks are provided to maintain competence in our rubbish collection and clearance operations. Supervisors monitor performance, deliver on-site briefings and ensure that new team members are supported. Competence is assessed before personnel are permitted to work unsupervised.

Equipment safety is a priority: vehicles, trolleys, lifting aids and power tools are maintained under a scheduled inspection regime. Drivers and plant operators are trained and licensed where necessary. Vehicle loading follows strict protocols to prevent shifting loads and spillage during transit in our waste removal service area. Records of maintenance and inspections are retained for audit and continual improvement.

Safe handling and segregation of waste reduce exposure to biological, chemical and physical hazards. We operate robust procedures for recycling, hazardous item identification and disposal through licensed facilities. Single-use materials are managed to minimize contamination. Sharps, medical waste and suspected asbestos are treated as high-risk and handled only by trained personnel or specialists. Where appropriate, items are quarantined, labelled and transported under compliant arrangements.

Emergency preparedness includes clear procedures for first aid, fire, major spill response and communication with emergency services. First aiders are available during working hours and incident reporting protocols ensure that accidents, near misses and unsafe conditions are logged and investigated. Lessons learned are shared across teams to prevent recurrence and to strengthen our house clearance safety culture.

Monitoring, Audit and ReviewWe conduct regular audits, workplace inspections and performance reviews of our rubbish collection and clearance activities. Key performance indicators include incident rates, audit scores and corrective action completion times. This ensures compliance with legal obligations and supports continual improvement. The policy is reviewed annually, or sooner if operational changes or incidents indicate the need for revision.

Contractor and third-party management is handled through pre-qualification, contractual safety clauses and on-site induction to our standards. All partners must demonstrate adequate insurance, training and safe working practices before engagement. Cooperation between parties is essential to maintaining safety across complex clearances and multi-occupancy sites in our service area.

Incident reporting and record keeping are integral to legal compliance and effective management. We maintain records of risk assessments, training, equipment inspections, waste transfer notes and incident investigations. These records are available for inspection by appointed authorities as required and help to inform improvements to our rubbish service operations.

All employees are encouraged to take an active role in safety by raising concerns and suggesting improvements. Everyone’s participation supports a safer workplace and a professional rubbish clearance service area. This policy represents our commitment to protect people and the environment while delivering house clearance and rubbish disposal services to a consistently high standard.