Health and Safety Policy — Skip Hire Raynes Park

This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of Skip Hire Raynes Park to provide safe skip hire and waste collection services across our service area. The purpose of this policy is to minimise risk to employees, contractors, customers and members of the public while delivering professional skip hire, rubbish removal and waste transfer operations. All staff and subcontractors must understand and apply these standards. The policy emphasises prevention, clear allocation of responsibilities and a proactive approach to hazard control.

Scope and Objectives: Our policy covers every element of the skip and rubbish business from site set-up and vehicle operations to customer premises and off-site transfer. The objective is to reduce incidents, prevent injury and protect the environment through consistent procedures for skip hire services, waste handling and transport. We aim to ensure legal compliance, but this document does not replace statutory guidance; it provides the operational framework for safe performance of daily duties.

Responsibilities and Roles

Clear responsibilities ensure the policy is effective. Management will set resource levels, risk appetite and monitor performance. Supervisors and drivers must apply safe systems of work, and every operative is required to work safely and report hazards. Key responsibilities include:

• Management: safety leadership, training budgets, and incident investigation oversight.
• Supervisors: risk assessments, safe job briefings and on-site compliance.
• Operatives and Drivers: following procedures, using PPE and reporting defects or near misses promptly.

Risk Assessment and Control Measures

We carry out regular site and task-specific risk assessments for each delivery, collection or skip placement. Controls follow the hierarchy: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative actions and personal protective equipment. Examples include prohibiting hazardous loading materials, using mechanical aids for heavy items and establishing exclusion zones during loading/unloading. Control measures are recorded, communicated and reviewed when tasks or conditions change.

Training and Competence: Our organisation invests in structured training to ensure competence across all roles. All new starters undergo induction covering manual handling, vehicle safety, traffic management, hazardous waste recognition and emergency procedures. Refresher training is scheduled regularly and records are retained. We require operatives to demonstrate safe work practices and to undertake toolbox talks before higher-risk tasks. Competency is assessed and revalidated after any incident or process change.

Vehicle and Site Safety: Vehicles used for skip delivery and rubbish collection are maintained under a planned maintenance regime with pre-use checks recorded by drivers. Loading and securing procedures follow best practice to prevent shifting loads and spillage. Sites are assessed for ground conditions and safe placement of skips to avoid public hazard. PPE requirements include high-visibility clothing, gloves, steel-toed boots and eye protection where appropriate; respiratory protection is used when dust or hazardous fumes are present.

Waste Handling and Segregation: Proper segregation limits risks from hazardous or reactive substances. We apply strict guidelines for prohibited items and safe handling of potentially dangerous materials discovered during collections. Where contamination or suspect waste is found, the skip is quarantined and senior staff are notified for assessment. Emergency spill kits and containment equipment are carried on vehicles to respond to leaks or spills immediately.

Incident Reporting, Investigation and Corrective Action: Any injury, near miss or damage must be reported without delay. Reported incidents are investigated to identify root causes; corrective and preventive actions are tracked to closure. Lessons learned are shared across teams and changes to procedures or training are implemented as needed. We use a combination of audits, site inspections and performance indicators to monitor safety outcomes and to drive continuous improvement in our rubbish collection and skip hire services.

Policy Review and Commitment

We review this Health and Safety policy at least annually, or sooner following material change, a significant incident, or changes in operations. Senior management is committed to providing the resources necessary for effective implementation. All staff are expected to participate in maintaining a safe working environment through adherence to procedures, reporting hazards and engaging in training. The aim of this policy is to make our skip hire and waste removal activities as safe, efficient and environmentally responsible as possible.