Health and Safety Policy — Business Waste Removal Camden

Introduction: This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of Business Waste Removal Camden to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees, contractors and customers during all aspects of commercial rubbish removal and business waste management activities. The purpose of this document is to provide a clear, practical approach that minimises risk from handling, transporting and disposing of general and hazardous waste. It is a statement of intent and an operational framework to ensure compliance with applicable occupational health and safety requirements without over-emphasising local legislative detail.

Scope: The policy applies to all operational areas and service types, including on-site waste collection, off-site transfer, storage and commercial recycling. It covers staff working in offices, yards, vehicles and on customer premises during rubbish pickup, clearance and disposal tasks. All employees, subcontractors and agency staff engaged in rubbish collection, refuse removal and waste clearance must be familiar with and work within this policy.

Responsibilities: Senior management is responsible for setting standards and allocating resources to deliver safe waste removal services. Supervisors and team leaders must enforce safe working practices and ensure training is provided. Individual workers have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and to co-operate with risk control measures. Reporting of hazards, near-misses and incidents is mandatory to maintain a proactive safety culture across our rubbish collection and commercial waste operations.

Risk Assessment and Controls

A documented risk assessment programme is maintained for all waste handling tasks, from commercial rubbish collection to bulky waste clearance. Assessments identify hazards such as manual handling, vehicle movements, sharps and contaminated materials, hazardous substances and working at height. Controls include task rotation, mechanical aids for lifting, designated loading areas, traffic management plans and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Regular reviews ensure control measures remain effective across changing service patterns.

Safe Systems of Work

Safe systems are implemented for collection and transfer operations. These include pre-shift vehicle checks, toolbox talks, job-specific briefings and permit-to-work arrangements where required. All operatives are trained in correct lifting techniques and the classification of waste streams to avoid cross-contamination. Strong emphasis is placed on correct segregation for recycling, secure containment of hazardous items and the use of approved waste containers to protect operatives and customers alike.

Training and competence are central to delivering safe business waste services. Induction, refresher training and competency assessments cover vehicle safety, manual handling, spill response and first aid. Records of training are maintained and managers are accountable for ensuring team members hold appropriate licences and certifications for vehicle operation and specialist waste handling.

Equipment, Vehicles and Maintenance: Vehicles and plant used in roadside rubbish pickup and commercial waste removal are subject to scheduled maintenance and daily checks. Maintenance records are retained and faults are reported immediately. Equipment such as lifting aids, trolleys and PPE are inspected, maintained and replaced as necessary to ensure reliability during collections, clearances and depot operations.

Incident Reporting and Investigation: All accidents, incidents and near-misses are reported using the company’s incident reporting procedures. Investigations identify root causes and lead to corrective actions, including changes to procedure, additional training or equipment updates. Lessons learned are shared across teams to prevent recurrence. Where a significant incident involves contamination or hazardous materials, external authorities will be notified only as required by statutory obligations.

Emergency Preparedness: Emergency plans are in place for vehicle collisions, spillages, fires and medical emergencies encountered during rubbish collection or transfer operations. Response arrangements include immediate control measures, containment of spilled materials, isolation of affected areas and rapid notification of emergency services if necessary. Evacuation routes and assembly points are clearly marked at depots and staff are trained in emergency procedures.

Health, Wellbeing and Welfare: The company promotes physical and mental wellbeing through fatigue management, access to occupational health resources and supportive workplace practices. Staff are encouraged to report health concerns related to dust, noise, vibration or repetitive tasks encountered in waste handling. Regular health surveillance is offered where occupational exposure warrants monitoring.

Hazardous Waste Handling: Where collections involve potentially hazardous or controlled wastes, specific procedures must be followed. These include correct labelling, segregation of hazardous items, provision of specialist containment and use of appropriate PPE. Only authorised personnel trained in hazardous waste procedures may handle these items, and transfer notes or waste documentation are completed in accordance with duty of care principles.

Monitoring and Continuous Improvement: Performance is monitored through audits, inspections, incident trend analysis and customer-facing observations of service delivery. Non-conformances trigger corrective actions and management review. The policy is reviewed annually or more frequently if operational changes or incidents indicate the need. Continuous improvement ensures the company remains responsive to evolving risks in commercial rubbish collection and waste management.

Governance and Compliance: The policy is endorsed by senior leadership and communicated to all staff. Roles and responsibilities are documented and supported by operational procedures, training records and monitoring arrangements. Compliance with statutory duties and recognised best practice underpins safe delivery of our commercial rubbish services and business waste removal operations.

Core Principles:

• Prevent harm: adopt sensible measures to control risks in rubbish clearance and waste transport.
• Reduce exposure: limit manual handling and use engineering controls where possible.
• Engage staff: involve workers in safety decisions and encourage reporting of hazards.
• Review regularly: keep systems under review and act on lessons learned.

Conclusion: This Health and Safety policy provides the framework for safe business waste removal, commercial rubbish collection and waste transfer activities. It affirms a commitment to protect people, property and the environment through proactive risk management, training and continuous improvement. All personnel involved in waste removal services are expected to read, understand and uphold the standards set out in this policy.