Swiss Cottage House Clearance — Health & Safety Policy
Swiss Cottage House Clearance is committed to maintaining a safe working environment for staff, clients and any members of the public affected by our operations. This Health and Safety policy applies across our rubbish removal and house clearance activities within our general service area, covering domestic and commercial clearances, rubbish collection, and waste transportation. Our goal is to prevent work-related injuries and ill health by setting clear responsibilities, adopting safe working systems and ensuring compliance with best practice for rubbish clearance operations.
We recognise that waste handling, bulky item removal and site clearance involve physical risks, manual handling hazards and potential exposure to hazardous materials. To manage these risks we use a combination of risk assessments, training programmes, and control measures that are proportionate to the task. All employees must follow safe systems of work and use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) provided for each job. Supervision and ongoing competency checks ensure that staff adopt safe lifting techniques and correct use of mechanical aids during rubbish collection and transport.
Scope and responsibilities: the company director retains overall accountability for health and safety. Line managers are responsible for ensuring risk assessments are completed for each clearance, that method statements are available where required, and that all operatives are briefed before work begins. Employees are required to report hazards promptly, co-operate with control measures and take reasonable care of their own health and safety. Contractors or temporary staff working within our rubbish company service area must meet our safety standards before any work commences.
Risk Management and Safe Operation
Before any clearance or rubbish removal work begins, a formal risk assessment is completed to identify hazards such as sharps, asbestos risks, electrical hazards, liquids, or unstable loads. Where a risk cannot be adequately controlled, the job will be refused or additional specialist assistance will be arranged. We take a precautionary approach to unknown materials and ensure that suspected hazardous waste is segregated and handled by authorised personnel in line with waste transfer principles and safe disposal methods within the rubbish service area.
Control measures include mechanical handling equipment, secure load containment, and traffic management during collections. A written safe system of work accompanies tasks with higher risk, and we strictly enforce the use of PPE including gloves, boots, high-visibility clothing and respiratory protection when indicated. Training covers manual handling, spill response, sharps awareness and working at height prevention where loft clearance or attic work is undertaken during house clearances.
Key preventative actions are outlined in our safety checklist and include:
- site hazard survey before work starts,
- appropriate segregation of recyclable and hazardous materials,
- secure containment of rubbish on vehicles,
- clear pedestrian routes and signage at clearance sites.
Training, Monitoring and Incident Procedures
All staff receive induction training and regular refresher sessions relevant to the demands of rubbish removal and house clearance work. Training records are maintained and competency is assessed annually or when new tasks or equipment are introduced. We provide specific instruction on manual handling, vehicle loading, and waste segregation to reduce injuries and environmental risk. Supervisors coach safe practice on-site and correct unsafe behaviours immediately to maintain standards across the service area.
Accident reporting: any accident, near miss or hazardous occurrence must be reported via the company incident reporting process without delay. Incidents are investigated to identify root causes, implement corrective actions and prevent recurrence. We keep clear records of incidents, remedial actions and any occupational health referrals. Where appropriate, incidents are reviewed at management meetings to ensure continuous improvement in our rubbish removal procedures.
We maintain a programme of workplace inspections, vehicle checks and equipment servicing to ensure all tools and vehicles used for rubbish collection are fit for purpose. Emergency procedures are in place for fire, spills and medical emergencies, and operatives are briefed on assembly points and first aid arrangements before work begins. Regular audits of our health and safety management help align operations with evolving standards for waste handling and environmental protection.
Policy review and commitment: this Health & Safety policy is reviewed periodically or following significant operational change. We are committed to continual improvement and expect every member of staff to contribute to a safer working environment. Together, by following these principles and maintaining professional standards in rubbish clearance, Swiss Cottage House Clearance seeks to protect people, property and the environment across our rubbish company service area.