Health and Safety Policy — Skip Hire Lewisham

Skip Hire Lewisham is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety across all skip hire and rubbish removal operations. This policy sets out the principles and responsibilities that guide our waste collection and skip hire services, ensuring that hazardous and non-hazardous waste is handled, transported and disposed of safely. Safety is an integral part of our operational decision-making and reflects our duty of care to staff, customers and the general public.

Our approach to health and safety for rubbish collection and waste skip hire emphasises risk assessment, staff training and continuous improvement. We adopt industry best practice and comply with applicable statutory requirements to minimise incidents and environmental harm. All personnel are expected to follow documented procedures and to report hazards proactively. Preventive measures and robust supervision underpin our on-site and vehicular safety systems.

The scope of this policy covers on-site skip placement, loading and unloading, vehicle movements, manual handling, mechanical lifting of skips, segregation of waste streams and safe transportation to authorised transfer stations. For skip hire and waste removal tasks, we require pre-assessment of access, utilities and underground services to avoid accidental damage. Contractors and sub-contractors engaged by the company must meet our safety standards before work commences.

Responsibilities are clearly defined to ensure accountability. Senior management retains overall responsibility for health and safety strategy and resource allocation. Supervisors must implement procedures and monitor compliance, while every employee has an individual duty to take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others. Risk assessments and method statements are prepared for routine and non-routine tasks, and are reviewed where conditions change.

Key Controls and Safe Systems of Work

We maintain documented safe systems of work for common activities in skip hire and rubbish clearance, including:

• pre-engagement site surveys and access risk checks;
• use of appropriate PPE and high-visibility clothing;
• traffic management during skip placement and collection;
• lock-out procedures for plant and equipment;
• control of hazardous substances and spill response;
• manual handling training and use of mechanical aids.

These controls are routinely audited and updated to reflect operational learning.

Training and competence are central to safe operations. We provide induction training for all staff and targeted competence programmes for drivers, machine operators and waste handlers. Training records are maintained and refresher courses scheduled to address changing legislation or operational needs. Supervision and periodic competency checks ensure that safety protocols for rubbish collection and skip hire services are adhered to consistently.

Incident Reporting, Investigation and Continuous Improvement

All incidents, near-misses and unsafe conditions must be reported promptly using our incident reporting process. Investigations identify root causes and corrective actions to prevent recurrence. Findings are communicated across the organisation and where appropriate feed into revised risk assessments and training updates. We encourage a culture of open reporting that supports learning and improvement across the waste management team.

Emergency preparedness includes clear procedures for spill containment, first aid provision and coordination with external emergency services where required. Vehicles and equipment used for skip hire are inspected daily and subject to periodic maintenance to reduce mechanical failure risks. Environmental protection measures are enforced to prevent pollution during refuse transport and disposal.

We monitor performance through key safety indicators, routine inspections and periodic audits. Management review meetings consider audit outcomes, incident trends and regulatory changes to ensure that our rubbish removal and skip services remain compliant and effective. Accountability is promoted at each level of the business to achieve measurable improvements in safety performance.