Health and Safety Policy — Skip Hire Chessington

Skip Hire Chessington is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety across all operations. This policy outlines the responsibilities, safe working practices and control measures that govern waste handling, vehicle movements, site loading and unloading, and customer interactions. Our approach to rubbish collection and skip hire in Chessington emphasises prevention of injury, minimisation of environmental impact and compliance with recognised safe systems of work. All employees, contractors and subcontractors must adhere to the procedures set out in this policy.

To protect people and property we operate a risk-based framework that identifies hazards associated with skip hire services and rubbish removal Chessington operations. The policy applies to permanent staff, temporary staff and any third parties engaged to assist with waste collection Chessington tasks. Roles and responsibilities are defined so that management provide leadership and resources while operatives follow safe practices when handling skips, compacting material, or interacting with customers on site.

Scope and objectives: this document establishes clear objectives: reduce incidents and near-misses, ensure safe transportation of skips, maintain equipment, and provide appropriate training. It includes safe loading limits, traffic management, manual handling protocols, and controls for hazardous or segregated wastes. The policy supports continuous improvement by setting measurable targets and reporting mechanisms for accidents, environmental spills, and public safety concerns.

Responsibilities and Safe Working Practices

Management responsibilities include maintaining safe vehicles and lifting equipment, ensuring that all staff hold relevant licences and that risk assessments are current for each type of rubbish removal Chessington activity. Managers must ensure that written operating procedures are available, that protective equipment is provided and that regular inspections are performed. Management will also ensure that emergency procedures are understood and exercised.

Employee and contractor responsibilities include following instructions, using personal protective equipment (PPE), reporting hazards immediately, and not engaging in unsafe shortcuts when providing skip hire services in Chessington. Staff must perform pre-shift vehicle checks, secure loads correctly, and confirm permits or permissions when operating on public highways. Everyone is encouraged to report near-misses and participate in safety briefings.

Key control measures

To reduce risk we implement the following controls:

• Risk assessments: written assessments for site operations, handling bulky waste and manual tasks.
• PPE: high-visibility clothing, gloves, safety boots, eye protection and hearing protection where required.
• Vehicle safety: regular maintenance, secure load checks, and use of reversing aids to reduce vehicle-related incidents.

Training, competence and communication: providing effective training is central to safe skip hire operations. Training covers manual handling, safe lifting techniques, permit-to-work for hazardous loads, and safe operation of lifting gear. Competence is verified through on-the-job assessment and refresher sessions. Clear communication channels, including toolbox talks and documented briefings for complex jobs, ensure that everyone understands the particular risks of each call-out and task.

Incident reporting and emergency procedures: all injuries, near-misses and environmental incidents must be reported promptly. Steps include first aid response, isolation of the hazard, notification to supervisors and completion of incident records. For significant incidents, an investigation will identify root causes and corrective actions. Emergency arrangements also cover spill containment, fire response and liaison with emergency services where appropriate.

Monitoring, audit and continuous improvement are used to keep the policy effective. Regular safety audits, vehicle inspections and performance reviews help identify trends and opportunities to reduce risk. Corrective actions are tracked to completion and lessons learned are incorporated into procedures. Health surveillance and wellbeing measures support employees who undertake physically demanding rubbish removal and skip handling roles.

Operational safe systems

Operational procedures set out safe systems of work for each service element: delivery and collection of skips, on-site loading, segregation of recyclable and hazardous materials, and offloading at authorised facilities. Supervisors ensure that loading limits are not exceeded and that skips are sited to prevent obstruction of highways and to safeguard pedestrians.

Waste types and segregation

Clear guidance is provided on permitted and prohibited wastes. Staff are trained to identify and isolate hazardous items, such as asbestos-like materials or contaminated soils, and to follow escalation procedures for specialist disposal when required. Proper segregation reduces handling risk and supports environmentally responsible waste processing.

Review and policy governance: this Health and Safety Policy for Chessington skip services will be reviewed annually or after any major incident or regulatory change. Senior management are accountable for ensuring the policy remains current and for allocating sufficient resources to meet safety commitments. All personnel are expected to support the policy through safe work practices and by contributing to a positive safety culture.

Statement of commitment: the company is committed to protecting the health and safety of employees, customers and the public while delivering reliable skip hire and rubbish removal services. By implementing the controls and behaviours set out in this policy, we aim to manage risk effectively and to provide safe, professional waste collection and skip hire services across the service area.