Health and Safety Policy for Leyton Skip Hire

Leyton Skip Hire is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety across all rubbish company and skip hire operations. This policy sets out the principles, responsibilities and practical controls that guide our waste removal and rubbish collection activities. It applies to all staff, contractors and any visitors engaged in or affected by our site-based and vehicle-based services. Our aim is to prevent injury, ill health and environmental harm while delivering a professional skip hire and rubbish removal service.

Policy Statement and Objectives

We will take all reasonably practicable steps to protect employees, clients and the public by implementing robust safe systems of work for the rubbish removal and waste management tasks we perform. Our objectives include continuous risk assessment, clear communication of hazards, proper provision of training, and ensuring all equipment used in waste collection and skip disposal is maintained. The company recognises its duty to minimise risks associated with hazardous loads, manual handling, and vehicle movements during a waste collection or skip delivery.

Responsibilities: The company director and management team have ultimate responsibility for health and safety policy implementation. Operational supervisors must enforce safe working practices on every job. All employees are required to follow procedures, report hazards and take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others. Key responsibilities include:

• Carrying out pre-task risk assessments for skip hire and rubbish removal activities
• Ensuring PPE is available and worn where required
• Maintaining clear access and egress at work sites
• Reporting incidents and near misses promptly

Risk Assessment and Safe Work Procedures

Risk assessments are performed for all routine and non-routine tasks, including collection of mixed household waste, construction debris and bulky items. Assessments consider mechanical hazards, manual handling, traffic management during deliveries and collections, and potential contact with hazardous materials. Control measures are prioritised to eliminate risks where possible, otherwise to reduce risks through engineering, administrative controls and appropriate PPE. These procedures are integrated into daily briefings and job sheets for all crew members.

Training, Competence and Supervision

Leyton Skip Hire ensures that employees receive suitable training for their roles. This includes vehicle safety, correct loading of skips, manual handling techniques, and identification of prohibited or hazardous waste that cannot be accepted. Supervisors provide on-site oversight and refresher training. Competence is assessed regularly and recorded. New staff and temporary workers receive an induction that emphasises safe site behaviour and our expectations for the rubbish company workforce.

Equipment, Vehicles and Maintenance Regular inspection and maintenance of skip-lift vehicles, lifting gear and PPE is essential to safe operations. All plant and vehicles used in the skip hire and rubbish removal business are maintained to manufacturer and statutory standards. Any defective equipment is taken out of service and reported. Drivers and operators conduct pre-shift checks and report defects immediately to ensure ongoing safe operation on public roads and worksites.

Handling Hazardous and Restricted Waste Our policy strictly prohibits acceptance of certain hazardous materials in regular skips and rubbish collections. Staff are trained to recognise items such as asbestos, solvents, chemical containers and certain batteries. Where hazardous waste is identified, work will stop and the matter escalated to senior management for safe disposal by authorised channels. Correct segregation and documentation are required to comply with environmental protection and waste transfer requirements where applicable.

Incident Reporting, First Aid and Emergency Response

All incidents, injuries and near misses are recorded and investigated to identify root causes and prevent recurrence. First aid kits are available in vehicles and at main operational bases, and designated first aiders are trained and appointed. Emergency procedures cover vehicle accidents, fires, injury response and spill containment. The company conducts periodic drills and reviews to ensure preparedness and continuous improvement.

Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement The effectiveness of this health and safety policy is monitored through regular audits, inspections and performance reviews. Metrics such as incident rates, corrective actions completed and training records are reviewed by management. Policies and procedures will be reviewed at least annually or after significant incidents to ensure ongoing relevance to the operational risks encountered in skip hire, waste removal and rubbish collection services. We commit to learning from experience and adopting best practice to protect people and the environment.

Commitment and Culture Leyton Skip Hire fosters a positive safety culture where every person is empowered to stop work if they believe an activity is unsafe. Leadership sets clear expectations and demonstrates active commitment to safety. All employees are expected to cooperate with this policy, contribute to risk reduction, and uphold the standards that make our rubbish collection and skip hire operations safe and reliable. Together we will ensure that safety is an integral part of how we deliver waste management services.