Business Waste Removal Kenton — Health & Safety Policy

Purpose: This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of Business Waste Removal Kenton to maintain safe operations across all commercial waste and rubbish collection activities within the company's service area. The policy applies to all staff, contractors and visitors involved in business waste removal in Kenton and to the handling, transport and disposal of waste materials. It is the company's aim to prevent injury and ill health, protect the environment and ensure compliance with relevant regulations through robust risk management.

The company emphasises clear responsibilities: management will provide resources and leadership; supervisors will ensure safe systems of work are followed; and each employee must act responsibly, follow training and report hazards. Regular training and monitoring are core elements of our approach. Safety is an organisational priority and is integrated into daily routines, vehicle operations and site procedures for commercial waste collection.

Scope: This policy covers all operations including waste segregation, container handling, commercial rubbish removal, vehicle loading and unloading, hazardous material identification and temporary storage of refuse pending disposal. It addresses risks associated with manual handling, mechanical lifting, traffic management, sharps and potentially hazardous wastes encountered during our waste services in the service area.

Risk Assessment and Safe Systems

Risk assessments will be conducted for all routine and non-routine tasks. Findings are used to develop safe systems of work, documented procedures and permits where necessary. Control measures include engineering controls, safe stacking and securing of loads, mechanical aids and scheduling to avoid peak traffic times when practical. Supervisors will ensure assessments are reviewed when work changes or incidents occur.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Appropriate PPE, such as high-visibility clothing, safety boots, gloves, eye protection and respiratory protection when required, will be provided and maintained. The correct use of PPE is mandatory on sites and during all rubbish collection and commercial waste removal activities. Employees will be trained in selection, use and care of PPE; non-compliance will be addressed through disciplinary and corrective action.

Training, Competence and Communication

All staff will receive induction training, job-specific instruction and periodic refresher courses. Training includes safe lifting techniques, operation of mechanical equipment, hazardous waste recognition, spill response and emergency procedures. Communication of safety information is maintained through toolbox talks, documented briefings and visible signage on vehicles and at storage points. Competence is verified before staff undertake unsupervised tasks.

Manual handling procedures are established to reduce musculoskeletal injuries. Mechanical aids such as trolleys, hoists and forklifts are provided where appropriate and only operated by trained personnel. Vehicle loading standards are enforced to ensure safe weight distribution and securement of commercial rubbish loads to prevent shifting during transit in the rubbish company service area.

Waste segregation and hazardous materials handling are critical controls. The policy mandates separation of general commercial waste, recyclable materials and hazardous streams. Items suspected to be hazardous are isolated and managed following established protocols until properly disposed of by authorised facilities. Sharps and chemical wastes are handled in secure containers and clearly labelled.

Incident Reporting and Investigation: Any accident, near miss or environmental release must be reported immediately. An investigation will be carried out to identify root causes and implement corrective actions. Reports contribute to continuous improvement and are recorded for trend analysis and regulatory compliance. Emergency response plans detail actions for fires, spills, traffic incidents and other foreseeable emergencies.

Contractors and subcontractors engaged for specialist commercial waste services must meet the company's health and safety standards. Pre-qualification, documented safe working procedures and evidence of competence are required before work commences. The company will monitor contractor performance and ensure integration with on-site safety arrangements for the local rubbish company service area.

Monitoring, Audit and Review: Health and safety performance is monitored through inspections, audits and performance indicators such as incident frequency, near-miss reporting rates and completion of remedial actions. The policy is reviewed at least annually or following significant change, incident or legislative update. Management commits to continuous improvement and to allocating resources necessary to maintain effective health and safety systems.

Responsibilities and Enforcement: Senior management retains ultimate responsibility for health and safety. Line managers ensure day-to-day compliance. Employees are expected to cooperate, follow safe systems and report hazards. Non-compliance is addressed through corrective measures and, if necessary, disciplinary action. Through shared responsibility and proactive management, Business Waste Removal Kenton seeks to provide a safe working environment for all involved in rubbish removal, commercial waste handling and related activities across the service area.