Victoria Skip Hire - Health & Safety Policy

Victoria Skip Hire is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health, safety and environmental protection in all aspects of our skip hire and rubbish removal operations. This policy applies to every member of the team, contractors working on our behalf and anyone affected by our activities across our service area. Our core objective is to prevent injuries, work-related ill health and damage to property while delivering reliable waste collection and skip hire services.

We recognise our duties under current health and safety principles and commit to risk-based management. Accountability rests with senior management to ensure adequate resources, training and monitoring are in place. Personnel are expected to follow safe working procedures and to report hazards promptly. This policy sets out responsibilities, operational controls and continual improvement measures for our rubbish company and skip hire activities.

All activities will be supported by documented risk assessments, method statements and site-specific safety plans. Our rubbish removal service operations, including loading, transport and disposal, are regularly reviewed to identify and eliminate or control foreseeable hazards such as manual handling, vehicle movements, hazardous waste segregation and site access. Where necessary, work will be stopped until safe systems are implemented.

Management will ensure the following: adequate training and supervision; provision of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE); clear communication of procedures; and maintenance of vehicles and skips to a safe standard. Managers will monitor compliance through routine inspections and performance reviews to ensure the waste collection service adheres to this policy.

Employees and operatives must follow established safe systems of work. This includes proper lifting techniques, securing loads on vehicles, using PPE correctly and reporting near misses or incidents. We expect a positive safety culture: staff should feel empowered to raise concerns and suggest improvements to operational safety for the skip hire company and rubbish company activities.

We maintain a register of statutory and advisory compliance requirements and ensure contracts with third parties set out clear health and safety expectations. Strong emphasis is placed on contractor competence checks and induction before work commences to protect site operatives and the public from harm during waste collection and delivery.

Key operational controls include an emphasis on vehicle safety management, site risk control and segregation of hazardous materials. Our drivers and operatives receive instruction on safe load distribution, securing of skips, and behavioural controls for working near traffic or in confined locations. Vehicle checks are mandatory at the start and end of each shift to reduce the risk of mechanical failure on the road during rubbish removal.

We operate a clear waste acceptance policy so that prohibited or hazardous wastes are identified and handled correctly. Staff are trained to refuse and report illegal or unsafe waste presented during skip hire activities; wastes requiring specific handling are diverted to authorised treatment or disposal routes in accordance with regulatory expectations for waste management.

Emergency preparedness is embedded into our operations. We maintain incident reporting and investigation procedures, first aid provision, and contingency plans for spills, vehicle incidents and other emergency scenarios. Lessons learned from incidents inform regular reviews of our safety management systems to prevent recurrence.

Our training programme covers induction, task-specific instruction, refresher training and toolbox talks tailored to waste industry risks. Competency is verified through observation and assessment, and records are maintained. Practical training for skip loading, hazardous waste recognition and manual handling helps reduce injuries and protects the public when providing rubbish collection and waste transfer services.

We promote continual improvement through performance metrics such as incident rates, near-miss reports and audit findings. Corrective actions are prioritised and tracked to completion. Regular safety audits, both internal and third-party where appropriate, ensure that the skip hire company maintains compliance and progresses in line with best practice.

Communication of this policy is achieved by making it available to all employees and contractors and by publicising core commitments. The policy will be reviewed annually or after significant changes to operations, incidents or legislation to ensure it remains relevant to our waste collection and rubbish removal services.

Responsibilities are summarised below:

• Senior Management: Provide leadership, resource allocation and review of safety performance.
• Supervisors: Implement procedures, supervise teams and ensure safe systems are followed.
• Operatives and Drivers: Comply with safe working procedures, report hazards and maintain personal competency.
• Contractors: Demonstrate competence, follow site rules and coordinate with our teams on shared risks.

By adhering to this policy, Victoria Skip Hire commits to a proactive approach to health and safety across our rubbish company and skip hire operations. This document represents our continuing promise to protect people, property and the environment while delivering dependable waste services.