Mill Hill Skip Hire - Health and Safety Policy

This Health and Safety Policy sets out the commitment of Mill Hill Skip Hire to protect the health, safety and welfare of its employees, contractors and members of the public who may be affected by our skip hire and rubbish removal activities. The policy applies across our rubbish company service area and covers all aspects of skip hire services, rubbish collection and waste management operations. Our objective is to provide safe, compliant and efficient waste removal services while minimising risk to people and property.

Management accepts overall responsibility for health and safety and will ensure adequate resources are provided. Supervisors and team leaders will implement the policy on site and during deliveries and collections. All staff must co-operate, follow safe systems of work, report unsafe conditions and participate in training. Safety is everyone’s responsibility and Mill Hill Skip Hire will enforce standards consistently to reduce accidents, injuries and environmental incidents across our skip hire company operations.

Risk assessment and communication are central to our approach. Key controls include:

• Site surveys before delivery to confirm safe placement and access for rubbish collection vehicles.
• Traffic management measures to protect operatives and road users when placing skips kerbside or within property boundaries.
• Clear signage, exclusion zones and instructions for customers about permitted and prohibited waste types.

Operational Controls and Safe Systems of Work

Safe systems of work will be documented for all routine tasks including skip loading, vehicle loading and hook lift operations. All operatives will receive documented instructions on correct lifting techniques, use of mechanical aids and safe use of plant. Service area planning ensures that collections and deliveries are scheduled to minimise traffic conflicts and reduce time spent on live carriageways during rubbish collection or skip exchanges by our crews.

Management of hazardous or controlled wastes follows strict segregation and labelling. Items such as asbestos, batteries, solvents and electrical goods are identified and handled according to regulation and our internal procedures. Staff will be trained to recognise suspect loads and to refuse or segregate hazardous materials. Prohibited items must never be placed in standard skips; customers are informed at booking and on site.

PPE requirements are defined for each task: high visibility clothing, safety footwear, gloves and eye protection as a minimum when handling waste. Respiratory protection and additional PPE will be provided for identified hazards. Regular training and competency checks ensure safe handling practices for manual sorting, secure loading and unloading during rubbish removal and skip hire activities.

Incident Response, Reporting and First Aid

All incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions must be reported immediately using our internal reporting system. First aid arrangements are provided for crews and operatives, and emergency procedures for fire, spill response and medical emergencies are in place. We will investigate incidents to identify root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence across the skip hire and waste collection operations.

Contractors and subcontractors working on behalf of Mill Hill Skip Hire must comply with this policy and demonstrate competence. We will assess contractor safety performance, require method statements for non-routine tasks and ensure effective supervision. Environmental controls including spill kits, drip trays and containment procedures protect drainage and surrounding areas during skip placement and waste transfer activities.

Monitoring, audit and continuous improvement underpin this policy. We will review risk assessments after significant changes, incidents or annually as a minimum. Performance indicators such as incident rates, compliance checks and training completion will be tracked to drive improvements. The policy will be communicated to all staff, displayed at operational bases and embedded into daily routines to ensure safe, reliable rubbish removal, skip hire services and waste management across our service area.