Commercial Waste Sudbury Health & Safety Policy

Policy statement: This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of Commercial Waste Sudbury to provide a safe working environment for employees, contractors and members of the public affected by our commercial waste and rubbish collection operations. The policy applies to all waste management, waste removal and commercial rubbish services provided by the company and is designed to reduce risk, prevent injury and protect health while promoting safe and sustainable working practices.

Scope and objectives

Our objectives are to identify and control hazards associated with waste collection, transport and disposal; ensure safe operation of vehicles and equipment; provide appropriate training and personal protective equipment (PPE); and continuously monitor performance. This statement covers routine site collections, commercial skip services, bulky waste removal and on-site handling tasks, and it supports compliance with relevant health and safety expectations without referencing specific local legislation.

Responsibilities

Senior management retains overall responsibility for health and safety strategy and resource allocation. Operational managers and supervisors must ensure that safe systems of work are implemented and followed. Employees engaged in rubbish collection, waste transfer and site operations are required to work safely, report hazards, and use provided controls. Everyone has a role in preventing accidents and promoting safe disposal of commercial waste.

Risk assessment and control measures – Regular risk assessments will be conducted for all activities including manual handling of bags and bulky items, vehicle loading/unloading, operating compaction equipment, and dealing with mixed commercial waste. Risk control follows a hierarchy: eliminate hazards where possible, substitute safer methods, implement engineering and administrative controls, and provide PPE as a last line of defense.

PPE and equipment standards: staff will be supplied with suitable gloves, hi-visibility clothing, safety boots, eye protection and respiratory protection where dust or fumes are likely. Equipment and vehicles used for waste collection are to be inspected daily and maintained to safe operating standards. Any defective plant must be reported immediately and taken out of service.

Training and competence – All operatives will receive induction training covering hazard recognition, safe lifting techniques, traffic management around collections, correct segregation protocols, and emergency procedures. Ongoing training includes refresher courses, toolbox talks and assessment of competence for drivers and machine operators. Training records will be maintained and reviewed as part of the safety management system.

Vehicle and traffic safety

Vehicle safety is central to our rubbish company operations. Procedures include safe loading limits, secure containment of loads, reversing protocols, use of banksmen where visibility is restricted and appropriate signage during roadside collections. Drivers must follow defensive driving principles and ensure vehicles are roadworthy before each journey.

Handling hazardous and specialist waste: where commercial waste contains hazardous materials, segregated handling procedures will be followed. Staff will be trained to recognise commonly encountered hazards (chemical containers, sharps, asbestos suspect materials) and to isolate and report them. Hazardous waste will be contained, labelled and transferred using appropriate carriers and documentation.

Emergency response and incident management: clear procedures are in place for incidents such as spills, sharps injuries, collisions or fire. First aid provision, spill kits and trained personnel are available during operations. All incidents and near misses must be reported without delay, investigated and corrective actions implemented to prevent recurrence.

Monitoring, audits and performance

We conduct regular workplace inspections, vehicle checks and health and safety audits to measure compliance. Key performance indicators include incident rates, near-miss reporting frequency and completion of scheduled maintenance. Records will be kept of inspections, training, medical surveillance where required, and corrective actions arising from audits.

Consultation and communication – Active worker involvement is encouraged through safety briefings, toolbox talks and site-specific briefings for commercial waste collection activities. Subcontractors and temporary staff are required to follow company safety arrangements and will be given relevant information before starting work. Clear lines of communication ensure that safety alerts, policy changes and risk controls are effectively shared.

Continuous improvement – The policy will be reviewed at least annually or following significant change, incident or regulatory update. We commit to learning from inspections, investigations and industry best practice to enhance our waste collection and rubbish removal services. By embedding health and safety into everyday operations we protect people, property and the environment.