Policy statement
Bubble Fresh (Bubblefresh Limited, company number 12691029) is committed to ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of all employees, clients, and anyone affected by our work. Our services include deep cleaning, hoarding clearance, biohazard cleaning, and property clearance. These services present specific health and safety risks that need careful management. We comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA 1974) and all associated regulations, including the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW Regs 1999). This policy sets out how we identify, assess, and control those risks. It applies to all employees, contractors, visitors, and anyone working on our behalf.
Duty holder statement
I, Lance James, Director of Bubblefresh Limited, accept overall responsibility for health and safety within the company. I am committed to providing the resources, leadership, and management systems needed to meet our legal duties and protect the health and safety of our workers, clients, and others affected by our activities. I will review this policy at least once a year and whenever there is a significant change to our operations.
Scope
This policy covers all Bubble Fresh operations, including work carried out at client properties, during travel between sites, at our office, and at any temporary work location. It applies to all employees, agency workers, volunteers, and visitors. It should be read alongside our Risk Assessment Policy, COSHH Policy, Infection Control Policy, Lone Working Policy, Incident Reporting Policy, and Training and Development Policy.
Insurance
Bubble Fresh holds Public Liability Insurance of £5,000,000 and Employer’s Liability Insurance of £10,000,000 in accordance with the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969. Certificates of insurance are available on request and are provided to all council partners. We review our insurance cover at least once a year to make sure it remains adequate for the work we carry out.
Responsibilities
The Director, Lance James, has overall responsibility for health and safety within Bubble Fresh. An external health and safety consultant provides competent advice in accordance with Regulation 7 of the MHSW Regs 1999. Details of our competent person arrangement are available on request. All managers ensure this policy is followed within their teams. All employees have a duty under Section 7 of HSWA 1974 to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others. Employees must follow safe working procedures and report hazards or concerns promptly. Any employee may refuse to carry out work they reasonably believe poses a serious and immediate danger, without fear of disciplinary action. We consult employees on health and safety matters through regular team briefings and safety discussions, in line with the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996.
Risk assessment
We carry out risk assessments before every job in line with Regulation 3 of the MHSW Regs 1999. Assessments consider the condition of the property, potential hazards (including biohazards, structural risks, infestations, and fire hazards), the physical demands of the work, and any client-specific factors. Our team conducts dynamic risk assessments on site where conditions differ from what was expected. Full details of our approach are set out in our Risk Assessment Policy.
Manual handling
Many of our jobs involve moving heavy, bulky, or awkward items in cluttered or confined spaces. We manage manual handling risks in line with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended). Where reasonably practicable, we avoid manual handling that involves a risk of injury. Where it cannot be avoided, we assess the risk and reduce it as far as reasonably practicable. We provide mechanical aids such as sack trucks, trolleys, and lifting straps where appropriate. All employees receive manual handling training during induction and annual refresher training. Team leaders assess manual handling demands on site and adjust the task, the load, or the team size to reduce risk. Employees must not lift alone where the risk assessment identifies a two-person lift.
Working at height and on stairs
Our work sometimes involves stairs, landings, and raised areas in properties that may be in poor condition. We follow the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and treat any work where a person could fall and be injured as work at height. Before starting work, we check that stairs, landings, and floors are structurally sound and free from hazards. Where stairs are cluttered, we clear a safe path before using them. We do not use ladders or step ladders unless the risk assessment confirms it is the safest option for a short-duration, low-risk task. Where structural damage makes stairs or floors unsafe, we stop work and report the hazard to the client and, where relevant, the referring council.
Electrical safety
The properties we work in may have faulty, damaged, or overloaded electrical installations. We are not electricians and do not carry out electrical work. However, we take steps to protect our team. Before starting work, we carry out a visual check of accessible sockets, switches, cables, and appliances. If we find exposed wiring, scorch marks, a burning smell, damaged sockets, or any other sign of electrical danger, we do not use the supply in that area. We report the hazard to the client and the referring council. We use battery-powered equipment or a portable residual current device (RCD) where the condition of the electrical supply is uncertain. We follow the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. All portable electrical equipment we bring to site is tested in line with the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment.
Asbestos awareness
Properties built or refurbished before the year 2000 may contain asbestos. Our employees are not licensed to work with asbestos. All employees receive asbestos awareness training as required by Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. If we suspect or discover material that may contain asbestos (for example, damaged insulation board, pipe lagging, textured coatings, or floor tiles in older properties), we stop work in that area immediately. We do not disturb the material. We report it to the client and the referring council and seek specialist advice before any further work. We record all suspected asbestos findings.
Sharps and needles
Our teams regularly encounter discarded needles, broken glass, razor blades, and other sharp objects in the properties we clean. Employees must never pick up sharps by hand. We provide puncture-resistant gloves, litter pickers, and approved sharps containers on every job. When sharps are found, the team isolates the area, uses the correct equipment to collect them, and places them in a sharps container. Full sharps containers are sealed and disposed of through a licensed clinical waste route. If an employee suffers a needlestick injury, they follow the immediate response procedure set out in our Infection Control Policy, including attending Accident and Emergency within one hour. We report all sharps injuries under our Incident Reporting Policy.
Noise and vibration
Some of our equipment, including industrial vacuum cleaners and power tools, can produce noise levels that may cause harm with prolonged exposure. We manage noise risks in line with the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Where noise levels may reach or exceed the lower exposure action value of 80 dB(A), we provide hearing protection and make it available to all employees on that job. Where levels may reach or exceed the upper exposure action value of 85 dB(A), wearing hearing protection is mandatory and we take steps to reduce the noise at source. We also assess hand-arm vibration risks from powered equipment in line with the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 and limit exposure times where needed.
Hazardous substances
We manage risks from hazardous substances in line with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). This covers the cleaning chemicals we use and the biological hazards we encounter on site, including bodily fluids, mould, and animal waste. Full details are set out in our COSHH Policy.
Training
All employees receive health and safety training during induction and through regular refresher sessions. This includes manual handling, COSHH awareness, infection control, use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), fire safety awareness, asbestos awareness, electrical safety awareness, sharps handling, and first aid. We provide specialist training for biohazard cleaning and work involving specific risks. Health and safety training is a core part of each employee’s minimum 20 hours of annual training. See our Training and Development Policy for full details.
Personal protective equipment
We provide appropriate PPE free of charge to all employees in line with the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended 2022). Staff must wear PPE as specified in the risk assessment for each job. PPE includes gloves, face masks and respirators, protective clothing, eye protection, hearing protection, and safety footwear as required. We train employees in the correct use, storage, maintenance, and disposal of PPE. We replace PPE that is damaged or no longer effective. See our Infection Control Policy for PPE requirements specific to biohazard work.
Accident and incident reporting
Report all accidents, incidents, and near misses immediately using our incident reporting procedure. We investigate all reports to identify root causes and prevent them from happening again. We notify reportable incidents to the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013 as required. Full details are set out in our Incident Reporting Policy.
Emergency procedures
Before starting work at any property, the team leader identifies the nearest exit route and a safe assembly point outside. If a team member is injured, unwell, or discovers a serious hazard, the team stops work and moves to the assembly point. The team leader calls 999 where needed and contacts the office immediately. If the property must be evacuated, the team leader checks that all team members are accounted for. We do not re-enter a property after evacuation until the emergency services or a competent person has confirmed it is safe. We carry first aid kits, fire extinguishers, and spill kits in all vehicles. Emergency contact numbers for the office and on-call manager are displayed in every vehicle.
First aid
We make adequate first aid provision in line with the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981. We maintain trained first aiders based on an annual first aid needs assessment. All vehicles carry a fully stocked first aid kit, inspected monthly and replenished after each use. Selected team members hold a current first aid at work certificate.
Fire safety
We assess fire risks as part of every job. Where properties present significant fire hazards, including heavy accumulation of items, blocked exits, or faulty electrics, we take additional precautions. We tell the client and, where relevant, the referring council. Any team member has the authority to refuse to enter or to stop work on fire safety grounds if they judge there is an immediate risk. Where fire exits are blocked, the team clears a safe exit route before beginning other work. Where the level of fire risk is beyond our safe working ability, we contact the fire and rescue service for advice.
Vehicle safety
Our employees travel to client properties by vehicle. All company vehicles are maintained in a roadworthy condition and serviced at manufacturer-recommended intervals. We carry out daily vehicle checks before use, covering tyres, lights, brakes, windscreen, mirrors, and fluid levels. Employees must hold a valid driving licence for the class of vehicle they drive. We check driving licences at least once a year. Employees must not use a mobile phone while driving unless using a hands-free system. We secure loads and equipment in vehicles to prevent movement during transit. We report vehicle defects immediately and do not use a vehicle with a safety defect. Employees must not drive when they are too tired to do so safely. We plan routes and schedules to allow adequate rest between jobs.
Welfare facilities
We recognise that many of the properties we work in do not have usable toilet or hand-washing facilities. Before each job, the team leader confirms whether welfare facilities are available on site. Where facilities are not available or not usable, we make alternative arrangements. This may include identifying nearby public facilities or scheduling the job to allow for breaks at a suitable location. All vehicles carry hand sanitiser, drinking water, and basic welfare supplies. We comply with the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 as far as is reasonably practicable given the nature of our mobile work.
New and expectant mothers
When an employee tells us they are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have given birth in the last six months, we carry out a specific risk assessment in line with Regulation 16 of the MHSW Regs 1999. We consider risks from manual handling, chemical exposure, biological hazards, long periods of standing, and work in stressful or distressing environments. Where a risk cannot be removed, we adjust the employee’s duties or working conditions. If the risk cannot be adequately controlled, we suspend the employee on full pay. We record the assessment and review it regularly throughout the pregnancy and on return to work.
Staff mental health and wellbeing
Our work can be emotionally demanding. Employees regularly encounter distressing living conditions and work closely with people in vulnerable situations. We take the mental health and wellbeing of our team seriously. We provide mental health awareness training for all employees. We offer access to a confidential support service for employees who need to talk after a difficult job. Team leaders carry out a check-in with their team after every job that involved distressing conditions, and we hold a structured debrief after any job classified as high-impact. We encourage open conversations about mental health and do not treat it as a weakness. We carry out stress risk assessments in line with the HSE Management Standards. If an employee is struggling, we will work with them to adjust their duties or workload. See our Training and Development Policy for details of the support and training we provide.
Occupational health surveillance
Where our risk assessments identify that employees are exposed to health risks that require monitoring, we arrange occupational health surveillance. This includes respiratory health checks for employees regularly exposed to dust, mould, or chemical fumes, skin checks for employees who handle cleaning chemicals regularly, hearing assessments for employees regularly exposed to high noise levels, and musculoskeletal assessments where manual handling is a significant part of the role. We keep occupational health records for at least 40 years from the date of the last entry, in line with the MHSW Regs 1999 and the COSHH Regulations 2002. These records contain special category health data under Article 9 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). We process them on the basis of Article 9(2)(b) (employment law obligations). Employees can exercise their data subject rights as set out in our Privacy Policy.
Cooperation with other duty holders
When we work at properties managed by councils, housing associations, or other organisations, we cooperate with the other duty holders on site. Where there is a shared workplace, we coordinate health and safety arrangements in line with Regulation 11 of the MHSW Regs 1999. We share relevant risk assessment information and agree responsibilities before work begins.
Monitoring and performance
We monitor health and safety performance through regular workplace inspections, incident and near-miss reporting analysis, employee feedback, and occupational health data. We track leading indicators (training completion, inspection rates, near-miss reports) alongside lagging indicators (accidents, ill health, enforcement action). We report health and safety performance to the Director quarterly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. If we make a material change, we will notify all affected parties, including employees, contractors, and council partners, through a team briefing, written notice, or direct communication before the change takes effect. The current version is always available on our website and from the office.
Review
The Director, Lance James, reviews this policy at least once a year and following any significant change to our operations, legislation, or following a serious incident. Last reviewed: February 2026. Next review due: February 2027.
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