Lifting & Loading

You are expected to work efficiently, and with care. It can be worth chatting with the customer to assess whether they are more concerned with price and would like you to work quickly, or precious about their items and would like you to be extra careful to avoid damage.

If you cannot lift an item without risking injury to yourself or damage to the item, do not move it (for example, as a general rule we don’t lift marble tables, pool tables or pianos).

If you're not sure of the safe way to move something, call the office for advice before you attempt it. We want you too avoid injury at all cost, so don’t overdo it - if you can't lift it safely, don't - ask for further assistance or instruction.

Manual Handling Techniques

Make sure that you have adequately communicated your intentions to your fellow employee before attempting a two-man lift. This will avoid muscle strain injuries which can occur when one person quickly moves in an unexpected direction while carrying the item.

• Use lifting equipment/aids as per training, whenever possible.

• Ensure safe-lifting techniques are use for any load coming from ground level that cannot be handled using lifting aids, by doing the following:

• Plan travel pathway before lifting the object

• Ensure you are physically ready for lift (muscles warmed up /stretches etc)

• Face the load and stand close to load

• Maintain a wide stance (feet shoulder-width apart)

• Ensure good balance

• Bend at knees

• Grip load, ensure firm grip

• Keep load close to body

• Maintain straight back

• Look forward, and tuck chin into chest

• Initiate lift using leg muscles

• Lift smoothly, do not jerk or throw load upwards

• Avoid any twisting and side-bending during lift

• When placing load onto ground, follow instructions as above, bend knees, not back

• When placing load above ground level (e.g. on a shelf), ensure that you have pre-planned your method to avoid excess strain.

Lifting and Loading Tips

• Please take note of the following, to ensure a smooth move for yourself and your client:

• Take shelves out of bookcases and television units whenever possible to reduce weight and loose parts

• Mattresses need to be adequately protected, as they stain and tear easily. This means laying blankets on the floor of the vehicle to prevent grime, and padding between mattresses and other items where necessary

• Latex mattresses are very heavy, and tend not to hold their shape. The best method for moving these is to roll them up tightly, and secure with a strap at each end. This keeps the weight of the item relatively stable while being lifted

• Take shelf tabs out of shelves or they’ll fall out in the truck, give them to the customer

• Take legs off everything you can, i.e. tables and sofas

• For washers, detach the hoses and drain them into a bucket or the laundry sink. Place the detached hoses inside the drum

• With fold-out sofa beds, use straps to secure the bed section so there are no moving parts

• Fridges should be moved with two men with a trolley whenever possible, as they are very heavy, and easily scratched or dinted. Fridges must always be secured with blankets and straps

• If you working solo, the customer will have agreed to assist with larger items when they booked the job

• Don’t be shy about asking. If you aren't confident you can move the item safely, call the office

• Use blankets for anything that may scratch or mark i.e. fridge, bedhead, pictures, antiques, glass. The blankets are to be used with the lighter blue-coloured side facing the surface requiring protection, and the darker blue, heavier duty side facing away from the item

• Plan ahead, by laying blankets down before loading scratchable items

• You are required to keep your workspace clean, by folding blankets and tying straps as the job proceeds. This can prevent injuries caused by tripping. It is a requirement that must be completed inside the customer's job time - the vehicle comes to them organised and tidy, and it needs to leave their job clean as well

Packing Order

When packing the vehicle, prioritise the biggest items. You need to plan how the goods will fit the available space before you make any commitments to the customer regarding how many trips will be required.

The customer will usually be happier at the conclusion of the job if you managed to bring the bigger items they cannot handle (fridges, beds, couches etc) than if you pack the small things first and can't squeeze some of the bigger pieces in. If you are not sure what items the customer would like to prioritise, remember it doesn't hurt to ask them for advice.

Suggested packing order:

1. Bed base/mattress

2. Fridge

3. Sofa (standing up, if possible)

4. Washer/dryer (stacked if the washer is a front loader)

5. Other smaller furniture

6. Boxes

7. Bags and other miscellaneous items

Trolley Skills

You should try to make sure you use trollies whenever possible to lessen physical strain. A few pointers on their usage:

• Go slow and steady

• Gauge the terrain and plan ahead. Figure out which direction to travel so you will be guiding the trolley forwards downstairs and backwards upstairs

• Washers, fridges and other large items should be strapped to the trolley to stabilise when going up or downstairs

• Use the ramp for fridges and washers. Line up the trolley wheels with the bottom of the ramp and pull the carefully up. Any heavier items require a second Mover (or customer assistance) to take up and down the ramp. Never attempt to go forwards up the ramp, or backwards on the way down

• Manoeuvre the trolley slowly and be careful of scratching walls with fridges, if possible have someone guide the trolley

• Ease the trolley carefully when coming downstairs, don’t bang it. Bend your knees to cushion the item down each step, maintaining a straight back

• Trolleys should be stored upright in the vehicle, secured to the blanket pile with straps. They are not to be hung from the rails in the truck box, as this can pull the rails from the walls.

Unloading

We always place items where directed by the customer at the drop-off address. This is part of The Man's service. When unloading, keep the following in mind:

• Ask the customer to direct you on where they want items placed

• Reconnect fridges, but do not reconnect the hoses of washers. Remind the customer that fridges are best left off for a little while after transportation

• Ask if they want anything moved around onsite

• Shake out the blankets and make sure the van is completely empty before logging the job as finished on the phone app