Storage Harrow Weald Health and Safety Policy
Storage Harrow Weald is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all employees, customers, contractors, visitors and any other persons who may be affected by our storage and removals activities. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety across our premises, vehicles and any locations where we operate.
Policy Statement
Our objective is to prevent injury and ill health and to maintain safe and well managed working conditions. Health and safety considerations are integral to the planning and delivery of our storage, packing, lifting, loading, transport and removal services. Senior management accepts ultimate responsibility for health and safety and will ensure that adequate resources, information, training and supervision are provided.
Scope of the Policy
This policy applies to all employees of Storage Harrow Weald, including temporary and agency staff, as well as contractors and subcontractors working on our behalf. It also extends to customers and visitors who access our storage facilities and any locations where we provide removal or delivery services.
Legal Responsibilities
We are committed to complying with all relevant health and safety legislation and recognised industry standards. We will keep our procedures under review to reflect changes in legal requirements, regulatory guidance and best practice in the storage and removal sectors.
Management Responsibilities
Management is responsible for implementing and maintaining this policy. This includes:
Ensuring that risk assessments are carried out, recorded and reviewed for storage units, loading areas, vehicles, equipment and typical removal activities. Providing safe systems of work for manual handling, lifting operations, use of trolleys and moving of large or heavy items. Maintaining all plant, vehicles and equipment in a safe condition, with regular inspections and prompt repair or replacement where necessary. Ensuring that appropriate personal protective equipment is provided, used and maintained where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means. Investigating accidents, incidents and near misses to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
Employee Responsibilities
Employees have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. All employees are required to:
Follow company safety procedures and safe systems of work. Use equipment, vehicles and safety devices correctly and not interfere with or misuse anything provided for health and safety. Report accidents, near misses, hazards and unsafe conditions to management without delay. Participate in health and safety training and apply the knowledge and skills gained in their daily work. Cooperate with management to enable compliance with health and safety duties.
Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices
We identify and assess risks associated with our activities, including storage, removals, transport and handling. Based on these assessments, we implement appropriate control measures. These include clear procedures for lifting and carrying, securing loads in vehicles, stacking goods in storage units, operating in loading bays and working at customers premises. Risk assessments will be reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our operations.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling and lifting are key aspects of storage and removal operations and are treated as priority risks. We will:
Provide training on safe lifting techniques and the use of handling aids. Use mechanical aids such as trolleys and dollies wherever practicable. Plan jobs to minimise the need for heavy or awkward lifting. Ensure that items are packed, wrapped and loaded in a way that reduces the risk of strains and injuries. Encourage staff to request assistance when moving large or heavy items.
Vehicles, Transport and Driving Safety
Our vehicles and drivers play a central role in removal and delivery work. We will:
Maintain vehicles in a roadworthy and safe condition through regular servicing and safety checks. Ensure that drivers are competent, appropriately licensed and medically fit for driving duties. Require drivers to follow safe loading, unloading and securing procedures to protect people and goods in transit. Promote safe driving practices, including adherence to speed limits, rest breaks and route planning.
Customer and Visitor Safety
We recognise our responsibility to protect customers and visitors who enter our premises or interact with our staff at other locations. We will:
Provide clear signage for entrances, exits, fire routes and restricted areas. Keep walkways, loading areas and access routes tidy and free from obstructions. Control access to storage areas to prevent unauthorised entry and reduce risk of injury. Provide guidance to customers on safe loading, unloading and use of trolleys within our facilities.
Training, Information and Supervision
We will provide appropriate health and safety training and information for all employees based on their roles, including induction training for new starters and refresher training when needed. Supervisors will monitor activities to ensure that procedures are followed and that any identified gaps in knowledge or practice are addressed promptly.
Accident and Incident Reporting
All accidents, incidents, near misses and hazardous situations must be reported promptly to management. We will maintain accurate records, investigate underlying causes and take actions to prevent recurrence. Where required, incidents will be reported to relevant authorities in line with legal obligations.
Consultation and Communication
We encourage open communication and consultation on health and safety matters. Employees are invited to raise concerns, suggest improvements and participate in discussions about safe working practices. Health and safety information will be communicated clearly and updated whenever changes are made to procedures or operations.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
We will monitor health and safety performance through inspections, audits, incident analysis and feedback from staff and customers. This policy and associated procedures will be reviewed regularly, and at least annually, to ensure they remain effective, relevant and proportionate to the risks associated with storage, removals and related services. Our aim is continual improvement in health and safety standards throughout Storage Harrow Weald.
