Storage West Harrow Health and Safety Policy
Storage West Harrow is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all staff, customers, contractors and visitors. This policy describes how we manage health and safety risks across our storage facilities and associated services, including activities related to moving and handling goods for storage and removal purposes.
Our aim is to prevent accidents, injuries and ill health by identifying hazards, assessing risks and putting sensible, practical controls in place. We expect everyone on site to cooperate with these arrangements and to act responsibly at all times.
Policy aims and objectives
The objectives of this Health and Safety Policy are to:
Promote a strong safety culture where risks are understood and managed effectively.
Provide and maintain safe storage units, access ways, loading areas and shared spaces.
Ensure safe systems of work for manual handling, moving items and operating equipment.
Provide clear information, instruction and, where appropriate, supervision to employees and contractors.
Comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and recognised industry best practice.
Continually review and improve our health and safety performance.
Management responsibilities
The management of Storage West Harrow has overall responsibility for implementing this policy and for providing appropriate resources to maintain safe conditions. Management will:
Identify significant hazards associated with storage and removal activities and complete risk assessments.
Ensure that buildings, units, loading bays, corridors, stairwells and external areas are maintained in a safe condition.
Provide suitable equipment for lifting and moving goods where reasonably practicable, such as trolleys and pallet trucks, and ensure it is maintained and inspected.
Make sure that staff receive appropriate training in health and safety procedures, including manual handling, emergency arrangements and safe customer support.
Investigate accidents, incidents and near misses to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
Monitor compliance with this policy and review it periodically to ensure it remains effective and up to date.
Employee responsibilities
All employees at Storage West Harrow share responsibility for maintaining a safe environment. Staff must:
Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions.
Follow all health and safety procedures, safe working practices, signage and instructions provided by management.
Use equipment correctly and not misuse anything provided for safety, such as fire extinguishers, trolleys or protective devices.
Report any accidents, incidents, near misses, unsafe conditions or faulty equipment promptly to management.
Cooperate with any health and safety investigations, training and audits.
Customer and visitor responsibilities
Customers and visitors using our storage and removal related services also have a role to play in maintaining safety on site. They are required to:
Observe all safety signs, speed limits, pedestrian walkways and loading bay instructions.
Use provided equipment, such as trolleys, safely and return it to designated areas after use.
Keep access ways clear when loading or unloading to avoid trip hazards and obstruction of emergency exits.
Pack and stack goods in a stable and secure manner within storage units, ensuring heavy items are placed at a low level.
Refrain from storing prohibited or unsafe items, including flammable, explosive, toxic or perishable goods.
Inform a member of staff immediately if they notice any spillage, damage or hazard that could affect safety.
Risk assessment and hazard control
Storage West Harrow carries out regular risk assessments covering common storage and removal related activities, including:
Loading and unloading vehicles in car parks and loading bays.
Using trolleys, pallet trucks and similar handling aids.
Manual lifting and carrying of boxes, furniture and other items.
Movement of people and goods through corridors, doors, lifts and stairwells.
Access to individual storage units and associated security arrangements.
Environmental factors such as lighting, cleanliness, temperature and noise.
Control measures are implemented wherever significant risks are identified. These may include physical safeguards, clear signage, improved housekeeping, restricted access to certain areas, and specific instructions for higher risk activities.
Manual handling and moving items
Moving and lifting items is a key part of storage and removal operations. To reduce the risk of injury, we will:
Promote safe lifting techniques to all staff and provide guidance to customers where required.
Encourage the use of mechanical aids, such as trolleys, wherever possible.
Advise customers not to exceed safe weights when packing boxes or loading equipment.
Discourage customers and staff from attempting to move items that are too heavy, bulky or awkward without assistance.
Where staff are involved in handling customer goods, ensure that appropriate systems of work are in place.
Fire safety and emergency procedures
Storage West Harrow maintains fire safety arrangements to protect people and property. These include:
Provision and maintenance of suitable fire detection and firefighting equipment.
Clearly marked fire exits, escape routes and assembly points kept free from obstruction.
Procedures for raising the alarm, evacuating the premises and contacting emergency services.
Staff training in emergency response and regular checks of fire doors and alarms.
Customers and visitors must familiarise themselves with escape routes and follow staff instructions in the event of an emergency. Fire doors must not be wedged open, and items must not be stored in corridors or stairwells.
Housekeeping and site standards
Good housekeeping is essential for safety at our storage facility. We will:
Maintain clean, well lit corridors, entrances, lifts and stairwells.
Ensure floors are kept as free as practicable from spillages, litter and other slip or trip hazards.
Arrange regular inspections of units, common areas and external spaces.
Promptly address any damage to floors, walls, doors, lighting or safety equipment.
Contractors and third parties
Where contractors or third party removal crews work on site, they are required to:
Comply with this Health and Safety Policy and any site specific rules.
Provide evidence of their own health and safety arrangements when requested.
Ensure their work equipment is safe, properly maintained and suitable for the tasks undertaken.
Coordinate with our staff to manage shared risks, such as vehicle movements and use of loading areas.
Monitoring, review and policy availability
Storage West Harrow will monitor the effectiveness of this policy through regular inspections, incident investigations, customer feedback and staff consultation. The policy will be reviewed periodically, and whenever there are significant changes in our operations or the relevant legal requirements.
This Health and Safety Policy is available to all employees, customers, visitors and contractors and is displayed or accessible at our premises. Everyone using our storage and removal related services is expected to follow the principles and procedures set out in this document to help keep the site safe for all.
