Storage Barnsbury Health and Safety Policy
Storage Barnsbury is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all employees, customers, visitors, contractors and any other persons who may be affected by our activities. This policy applies to all storage facilities, offices, vehicles and removal operations undertaken by or on behalf of Storage Barnsbury.
Policy Aim and Objectives
The aim of this Health and Safety Policy is to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health, and to promote high standards of safety throughout our storage and removal services. Our key objectives are to identify and control risks, provide appropriate information and training, maintain safe systems of work, and continuously improve our health and safety performance.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management has overall responsibility for health and safety within Storage Barnsbury. Management will provide clear leadership, allocate sufficient resources, and ensure that health and safety considerations are integrated into business planning, including the planning of storage operations, loading, unloading and removals.
Managers and supervisors are responsible for implementing this policy in their areas of control. They must ensure that risk assessments are carried out, safe procedures are followed, staff are adequately trained and supervised, and that any breaches of safety rules are addressed promptly.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. Employees must cooperate with management to enable all statutory duties and obligations to be complied with.
Employees are required to follow safety instructions, use equipment correctly, report hazards, defects, accidents and near misses, and to participate in health and safety training. No employee is permitted to interfere with, misuse or disable any safety equipment or system provided for health and safety purposes.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
Storage Barnsbury will identify hazards and assess risks arising from its operations, including storage of goods, handling and lifting of items, use of vehicles, loading and unloading, and operation of mechanical equipment. Suitable control measures will be implemented to reduce risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
Safe systems of work will be developed, documented where necessary, and communicated to staff. These systems will cover areas such as the safe stacking of goods, use of pallet trucks and trolleys, moving large or heavy items, operating vehicle tail lifts, and the organisation of loading bays and storage units.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is a core part of our storage and removal services. Storage Barnsbury will strive to avoid hazardous manual handling where possible through the use of mechanical aids and effective planning of work.
Where manual handling cannot be avoided, tasks will be assessed and control measures introduced, such as team lifting, weight limits, use of correct lifting techniques and the provision of suitable equipment. Employees will receive training in safe manual handling and are expected to follow this training at all times.
Vehicles, Driving and Transport Safety
Storage Barnsbury will ensure that company vehicles used for removals and transport operations are properly maintained, inspected and suitable for their intended use. Drivers must be competent, appropriately licensed and medically fit to drive.
Transport operations will be planned to reduce risks associated with loading, unloading, securing loads, reversing and working near traffic. Drivers and staff must follow all safe working procedures, use appropriate personal protective equipment where required and comply with traffic and road safety laws.
Premises and Equipment Safety
All Storage Barnsbury premises will be maintained in a safe condition. This includes ensuring safe access and egress, adequate lighting, good housekeeping, clear walkways and properly marked emergency exits. Storage areas will be organised to prevent overloading, unsafe stacking and obstruction of pathways.
Equipment, including handling aids, tools and machinery, will be maintained, inspected and used only by trained and authorised personnel. Any defects must be reported immediately and defective equipment must be taken out of service until repaired or replaced.
Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures
Storage Barnsbury will assess fire risks and implement appropriate controls, including fire detection and alarm systems, fire-fighting equipment, clear emergency routes and assembly points. Staff will receive instruction on fire procedures and their individual responsibilities in an emergency.
Emergency procedures for fire, accidents, spills and other incidents will be clearly communicated. Regular checks and drills will be undertaken to ensure that alarms, escape routes and emergency arrangements remain effective.
Hazardous Substances
Where hazardous substances are used or stored, Storage Barnsbury will assess the risks and ensure that exposure is controlled. Substances will be handled and stored in accordance with manufacturers guidance and relevant regulations. Suitable personal protective equipment and training will be provided where necessary.
Training, Information and Supervision
All employees will receive appropriate health and safety induction training and further job-specific training relevant to their roles, including safe storage practices, manual handling, vehicle operations and emergency procedures.
Information on risks, control measures and safe working procedures will be communicated clearly. Adequate supervision will be provided, particularly for new staff and those undertaking unfamiliar tasks or working with higher-risk activities such as removals and large-item handling.
Consultation and Communication
Storage Barnsbury recognises the value of involving employees in health and safety matters. We will encourage staff to raise concerns, suggest improvements and participate in safety discussions. Where safety representatives are appointed, they will be consulted on significant health and safety changes.
Accident Reporting and Investigation
All accidents, incidents and near misses must be reported promptly according to company procedures. Storage Barnsbury will record and investigate incidents to identify underlying causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Where required by law, certain incidents will be reported to the relevant enforcing authorities. Lessons learned from investigations will be shared with staff where appropriate.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
Storage Barnsbury will monitor health and safety performance through inspections, audits, incident analysis and staff feedback. Findings will be used to improve risk controls and working practices across both storage and removal activities.
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and updated when necessary, for example following significant changes in operations, legislation or best practice. The commitment to high standards of health and safety is integral to the way Storage Barnsbury operates and delivers services to its customers.
