Storage Wood Green Health And Safety Policy
Storage Wood Green is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for employees, contractors, customers and visitors. This Health and Safety policy supports our work in removals, storage and related services, and sets out how we manage risk in our premises, vehicles and operations.
Policy Statement And Objectives
Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, damage to property and harm to the environment by identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing effective control measures. We aim to comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and recognised industry guidance relating to removals, storage and transport activities.
Management at Storage Wood Green accepts overall responsibility for health and safety performance. Supervisors and team leaders are responsible for implementing this policy on a day to day basis, and every employee has a duty to work safely, follow instructions and report hazards immediately.
Scope Of The Policy
This policy applies to all employees, contractors and temporary workers engaged by Storage Wood Green. It covers company premises, storage areas, vehicles, removal operations at customer locations and any other place where work is undertaken on behalf of the company.
The policy is relevant to activities such as household and office removals, loading and unloading vehicles, manual handling of furniture and goods, operation of handling equipment, packing and unpacking, storage of items, and associated administration and customer service.
Responsibilities And Management Arrangements
Senior management will provide adequate resources, information, instruction, training and supervision to enable safe working practices. They will review health and safety performance regularly and ensure that risk assessments and procedures remain current and effective.
Supervisors will communicate safe systems of work, ensure that staff use equipment correctly, carry out regular workplace checks and address unsafe behaviours or conditions immediately. They will ensure that personal protective equipment is supplied, worn and maintained where required.
Employees must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. They must cooperate with management, follow safe working procedures, attend training, use equipment correctly and report hazards, near misses, incidents and defects without delay.
Risk Assessment And Safe Systems Of Work
Storage Wood Green carries out documented risk assessments for key activities, including but not limited to manual handling, vehicle movements, use of lifting equipment, working in storage areas, working at height for access to higher storage units, cleaning tasks, and work at customer premises during removals.
Safe systems of work are developed from these assessments and include clear instructions for planning removals routes, stacking and storing goods safely, using trolleys and lifting aids, securing loads in vehicles, handling fragile or high value items, and avoiding slips, trips and falls.
Manual Handling And Ergonomics
Manual handling is a core part of removals and storage operations. We assess manual handling tasks, avoid unnecessary lifting where possible and use mechanical aids such as sack trucks, dollies, pallet trucks and lifting platforms where appropriate. Staff are trained in correct lifting techniques, team lifting, use of handles and straps, and maintaining clear communication during moves.
We limit excessive loads, encourage rotation of tasks and provide guidance on posture and ergonomics to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Employees are asked to inform management of any health concerns that may affect their ability to carry out manual handling tasks safely.
Vehicles, Driving And Transport Safety
Our vehicles are maintained, inspected and serviced regularly to ensure safety and reliability. Drivers must hold appropriate licences, follow road traffic laws and adhere to company rules on driving hours, rest breaks and safe loading.
Loads are secured to prevent movement during transit. Care is taken when reversing, parking at customer locations, operating tail lifts and working near pedestrians. Drivers are expected to conduct pre use checks, report defects and follow emergency procedures in the event of breakdowns or collisions.
Storage, Housekeeping And Fire Safety
Storage areas are organised to minimise risk. Goods are stacked in a stable manner, with heavier items at lower levels and fragile items protected from damage. Clear access routes are maintained and fire exits, escape routes and emergency equipment are kept unobstructed at all times.
Good housekeeping is essential. Spillages are cleaned promptly, waste materials are removed regularly and equipment is stored safely after use. Fire safety measures include appropriate detection and alarm systems where installed, availability of suitable fire extinguishers, control of smoking, and restrictions on the storage of hazardous or flammable materials.
Equipment, Maintenance And Personal Protective Equipment
All equipment used in removal and storage activities, including lifting aids, trolleys and loading ramps, is selected, inspected and maintained to ensure it is safe and suitable for its intended use. Defective equipment must be taken out of service immediately and reported.
Where risk assessments identify the need, personal protective equipment such as safety footwear, gloves or high visibility clothing is provided. Staff must wear this equipment as instructed and look after it properly. Replacements are supplied when items become worn or damaged.
Training, Information And Supervision
Storage Wood Green provides health and safety induction training to new employees, along with task specific training such as manual handling techniques, safe operation of equipment and incident reporting procedures. Refresher training is delivered periodically or when work practices change.
Information on hazards and safe procedures is communicated verbally, in writing and through signage where appropriate. Supervisors monitor work practices on site and during removals, offering guidance, correcting unsafe behaviours and supporting continuous improvement.
Incident Reporting And Emergency Procedures
All accidents, near misses, injuries, cases of ill health and dangerous occurrences must be reported promptly. Incidents are investigated to identify underlying causes and corrective actions. Lessons learned are shared with relevant staff and used to update risk assessments and procedures.
Emergency procedures are in place for fire, medical emergencies, spills, security incidents and vehicle related events. Staff are briefed on evacuation routes, assembly points and their roles in an emergency. First aid arrangements are maintained, and details of trained first aiders are made available on site.
Consultation, Monitoring And Review
Storage Wood Green encourages employees to raise health and safety concerns and suggestions. Consultation may take place through briefings, toolbox talks or informal discussions. Feedback is valued and used to improve safety performance.
Regular inspections, audits and reviews are carried out to monitor compliance with this policy and the effectiveness of control measures. This Health and Safety policy is reviewed periodically, and whenever significant changes occur in our operations, to ensure it remains suitable, sufficient and aligned with our commitment to safe removals and storage services.
