Storage Tolworth Health and Safety Policy
Storage Tolworth is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, customers, visitors and any other persons who may be affected by our storage and removal activities. We aim to prevent accidents, work-related ill health and damage to property by managing health and safety risks in a systematic and proportionate manner.
Policy Statement
Our objective is to conduct all storage, handling, moving and associated removal operations in a way that safeguards people, premises, vehicles and goods. Health and safety is an integral part of our planning and decision-making. We will comply with all relevant health and safety legislation, approved codes of practice and recognised industry guidance applicable to storage facilities and removal services.
We will provide adequate resources, information, training, supervision and equipment to enable safe working practices and to support a positive health and safety culture throughout the organisation.
Responsibilities
Overall responsibility for health and safety rests with senior management, who will ensure that this policy is implemented, maintained and reviewed. Management will:
Set clear health and safety objectives and review performance regularly.
Ensure that suitable and sufficient risk assessments are carried out and that appropriate control measures are implemented.
Provide and maintain safe premises, vehicles, plant, equipment and systems of work.
Ensure that employees receive appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision.
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. All employees are required to:
Follow safe working procedures and instructions at all times.
Use equipment, vehicles and personal protective equipment correctly.
Report hazards, near misses, accidents and unsafe conditions without delay.
Cooperate with management to enable compliance with health and safety requirements.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We will identify hazards associated with our storage and removal operations, assess the risks arising from those hazards and implement control measures in line with the principles of prevention. Risk assessments will cover, as appropriate:
Manual handling of goods, furniture and equipment.
Use of storage units, racking and stacking systems.
Vehicle movements, loading and unloading activities.
Use of lifting and handling equipment, including trolleys and similar aids.
Slips, trips and falls in warehouses, yards, corridors and access routes.
Fire safety, including storage of combustible materials and housekeeping.
Work at height, including use of steps or platforms where required.
Security and access control to storage areas.
Findings from risk assessments will be used to develop and maintain safe systems of work, which will be communicated to all relevant staff.
Safe Storage and Handling Practices
To ensure safe storage and handling, we will:
Maintain clear walkways, exits and access routes within all storage areas.
Ensure loads are stacked in a stable, secure and appropriate manner.
Apply weight limits and height restrictions to prevent overloading of storage units, racking and vehicles.
Provide manual handling guidance to minimise strain, twisting and overreaching.
Use appropriate lifting and handling aids where reasonably practicable.
Supervise loading and unloading of vehicles to avoid crush injuries and falling loads.
Vehicles and Driving Safety
Our vehicles used for removal and transport services will be maintained in a safe and roadworthy condition. Drivers and staff involved in vehicle operations must:
Conduct pre-use vehicle checks and report defects immediately.
Secure loads safely to prevent movement during transit.
Follow site traffic routes, speed limits and parking instructions.
Use appropriate reversing and signalling procedures, including a banksman where necessary.
Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures
We will implement and maintain fire safety arrangements appropriate to our storage and removal activities. This includes:
Carrying out fire risk assessments and acting on their findings.
Keeping escape routes, doors and emergency exits clear at all times.
Providing suitable fire detection and, where appropriate, firefighting equipment.
Displaying clear signage to indicate exits and emergency equipment.
Training staff in emergency procedures, including evacuation and assembly points.
Welfare, First Aid and Incident Reporting
Appropriate welfare facilities will be provided, including access to toilets, washing facilities, drinking water and rest areas where applicable. Adequate first aid provision will be in place, including trained first aid personnel and suitable first aid equipment.
All accidents, incidents, near misses and cases of work-related ill health must be reported and recorded. We will investigate these events, identify root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence. Where required, incidents will be reported to the relevant authorities in line with statutory requirements.
Training, Information and Supervision
We will ensure that employees and, where appropriate, contractors receive adequate health and safety training on recruitment and when changing roles or duties. This may include:
Induction training covering general health and safety rules and emergency procedures.
Task-specific training for manual handling, storage operations and removal activities.
Instruction on the correct use of equipment, vehicles and personal protective equipment.
Refresher training where necessary to maintain competence.
Supervisors and managers will monitor working practices to ensure that training is applied in practice and that safe systems of work are followed.
Consultation and Communication
We encourage open communication on health and safety matters. Employees are invited to raise concerns, suggest improvements and participate in discussions regarding safety in storage areas, during removals and throughout our operations. Health and safety information, including updates to procedures and findings from risk assessments, will be communicated in a timely and clear manner.
Monitoring, Audit and Review
We will regularly monitor our health and safety performance through inspections, audits and reviews of incident data. Where shortcomings are identified, we will take prompt corrective action. This policy and associated procedures will be reviewed periodically, and whenever there are significant changes to our activities, premises or relevant legislation.
Storage Tolworth is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety. Everyone working for or with us is expected to contribute to maintaining and enhancing the safety standards described in this policy.
