Storage Northolt Health and Safety Policy
Storage Northolt is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for customers, employees, contractors and visitors. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety across our storage and removals operations, including warehouse activities, transportation, loading, unloading and office-based work.
We recognise our responsibilities under relevant health and safety legislation and industry standards. Our aim is to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health by identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing sensible control measures.
Policy Aims and Objectives
The primary aims of this Health and Safety Policy are to protect people, property and the environment, and to support the continuity of our storage and removals services. We will achieve this by:
Promoting a positive health and safety culture where safe working is the normal way of operating. Ensuring that health and safety responsibilities are clearly defined, understood and implemented at all levels. Providing information, instruction, training and supervision appropriate to each role. Continuously improving our safety performance through monitoring, audits and review.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management at Storage Northolt has overall responsibility for health and safety. They will provide leadership, resources and support to implement this policy effectively. This includes:
Ensuring that risk assessments are carried out, recorded and regularly reviewed for key activities such as lifting, handling, driving, storage layout and access routes. Providing and maintaining safe equipment, vehicles, tools and facilities in good working order. Setting realistic health and safety objectives and monitoring performance against them. Investigating accidents, incidents and near misses and implementing corrective actions to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
Employee Responsibilities
Every employee has 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 are expected to:
Follow all safety procedures, training and instructions provided by Storage Northolt. Use equipment, vehicles and personal protective equipment correctly and report any defects immediately. Keep aisles, access ways, exits and loading areas clear and free from obstruction. Report hazards, unsafe conditions, accidents and near misses to a supervisor without delay. Cooperate with managers and colleagues to maintain a safe working environment.
Customer and Visitor Safety
Storage Northolt recognises that customers and visitors may not be familiar with warehouse and removals environments. We will:
Provide clear information and signage to guide safe movement on site. Restrict access to operational areas where necessary for safety reasons. Ensure that loading bays, access points and parking areas are managed to minimise risks from moving vehicles and handling activities. Offer assistance with heavy or bulky items to reduce the risk of manual handling injuries for customers.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We will conduct risk assessments for significant hazards associated with our storage and removals operations, including but not limited to:
Manual handling, lifting and carrying of furniture, boxes and equipment. Use of vehicles and moving equipment for collection, delivery and internal movements. Stacking, racking and storage of goods to prevent collapse or falling items. Slips, trips and falls in warehouses, yards, offices and vehicles. Fire safety, emergency evacuation and safe access for emergency services.
Based on these assessments, we will implement safe systems of work, including clear procedures for lifting, vehicle operations, working at height where applicable, and the safe use of mechanical aids.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is central to storage and removals services and is a key focus of our safety arrangements. Storage Northolt will:
Provide suitable training in safe lifting techniques and use of handling aids. Encourage team lifting for large, heavy or awkward items. Plan lifts in advance, including clear routes, stable footing and sufficient staffing. Avoid unnecessary manual handling wherever mechanical aids or alternative methods are reasonably practicable.
Vehicle and Driving Safety
Our vehicles are an essential part of our service. To manage driving and transport risks, we will:
Ensure vehicles are regularly inspected, serviced and maintained in a safe condition. Require drivers to hold the appropriate licence and training for the vehicles they operate. Encourage safe driving practices, including adherence to speed limits and consideration for other road users. Manage loading and unloading carefully to ensure stability, safe weight distribution and secure loads.
Equipment, Maintenance and Housekeeping
Storage Northolt will ensure that all work equipment, including trolleys, lifts and other handling aids, is suitable, regularly checked and maintained. Good housekeeping will be promoted to control hazards by:
Keeping floors and access routes clean, dry where possible and unobstructed. Ensuring waste and packaging materials are disposed of promptly and safely. Maintaining adequate lighting in storage units, corridors, loading bays and external areas.
Training, Information and Supervision
Health and safety training is provided as part of induction for all new employees and updated as required. Training may include manual handling, fire safety, emergency procedures, use of equipment and relevant aspects of removals operations. Supervisors will monitor working practices to ensure that safe procedures are followed and provide additional guidance where necessary.
Accidents, Incidents and First Aid
All workplace accidents, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported and recorded. Storage Northolt will investigate such events to identify root causes and prevent recurrence. Adequate first aid provisions will be maintained on site and in vehicles as appropriate, and staff will be made aware of first aid arrangements and emergency procedures.
Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures
We will assess fire risks and implement measures to reduce them, including appropriate storage practices, clear escape routes, alarm and detection systems where required, and regular checks of fire safety equipment. Staff will be informed of emergency evacuation procedures, assembly points and the actions to take in the event of fire or other serious incidents.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
Storage Northolt will monitor health and safety performance through inspections, audits, incident analysis and feedback from employees and customers. This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed periodically and updated when necessary to reflect changes in operations, legislation or best practice.
By working together and following this policy, we aim to provide storage and removals services that are not only efficient and professional but also safe for everyone involved.
