Storage Chingford Health and Safety Policy Statement
Storage Chingford is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for employees, contractors, customers and visitors. This policy sets out our approach to health and safety across our storage facilities and removal services, ensuring that risks are identified, managed and reduced as far as is reasonably practicable.
Our aim is to prevent injury, protect health and promote safe working practices in all day to day operations, including moving, handling, loading, unloading, packing, storage and access to units.
Management Responsibilities and Objectives
Senior management at Storage Chingford accepts overall responsibility for health and safety performance. Managers will provide clear leadership, set high standards of safety and allocate suitable resources for the implementation of this policy.
Our key objectives are to:
Identify and assess significant hazards related to storage and removal activities.
Implement controls to minimise risks to employees, customers and third parties.
Maintain facilities, vehicles, equipment and storage units in a safe condition.
Provide instruction, information, training and supervision for all staff.
Review performance regularly and seek continual improvement.
Managers will ensure that health and safety is considered in planning, decision making and daily operations, including scheduling of removal work, use of handling equipment and control of site traffic.
Employee Responsibilities
Every employee of Storage Chingford 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, safe systems of work and instructions issued by management.
Use equipment, vehicles, tools and personal protective equipment correctly.
Report hazards, incidents, near misses, defects and unsafe conditions promptly to management.
Take part in training, safety briefings and toolbox talks when requested.
Work in a way that does not put colleagues, customers or the public at risk.
Failure to follow health and safety rules may result in disciplinary action, as safety is considered a core part of each role within the business.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
Storage Chingford will carry out regular and systematic risk assessments covering its storage facilities and removal operations. Assessments will focus on activities such as manual handling, lifting and carrying, use of trolleys, loading and unloading vehicles, stacking goods in units, working in confined spaces and movement around the site.
Findings from risk assessments will be used to develop safe systems of work, which may include:
Designated routes for pedestrians and vehicles.
Safe stacking limits for goods and materials.
Procedures for heavy or awkward items, including team lifting and mechanical aids.
Secure loading and unloading methods for removal vehicles.
Controls for working at height where required.
Risk assessments and procedures will be reviewed at regular intervals and following any significant change in operations, equipment, layout or legislation.
Manual Handling and Use of Equipment
Many of the activities in storage and removal work involve lifting, carrying and moving items. To reduce the risk of injury, the company will:
Provide instruction and training in safe manual handling techniques.
Encourage the use of trolleys, dollies and other handling equipment wherever possible.
Require staff to assess loads before lifting, considering weight, shape and stability.
Promote team lifting for heavy or bulky items.
Ensure that handling equipment is maintained, inspected and used correctly.
Employees must not attempt to move loads that are beyond their capability and must always seek assistance or use appropriate equipment where needed.
Site Safety, Storage Areas and Traffic Management
Storage Chingford will maintain its sites, access routes and storage areas so far as is reasonably practicable in a condition that is safe and without risk to health. This includes:
Keeping floors, corridors and loading bays clean, dry, well lit and free from obstructions.
Ensuring that fire exits, escape routes and assembly points are clearly identified and free from blockage.
Implementing suitable traffic management arrangements to separate vehicles and pedestrians where possible.
Ensuring customers are advised of site rules, including speed limits, parking restrictions and safe behaviours when loading or unloading.
Storage units must be used in accordance with company rules. Prohibited items, including dangerous, flammable or illegal goods, must never be stored. Customers and staff must not overload units or stack items in an unstable manner.
Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures
Storage Chingford will take all reasonable steps to prevent fire and to protect people should an emergency occur. This includes:
Completing fire risk assessments for each site.
Providing suitable fire detection and alarm systems, where appropriate.
Maintaining clear signage for fire exits, escape routes and equipment.
Providing fire extinguishers and ensuring they are inspected at suitable intervals.
Having written emergency and evacuation procedures and conducting periodic drills where applicable.
All staff must familiarise themselves with emergency arrangements, know the location of exits and assembly points and follow the instructions of nominated fire marshals or managers in an emergency.
Training, Information and Supervision
Storage Chingford recognises that effective training and communication are essential to managing health and safety. The company will:
Provide induction training for new employees covering key safety rules and site arrangements.
Offer role specific training for tasks such as manual handling, vehicle use and operation of equipment.
Issue clear safety information and instructions related to storage services, removal work and customer interaction.
Ensure that employees are supervised in line with their experience and competence, especially when carrying out higher risk tasks.
Maintain appropriate records of training, briefings and competency checks.
Contractors, Customers and Visitors
Contractors working on site must cooperate with Storage Chingford health and safety procedures. They are expected to provide their own risk assessments and method statements where appropriate and to ensure their employees work safely at all times.
Customers and visitors will be made aware of key safety information relevant to their activities, including any restrictions on access, movement around the site and use of lifting or handling equipment. Staff will offer guidance on safe loading and unloading where required but customers remain responsible for the safe handling of their own goods unless a removal service has been specifically agreed.
Monitoring, Review and Policy Availability
Storage Chingford will monitor compliance with this policy through inspections, audits, incident investigations and feedback from staff and customers. Accidents, near misses and hazardous occurrences will be recorded and reviewed, with actions taken to prevent recurrence.
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed regularly and updated as necessary to reflect changes in legislation, guidance, operations or organisational structure. The latest version will be made available to employees, contractors and customers upon request and will be displayed in suitable locations at company premises.
By working together and following the principles set out in this policy, Storage Chingford aims to provide safe storage environments and reliable removal services that protect people, property and the wider community.
