Storage Upminster Health and Safety Policy
Storage Upminster is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all employees, customers, visitors, and contractors. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our objectives and procedures to prevent accidents and work-related ill health across our storage facilities and removals operations.
We recognise our responsibilities under relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice. Safety is an integral part of our storage, handling, and removal services, and we continually work to identify and manage risks associated with our activities.
Policy Aims and Objectives
The aims of this Health and Safety Policy are to:
Promote a positive health and safety culture in all areas of our work, including storage units, warehouses, vehicles, and customer premises. Prevent accidents, injuries, and cases of work-related ill health. Provide and maintain safe plant, equipment, and vehicles. Ensure safe handling, lifting, and transportation of goods and materials. Provide clear information, instruction, and training to employees to enable them to work safely and competently. Regularly assess and manage risks to reduce them to the lowest reasonably practicable level. Consult with employees on matters affecting their health and safety and encourage feedback and reporting of hazards. Review and continually improve our health and safety performance.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management at Storage Upminster has overall responsibility for implementing and maintaining this Health and Safety Policy. Management will:
Ensure that appropriate resources are allocated for health and safety, including training, equipment, and maintenance. Set clear health and safety objectives and monitor performance. Make sure that risk assessments are completed, documented, and regularly reviewed for all key activities, particularly manual handling, vehicle movements, loading and unloading operations, working at height, and storage of goods. Ensure that employees are aware of this policy and understand their health and safety responsibilities. Investigate accidents, incidents, and near misses, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
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 at Storage Upminster must:
Follow all safety procedures, instructions, and safe systems of work. Use equipment, tools, and personal protective equipment correctly, and report any defects or issues immediately. Co operate with management on all health and safety matters, including attending training and participating in risk assessments when requested. Report accidents, incidents, near misses, hazards, and unsafe conditions as soon as possible so that appropriate action can be taken. Refrain from any behaviour that may compromise the safety of themselves, colleagues, customers, or members of the public.
Safe Storage Facilities
We are committed to maintaining storage facilities that are safe, secure, and fit for purpose. To achieve this, Storage Upminster will:
Keep walkways, access routes, stairways, and exits clear and well lit. Ensure that storage units, shelving, and racking systems are properly installed, used within their load capacity, and regularly inspected. Implement appropriate fire safety measures, including clearly marked escape routes and suitable fire detection and firefighting equipment. Control access to operational areas where necessary, to prevent unauthorised entry and reduce risks.
Safe Removal and Handling Operations
Our removal and handling activities involve particular risks associated with lifting, carrying, transporting, and loading items. To reduce these risks Storage Upminster will:
Carry out risk assessments for removal tasks, including at collection and delivery sites where applicable. Provide manual handling training so that staff use correct techniques and understand their limitations. Use suitable handling aids where possible, such as trolleys, dollies, straps, and other equipment to minimise the need for manual lifting. Plan vehicle loading and unloading to ensure stability of loads and reduce the risk of falls, trips, or impacts. Ensure that ramps, tail lifts, and similar equipment are maintained and used safely by trained personnel.
Vehicles and Driving Safety
Our vehicles are an essential part of our services. To promote safe driving and vehicle operations, Storage Upminster will:
Ensure that vehicles are regularly serviced, inspected, and maintained in line with manufacturer recommendations and legal requirements. Make sure that drivers are competent, hold appropriate licences, and receive relevant training. Expect drivers to follow safe driving practices, comply with road traffic law, and take regular breaks when required. Manage loading and securing of items to prevent load shift, damage, or danger during transit.
Health, Welfare and Training
We recognise that good health and welfare are essential for safe and effective work. Storage Upminster will:
Provide appropriate welfare facilities for employees such as rest areas and sanitation. Offer health and safety induction training to new employees and refresher training when necessary. Provide specific training on topics such as manual handling, safe vehicle use, first aid arrangements, and emergency procedures. Take account of individual capabilities and health conditions when allocating tasks.
Accident Reporting and Emergency Procedures
All accidents, incidents, and near misses must be reported in line with our internal procedures. Storage Upminster will:
Maintain an accident reporting system and keep appropriate records. Investigate incidents to identify causes and prevent recurrence. Ensure that employees are aware of emergency procedures, including evacuation routes, assembly points, and the location of emergency equipment. Nominate and train suitable personnel to act as first aiders and fire marshals as required.
Contractors, Visitors and Customers
Storage Upminster will take reasonable steps to ensure that contractors, visitors, and customers are not exposed to unnecessary risks when on our premises or when interacting with our removal services. We will:
Provide relevant safety information to contractors and visitors on arrival where appropriate. Expect contractors to follow our health and safety rules and provide evidence of their own safe working practices. Manage customer interactions on site carefully, including during loading, unloading, or access to storage units.
Policy Review and Communication
This Health and Safety Policy will be communicated to all employees and made available to customers and other interested parties on request. It will be reviewed regularly, and at least annually, or sooner if there are significant changes to our operations, relevant legislation, or following a serious incident.
Storage Upminster is committed to continual improvement in health and safety performance and expects everyone associated with our business to contribute to a safer working environment.
