Storage Ardleigh Green Health and Safety Policy
Storage Ardleigh Green is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our employees, customers, contractors and visitors. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to preventing injury, protecting property, and promoting safe working practices across our storage and removals operations.
We recognise our responsibilities under relevant health and safety legislation and industry best practice. We aim to integrate health and safety into all decision making, planning and day-to-day activities, particularly where handling, moving and storing goods is involved.
Policy Objectives
The objectives of this policy are to prevent accidents and work-related ill health, manage risks arising from our activities, maintain safe and tidy premises, provide safe equipment and systems of work, and ensure that all persons on site understand their responsibilities and follow safe practices.
Health and safety performance is reviewed regularly, and we are committed to continuous improvement in all areas of risk management, including manual handling, vehicle movements and the use of storage facilities.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management is responsible for implementing this policy and ensuring that appropriate resources, information and training are provided. Management will identify significant hazards, assess risks, and put suitable control measures in place. They will ensure that safe systems of work are documented where necessary and that employees understand and follow them.
Managers and supervisors will monitor day-to-day activities, check that safety procedures are followed, and take prompt action where improvements are needed. They will investigate accidents and near misses to identify root causes and prevent recurrence.
Employee Responsibilities
All 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 or omissions. Employees must cooperate fully with Storage Ardleigh Green on all health and safety matters, follow instructions and training, and use equipment correctly.
Employees must report hazards, defects, unsafe behaviour, accidents and near misses to their manager as soon as possible. They must not interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare, and must only undertake tasks for which they are trained and authorised.
Customer and Visitor Responsibilities
Customers and visitors are expected to follow all instructions given by staff, comply with safety signage, and remain within authorised areas. When accessing storage units or interacting with removals teams, customers must not obstruct vehicle routes, loading areas or emergency exits.
Where customers are present during loading or unloading, they must keep a safe distance from lifting operations, manual handling activities and vehicle manoeuvres, and follow directions given by staff at all times.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
Storage Ardleigh Green carries out risk assessments to identify significant hazards associated with storage and removals, including manual handling, loading and unloading vehicles, use of trolleys and handling equipment, working at height for stacking goods, and vehicle movements within the site.
Control measures may include staff training, use of mechanical aids, limiting load weights, route planning, segregation of pedestrian and vehicle areas, and clear procedures for securing loads. Where specific risks are identified, written safe systems of work will be followed and communicated to relevant employees.
Manual Handling and Safe Lifting
Manual handling is a core part of storage and removals operations. Storage Ardleigh Green is committed to reducing the risk of injury by planning lifts in advance, using team lifts where appropriate, providing suitable trolleys and other handling equipment, and avoiding unnecessary lifting whenever possible.
Employees receive guidance on correct lifting techniques, including assessing the load, maintaining good posture, keeping the load close to the body and avoiding twisting. Loads that are too heavy, bulky or unstable must not be handled without assistance, mechanical aids or revised arrangements.
Vehicles, Access and Traffic Management
Vehicle movements, including removals vehicles and customer vehicles, are managed to reduce the risk of collision and injury. Designated loading and unloading areas are used wherever possible, and speed limits must be observed on site.
Drivers must follow site rules, park only in authorised areas and ensure that vehicles are securely braked during loading and unloading. Pedestrians should use marked routes where provided and keep clear of vehicle reversing and lifting operations.
Storage Areas and Housekeeping
All storage areas must be kept orderly and free from unnecessary obstructions. Aisles, walkways, fire exits and access to safety equipment must be kept clear at all times. Goods must be stacked safely and within the capacity of racking, shelving and storage units.
Any damage to doors, locks, floors, racking or other structures must be reported immediately. Spills and debris must be cleaned promptly and waste materials disposed of in appropriate containers to reduce the risk of slips, trips and fire.
Equipment Safety and Maintenance
All work equipment, including trolleys, sack trucks, lifting aids and any other mechanical devices, must be suitable for the task and maintained in a safe condition. Defective or damaged equipment must be taken out of use and reported to management.
Employees must only use equipment for which they have been trained and must follow operating instructions. Unauthorised modifications to equipment are not permitted.
Training, Information and Supervision
Storage Ardleigh Green provides information, instruction and training appropriate to each role. This may include induction training, manual handling, safe use of equipment, emergency procedures and site-specific rules.
Supervisors will observe working practices and provide guidance and correction where necessary. Additional training will be provided when procedures change, new equipment is introduced, or new risks are identified.
Emergency Preparedness
Emergency procedures are in place to deal with fire, accidents and other incidents. Fire exits, escape routes and assembly points are clearly identified, and fire extinguishers and other safety equipment are provided where required.
All persons on site must familiarise themselves with emergency instructions and respond immediately to alarms. In the event of an emergency, lifts or enclosed platforms must not be used unless specifically designated for evacuation.
Accident Reporting and Investigation
All accidents, incidents, near misses and hazardous situations must be reported without delay. Records will be kept in accordance with legal requirements and used to improve safety performance.
Investigations will focus on identifying causes and implementing corrective actions rather than placing blame. Lessons learned will be communicated to relevant staff and, where appropriate, incorporated into updated procedures and training.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
Compliance with this Health and Safety Policy will be monitored through inspections, audits, feedback from staff and customers, and analysis of incident data. Where shortcomings are identified, corrective actions will be taken promptly.
This policy will be reviewed periodically and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, premises or legal duties. Storage Ardleigh Green is committed to working with employees, customers and contractors to maintain a safe environment and to continually improve our health and safety performance.
