Storage Denmark Hill Health and Safety Policy
Storage Denmark Hill is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for employees, contractors, customers and visitors. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing risks associated with storage, handling, packing, transport, loading and unloading of goods, including those relating to removal services.
Policy Statement
Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health and damage to property by identifying, assessing and controlling workplace hazards. We will comply with applicable health and safety legislation and follow recognised best practice within the storage and removals industry. Health and safety is an integral part of our planning, decision making and day to day activities.
This policy applies to all locations operated by Storage Denmark Hill and to all work carried out on our behalf, including off site removal and delivery activities.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management is responsible for implementing and maintaining this policy. This includes:
Ensuring suitable resources are available to manage health and safety effectively. Setting clear health and safety objectives and monitoring performance against them. Reviewing risk assessments and safe systems of work at regular intervals. Ensuring that health and safety considerations are built into planning for storage, removals and transport operations. Promoting a positive safety culture where all staff feel responsible for maintaining safe standards.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees, whether permanent, temporary or agency, share responsibility for maintaining a safe workplace. Every employee must:
Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Follow all safety procedures, training and instructions. Use equipment, vehicles and protective equipment correctly and report any defects immediately. Report accidents, incidents, near misses and hazards at the earliest opportunity. Cooperate with management to enable compliance with health and safety duties.
Failure to adhere to health and safety requirements may lead to disciplinary action, as safety is critical to our operations.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We will carry out and maintain suitable and sufficient risk assessments for all significant hazards associated with our business activities, including:
Storage of goods in units, racking and containers. Manual handling of furniture, boxes and household or office items. Use of lifting equipment, trolleys and vehicles. Loading and unloading operations at storage facilities and customer premises. Traffic movement within yards, access roads and loading bays. Fire risks, emergency access and evacuation routes.
Findings from risk assessments will be used to develop safe systems of work. These procedures will be communicated to employees through training, instruction, supervision and written guidance.
Manual Handling and Lifting Operations
Manual handling is a key element of storage and removals work. To reduce the risk of injury we will:
Assess manual handling tasks and avoid high risk activities where reasonably practicable. Use mechanical aids such as sack trucks, dollies and pallet trucks where appropriate. Plan lifting tasks carefully, taking account of weight, shape, access and environmental conditions. Provide training in safe lifting techniques, team lifting and the correct use of equipment. Enforce limitations on individual lifting weights in line with guidance and common sense.
Employees must follow safe manual handling guidance, refuse tasks that exceed safe capability and request assistance or equipment where required.
Vehicle and Driving Safety
For removals and transport activities, vehicle and driving safety is essential. Storage Denmark Hill will:
Ensure vehicles used for work are suitable, roadworthy and maintained on a regular schedule. Provide instruction on safe driving, loading, securing of loads and route planning. Manage driver working hours and encourage breaks to reduce fatigue. Enforce safe driving behaviour, including adherence to speed limits and road laws. Put in place safe procedures for reversing, manoeuvring and working in confined or busy areas.
Drivers must check vehicles before use, report defects, secure loads properly and drive with care at all times.
Workplace Conditions and Housekeeping
We will maintain clean, orderly and safe workplace conditions in storage areas, offices and yards by:
Keeping walkways, fire exits and access routes clear of obstructions. Ensuring floors are in good condition and spills are cleaned promptly. Storing goods safely, avoiding overloading of racking and unstable stacking. Providing suitable lighting in indoor and outdoor working areas. Managing temperature and ventilation as far as reasonably practicable.
Good housekeeping is the responsibility of everyone on site and is essential in preventing slips, trips and falls.
Fire Safety and Emergencies
Storage Denmark Hill will put in place appropriate fire safety and emergency arrangements, including:
Carrying out fire risk assessments and acting on the findings. Providing suitable fire detection and firefighting equipment where required. Establishing clear evacuation routes and assembly points. Displaying emergency instructions clearly on site. Providing induction and refresher training on fire procedures and emergency response. Holding periodic drills to ensure staff are familiar with evacuation procedures.
All staff and visitors must follow instructions during an emergency and evacuate promptly when directed to do so.
Training, Information and Supervision
We will ensure that all employees receive appropriate health and safety training, including:
Induction training when joining the company or moving to a new role. Task specific training for storage and removal operations, equipment use and vehicle driving where relevant. Refresher training at intervals to maintain competence. Additional training when new processes, equipment or hazards are introduced.
Supervisors are responsible for monitoring work practices, providing guidance and correcting unsafe behaviour. Safety information will be communicated through briefings, posters, written instructions and meetings as needed.
Accident, Incident and Near Miss Reporting
All accidents, incidents and near misses must be reported to management as soon as possible. Storage Denmark Hill will:
Record and investigate incidents to identify root causes. Take corrective and preventive actions to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Monitor accident trends and review risk controls accordingly. Cooperate with relevant authorities where reporting is required.
We encourage open reporting and will not penalise individuals for raising genuine safety concerns or reporting incidents.
Consultation and Continuous Improvement
Storage Denmark Hill recognises that effective health and safety management depends on involvement and feedback from employees and others who work with us. We will:
Consult with employees on health and safety matters that affect them. Encourage suggestions for improved safety practices, equipment and procedures. Review this policy and our risk assessments at planned intervals and following significant changes in operations or incidents. Aim for continual improvement in our health and safety performance.
This Health and Safety Policy is supported by detailed procedures and guidance documents which are reviewed regularly. It will be made available to employees, customers, contractors and visitors who wish to understand how we manage safety across our storage and removals activities.
