Storage Cranford Health and Safety Policy
Storage Cranford is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our customers, visitors, employees, contractors, and anyone affected by our storage and removals activities. This policy sets out how we manage health and safety in our premises, vehicles, and during all handling, lifting, and transport of goods.
Policy Statement and Objectives
Our objective is to prevent injury, ill health, and property damage arising from our operations, including storage, packing, loading, unloading, and removals services. We aim to provide safe systems of work, safe equipment, and a workplace where risks are identified, controlled, and regularly reviewed.
We comply with applicable health and safety legislation and recognised industry standards relevant to storage facilities and removal company operations. We promote a culture where safety is the responsibility of everyone and where concerns can be raised without hesitation.
Responsibilities
Senior management has overall responsibility for implementing this Health and Safety Policy and for providing the necessary resources to maintain it. Management will ensure that risk assessments are carried out, safe working procedures are developed, and that suitable information, instruction, training, and supervision are provided.
Supervisors are responsible for monitoring day-to-day health and safety performance, ensuring that staff follow safe practices, use equipment correctly, and report hazards or incidents promptly.
All employees must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Staff are required to follow training and safety guidance, use personal protective equipment where specified, and immediately report any accidents, near misses, or unsafe conditions.
Contractors, agency workers, and visitors must comply with the safety rules and instructions provided by Storage Cranford while on our premises or working with our teams.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We conduct and maintain written risk assessments for key activities, including manual handling of goods, use of lifting equipment, operation of vehicles, working in storage areas, loading bays, and any other relevant tasks. These assessments identify significant risks and the control measures needed to reduce them to an acceptable level.
Safe systems of work are developed and communicated to staff. These include clear procedures for packing, stacking, and storing items, safe loading and securing of goods in vehicles, safe access to units and storage areas, and control of vehicle and pedestrian traffic on site.
Manual Handling and Use of Equipment
Many tasks within our storage and removals operations involve manual handling of furniture, boxes, and other items. We aim to reduce the need for manual lifting wherever possible by using trolleys, dollies, pallet trucks, and other handling aids.
Employees receive training in safe lifting techniques, team lifting, and the correct use of mechanical aids. Heavy or awkward loads are only handled by staff who have been trained and are physically capable of doing the work safely.
All equipment used for lifting, transport, or storage is inspected and maintained at appropriate intervals. Defective or damaged equipment must be reported immediately and taken out of use until repaired or replaced.
Vehicles, Driving, and Road Safety
For our removals and transport services, we operate vehicles in a safe and responsible manner. Drivers must hold the appropriate licences and follow company rules on safe driving, route planning, loading limits, and securing loads.
All loads must be evenly distributed and properly restrained to prevent movement during transit. Drivers must not operate vehicles if they are unfit to drive, fatigued, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Vehicles are serviced and inspected regularly in line with manufacturer guidance and legal requirements. Any vehicle defects must be reported and addressed promptly.
Workplace Environment and Housekeeping
We maintain our storage areas, offices, loading bays, and external spaces in a clean and orderly condition. Good housekeeping is essential to prevent slips, trips, falls, and other accidents. Aisles, stairways, and emergency exits must be kept clear at all times.
Lighting levels are maintained to provide safe visibility in all working and access areas. Any damaged flooring, steps, or structural features that could present a hazard are addressed as quickly as reasonably practicable.
Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures
Storage Cranford has fire safety measures in place, including appropriate extinguishers, alarms, signage, and where required, emergency lighting. Fire exits are clearly marked and kept unobstructed.
Staff are instructed on actions to take in the event of a fire or other emergency, including evacuation procedures and muster points. Fire drills, checks, and inspections are carried out periodically in line with our internal procedures and relevant guidance.
Customers and visitors are expected to follow all fire safety instructions provided by staff while on site.
Health, Welfare, and First Aid
We provide adequate welfare facilities for employees, including access to drinking water and suitable rest areas. Where applicable, first aid provisions are maintained, and trained first aiders are made available during working hours.
All accidents, injuries, near misses, and incidents of work-related ill health must be reported as soon as possible. Records are kept and reviewed to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
Training, Information, and Consultation
Storage Cranford provides health and safety induction for new staff and ongoing training relevant to specific roles, such as handling fragile items, using equipment, or working in confined or high-storage spaces.
Safety information and instructions are communicated through briefings, written guidance, and signage. Employees are encouraged to raise safety concerns, suggestions, or questions so that issues can be addressed promptly.
Continuous Improvement and Policy Review
We are committed to continually improving our health and safety performance. This includes learning from incidents, feedback, and changes in industry best practice, and adjusting our procedures accordingly.
This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, facilities, or legal requirements. Updated versions are communicated to staff and made available to customers and other interested parties upon request.
By working together to follow this policy, Storage Cranford can provide safe, reliable storage and removals services while protecting the wellbeing of everyone involved.
