Health and Safety Policy for Storage Canonbury
Storage Canonbury is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our employees, contractors, customers and visitors. This Health and Safety policy sets out our approach to preventing accidents, protecting people, safeguarding property and supporting safe working practices across our storage facilities and removal operations.
Our Health and Safety Objectives
Our objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, protect the environment in which we operate, and maintain safe and secure conditions for all who use our services. We aim to continually improve our performance in health and safety by reviewing our procedures, acting on feedback and learning from incidents and near misses.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management at Storage Canonbury holds overall responsibility for health and safety. Management will ensure that this policy is implemented, maintained and regularly reviewed. Managers are responsible for providing clear instructions, information and supervision to employees and contractors so that work is carried out safely and in line with legal and industry standards.
Management will allocate appropriate resources to health and safety, including suitable equipment, maintenance, training, and time for inspections and reviews. Any changes in operations, such as new services, equipment or working practices, will be assessed for potential risks before implementation.
Employee Responsibilities
Every employee of Storage Canonbury has a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. Employees must cooperate with management to ensure that statutory duties and company procedures are followed.
Staff are expected to follow safe working procedures, use equipment correctly, report hazards or defects promptly and participate in required health and safety training. Failure to follow agreed safety procedures may result in disciplinary action, as unsafe behaviour places people, property and the business at risk.
Safe Storage and Facility Conditions
Storage Canonbury is committed to maintaining clean, orderly and safe storage facilities. Walkways, corridors, staircases and loading areas will be kept clear of obstructions as far as reasonably practical. All areas are subject to regular inspections to identify hazards such as spills, damaged flooring, poor lighting or blocked emergency exits.
We will ensure that fire safety measures, including alarms and extinguishers where provided, are maintained and accessible. If customers or visitors observe any damage, leaks, trip hazards or unsafe conditions, they are required to report these to a member of staff as soon as possible so that corrective action can be taken.
Manual Handling and Removals Safety
As a storage and removals focused business, we recognise that manual handling, lifting, carrying and loading activities are a significant source of risk. Storage Canonbury will assess manual handling tasks regularly and put in place measures to reduce risk, including the use of trolleys, handling aids and appropriate vehicle loading procedures.
All staff involved in removals, loading and unloading will receive training on safe lifting techniques, correct posture, team lifting and the use of mechanical aids where available. Employees are expected to avoid lifting loads that are too heavy or awkward for them and to seek assistance when required. We will not ask staff to undertake tasks beyond their physical capability.
Customer and Visitor Safety
Customers and visitors must take reasonable care for their own safety while on our premises and when interacting with our removal services. This includes observing safety signs, following instructions from staff, keeping children under close supervision and remaining within designated customer areas.
Customers are responsible for ensuring that their own belongings are packed and loaded safely, in containers and boxes that can be lifted without excessive strain. Dangerous, illegal or hazardous items must not be stored or handed to our team for removal. Customers must inform staff in advance if any items require special handling, such as fragile, bulky or unusually heavy goods.
Equipment, Vehicles and Maintenance
All equipment and vehicles used by Storage Canonbury for storage and removal services will be maintained in a safe and roadworthy condition. Regular checks will be carried out to ensure that equipment is in good working order, and any defective items will be removed from service until repaired or replaced.
Employees are required to complete pre-use checks where applicable and report any faults or concerns immediately. Only trained and authorised personnel may operate specific equipment, such as lifting aids or vehicles. Safety devices and guards must never be removed or disabled.
Risk Assessment and Incident Reporting
Storage Canonbury conducts risk assessments covering our storage facilities, removal operations, loading areas, and routine tasks carried out by employees and contractors. These assessments identify potential hazards and specify control measures to reduce risk to an acceptable level.
All accidents, injuries, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported promptly to management. We will investigate incidents to determine root causes and to prevent recurrence. Where appropriate, procedures will be updated and lessons shared with staff.
Training, Information and Supervision
We will provide employees with the training, information and supervision they need to work safely. This includes induction training for new starters, refresher training when required and additional instruction when procedures or equipment change.
Training will address topics such as manual handling, safe use of equipment, hazard awareness, emergency procedures and personal protective equipment where necessary. Records of training will be maintained, and employees are expected to attend and engage fully with all health and safety sessions.
Emergency Preparedness
Storage Canonbury maintains emergency procedures for situations such as fire, serious accidents or other incidents that may require evacuation or urgent action. Clear instructions for evacuation routes and assembly points will be displayed where appropriate, and staff will be briefed on their roles during an emergency.
Customers and visitors must follow staff instructions immediately in the event of an emergency and should familiarise themselves with visible exit signage when entering the premises.
Policy Review and Communication
This Health and Safety policy will be reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to our operations, legislation or industry standards. Updated versions will be communicated to employees and made available to customers and visitors on request.
By using Storage Canonbury facilities and removal services, employees, contractors, customers and visitors agree to cooperate with these health and safety measures. Through shared responsibility and commitment, we aim to provide a safe, efficient and professional storage and removals environment for everyone.
