Storage Enfield Lock Health and Safety Policy
This Health and Safety Policy sets out the commitment of Storage Enfield Lock to provide a safe and healthy environment for employees, customers, contractors and visitors. Our operations include storage activities and removal services, and we recognise our duty to manage all associated risks in a responsible and proactive way.
Policy Statement and Objectives
Storage Enfield Lock aims to prevent accidents, injuries and work-related ill health by maintaining safe premises, equipment and systems of work. We will provide appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision so that health and safety responsibilities are understood and effectively carried out at all levels of the business.
Our objectives are to identify hazards early, reduce risks to an acceptable level, comply with all relevant health and safety obligations, and continually improve our standards in line with best practice in the removals and storage industry.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management holds overall responsibility for the implementation and review of this policy. Managers will ensure that health and safety considerations form an integral part of planning, decision making and daily operations, particularly where storage units, handling of goods and vehicle movements are involved.
Management will ensure that suitable resources are allocated for health and safety measures, including risk assessments, staff training, maintenance of equipment, provision of personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees are required to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions. Staff must follow all safety procedures, cooperate with training and supervision, use equipment correctly and promptly report any hazards, near misses, accidents or unsafe conditions.
Employees involved in removals, manual handling and storage activities must adhere to safe lifting techniques, loading procedures and traffic control rules on site. Failure to comply with health and safety requirements may result in disciplinary action.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We will carry out and maintain suitable and sufficient risk assessments for all significant activities, including loading and unloading vehicles, movement of goods within storage areas, use of trolleys and lifting equipment, and general site operations.
From these assessments, we will develop safe systems of work and clear procedures that are communicated to all relevant staff. Risk assessments will be reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to work practices, facilities, equipment or legislation.
Safe Use of Premises and Storage Areas
Storage Enfield Lock will maintain its premises in a clean, orderly and safe condition. This includes good housekeeping, safe stacking and storage of items, clear labelling where required, and the prevention of blocked walkways or emergency exits.
Lighting, ventilation and access routes will be monitored to ensure that they are suitable and safe for staff and customers. Any damaged fixtures, fittings or structural issues will be reported and addressed promptly.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling is a key part of our removals and storage operations. We will minimise the need for hazardous lifting by using mechanical aids such as trolleys and where appropriate lifting equipment, and by planning jobs carefully to reduce unnecessary handling of heavy or awkward items.
Staff will receive training in correct manual handling techniques, including assessing the load, planning the route, using team lifts when required, and recognising when a load is beyond their capacity. Employees must never lift items that they are not confident they can handle safely.
Vehicles and Traffic Management
Our sites will have clear arrangements for managing vehicles, including removal vans, delivery vehicles and customer cars. Designated loading and unloading areas will be used to prevent congestion and reduce the risk of collisions or injuries.
Drivers must follow site speed limits, traffic routes and instructions from staff responsible for coordinating vehicle movements. Reversing and manoeuvring must be carried out with particular care, using a guide where appropriate to protect pedestrians and property.
Equipment, Maintenance and Personal Protective Equipment
All work equipment used in storage and removals operations, including trolleys and lifting aids, will be selected, inspected and maintained to ensure it is safe and fit for purpose. Faulty equipment will be taken out of use immediately and reported for repair or replacement.
Where personal protective equipment is required, such as safety footwear or gloves, it will be provided and employees must use it as instructed. Staff are responsible for reporting any defects or damage so that equipment can be repaired or replaced.
Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures
We will implement and maintain suitable fire safety and emergency procedures for all premises. This includes providing appropriate fire detection and alarm systems, fire extinguishers, clearly marked escape routes, and emergency lighting where required.
Emergency procedures will be communicated to staff and displayed on site. Fire drills or emergency practice exercises will be carried out periodically to ensure that everyone knows how to respond promptly and safely in an emergency, including the safe evacuation of customers and visitors.
Accident Reporting and Investigation
All accidents, incidents, near misses and hazardous situations must be reported without delay. Records will be kept and reviewed to identify trends and areas for improvement. Where necessary, investigations will be carried out to determine root causes and to implement corrective actions.
Lessons learned from incidents will be shared with staff and, where relevant, incorporated into updated training, procedures or risk assessments.
Training, Communication and Consultation
Storage Enfield Lock will provide appropriate health and safety training for all employees, including induction training, role specific guidance for removals and storage tasks, and refresher training where needed. Training will be planned and documented to ensure competence is maintained.
We will communicate health and safety information through team briefings, notices and written procedures. Employees will be encouraged to raise any concerns, suggestions or questions regarding health and safety, and management will consult with staff on changes that may affect their wellbeing.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
We will monitor the effectiveness of this policy through regular inspections, audits, incident reviews and staff feedback. Where shortcomings are identified, we will take prompt action to address them.
This Health and Safety Policy will be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to reflect changes in our operations, industry practice or legal requirements. Storage Enfield Lock is committed to continual improvement in health and safety performance to support safe, reliable and professional removals and storage services.
