Storage Osterley Health and Safety Policy
Storage Osterley is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all employees, customers, contractors and visitors. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks across our storage facilities and removal operations. Our aim is to prevent accidents, protect property, and promote safe working practices at all times.
Policy Statement and Objectives
We recognise our duty to manage health and safety in a systematic and preventative way. Our objectives are to identify hazards, reduce risks as far as is reasonably practicable, and promote a positive safety culture. This includes our storage units, loading areas, vehicle operations and any removal or related services carried out on customer premises.
Health and safety is an integral part of our daily decision-making. We commit to providing clear information, appropriate training and adequate resources so that work can be carried out safely and efficiently.
Management Responsibilities
The management team at Storage Osterley is responsible for implementing this policy and ensuring it is communicated and understood. Management duties include assessing and reviewing significant risks, putting in place practical controls and safe systems of work, and monitoring performance and compliance.
Managers must ensure that all new employees, as well as contractors engaged in storage or removal activities, receive an appropriate induction, understand relevant procedures and follow site rules. Supervisors are expected to lead by example, promptly address unsafe behaviour or conditions, and encourage reporting of hazards and near misses.
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. This includes colleagues, customers and visitors. Employees must follow training and instructions, use equipment correctly, and cooperate fully with any health and safety measures in place.
Staff are expected to report accidents, incidents, near misses, faulty equipment and unsafe conditions to their supervisor without delay. No employee should undertake a task for which they have not been trained or which they believe cannot be carried out safely.
Risk Assessments and Safe Systems of Work
Storage Osterley conducts regular risk assessments covering storage facilities, handling of goods, vehicle movements, loading and unloading, and on-site removal work at customer locations. These assessments identify hazards such as slips, trips and falls, manual handling injuries, struck-by incidents, fire risks and property damage.
Control measures arising from risk assessments may include physical safeguards, designated walkways, restricted areas, lifting aids, staff training and written procedures. Safe systems of work are developed and reviewed to ensure that common tasks, especially those involving heavy or awkward items, are undertaken in a controlled and consistent way.
Manual Handling and Safe Lifting
Manual handling is a key element of storage and removal services. Improper lifting can result in serious injury. Storage Osterley provides guidance and training on safe lifting techniques, team handling, use of mechanical aids and planning of routes before moving items.
Employees must assess the weight, size and stability of items before attempting to lift or move them. Where items are too heavy, too bulky or present an unusual risk, lifting equipment or additional team members must be used. Staff must not exceed their individual capabilities or attempt to rush tasks.
Use of Equipment and Vehicles
All equipment supplied by Storage Osterley, including trolleys, dollies, lifting devices and any specialist tools, must be inspected before use and operated only by trained personnel. Defective or damaged equipment must be taken out of service and reported immediately.
Where removal vehicles are used, only authorised and competent drivers are permitted to operate them. Vehicle loading and unloading must be conducted in designated areas, with attention to stability, weight distribution and securement of loads. Reversing and manoeuvring require particular care, with use of a banksman where the risk of collision or contact with pedestrians is higher.
Customer and Visitor Safety
We take reasonable steps to ensure that our premises are safe for customers and visitors. This includes maintaining clear signage, adequate lighting, good housekeeping and secure access routes. Visitors must comply with any instructions given by staff and remain within authorised areas.
Customers are encouraged to follow safe manual handling practices when loading or unloading their own items and to use lifting aids provided where appropriate. Children must be supervised at all times within our premises and kept away from loading areas and vehicle movements.
Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures
Fire safety is a priority across all storage facilities. Storage Osterley maintains suitable fire detection and alarm systems, clearly marked escape routes and emergency exits. Fire extinguishers are provided in appropriate locations and are maintained at regular intervals.
Employees receive training on fire safety arrangements, including what to do in the event of an alarm, evacuation procedures and the importance of keeping exits and access routes clear at all times. Regular checks are carried out to ensure that escape routes are unobstructed and that emergency arrangements remain effective.
Accident Reporting and Investigation
All accidents, near misses and dangerous occurrences must be reported and recorded. This enables Storage Osterley to identify trends, learn from incidents and improve controls. Serious incidents are investigated in more detail so that root causes can be identified and appropriate corrective actions implemented.
We promote an open culture in which staff feel able to report incidents without fear of blame, provided they have acted responsibly. Lessons from investigations are shared where appropriate to prevent recurrence.
Training, Information and Supervision
Training is an essential part of managing health and safety. Storage Osterley provides induction training for new starters, as well as task-specific training for those involved in manual handling, vehicle operations and any specialist activities. Refresher training is arranged where necessary and when new procedures or equipment are introduced.
Information on site rules, emergency arrangements and safe working procedures is made available to employees and, where relevant, to contractors and customers. Levels of supervision are set according to the nature of the work, the competence of staff and the associated risks.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
This Health and Safety Policy is reviewed periodically and updated to reflect changes in operations, risk assessments, best practice and applicable legal requirements. We monitor performance through inspections, audits, incident analysis and staff feedback.
Storage Osterley is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety standards across its storage and removal services. Everyone associated with our operations is expected to contribute to a safer working environment by following procedures, reporting concerns and supporting a culture where safety is regarded as a shared responsibility.
