Storage Friern Barnet Health and Safety Policy
Storage Friern Barnet is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, visitors, and customers using our storage and removal services. This policy explains our approach to managing health and safety risks and sets out the responsibilities and standards expected from everyone who works with or visits our premises.
Our Health and Safety Objectives
Our primary objectives are to prevent injury and ill health, protect property, and ensure that all operations, including storage, packing, loading, unloading, and removals, are carried out in a controlled and safe manner. We aim to continually improve our health and safety performance and to integrate safety considerations into everyday decision making.
Management Responsibilities
The management team at Storage Friern Barnet has overall responsibility for implementing this policy and ensuring that adequate resources are in place. This includes providing safe premises and equipment, arranging appropriate training, monitoring working practices, and reviewing risk assessments regularly. Management will lead by example, promote a positive safety culture, and take prompt action where improvements are needed.
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 or omissions. Staff are expected to follow company procedures, use equipment correctly, attend training sessions, and report hazards, accidents, near misses, or unsafe conditions to their manager. No employee should undertake any task for which they have not been trained or authorised.
Contractors and Visitors
Contractors carrying out work on our premises must comply with this policy and any site-specific safety rules. They must ensure that their own work activities do not put Storage Friern Barnet staff, customers, or the public at risk. Visitors and customers will be given appropriate guidance when on site, and must follow any instructions, signage, or restrictions provided for their safety.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We will identify and assess the significant risks associated with our storage and removal activities, including manual handling, working in and around vehicles, using mechanical handling equipment, and working within warehouse or storage areas. Risk assessments will be recorded, communicated to relevant staff, and reviewed routinely or following an incident, change in working practice, or introduction of new equipment.
Where necessary, Storage Friern Barnet will develop safe systems of work to control identified risks. These may include specific guidance for lifting and carrying, safe loading and unloading of vehicles, operating in loading bays, stacking and storing items, and working in confined or restricted spaces within storage units.
Training, Instruction, and Supervision
We will provide employees with suitable and sufficient information, instruction, and training to enable them to work safely and competently. Training needs will be assessed at induction and reviewed regularly. This may include manual handling techniques, use of trolleys and lifting equipment, vehicle loading, safe use of ladders, fire safety, and emergency procedures.
Supervision will be provided to ensure that procedures are followed and that new or less experienced staff receive additional support while they develop their skills. Refresher training will be arranged where necessary, particularly when changes occur in work practices, equipment, or legislation.
Safe Handling, Storage, and Transport of Goods
Storage Friern Barnet will take appropriate measures to ensure that items stored or moved on behalf of customers are handled carefully and safely. Staff will be trained to assess the weight, shape, and stability of loads before lifting or moving them. Mechanical aids will be used where possible to reduce manual handling risks.
Goods must be stacked and stored in a stable manner, allowing safe access and preventing falls of objects. Aisles and walkways must be kept clear of obstructions to allow safe movement of people and equipment. During transport and removal work, loads will be secured properly within vehicles to prevent shifting, damage, or risk to drivers and other road users.
Vehicles and Driving Safety
Where company vehicles are used for collection, delivery, or removal services, they must be maintained in a roadworthy condition. Drivers are responsible for carrying out basic checks, reporting defects, and driving in a safe and considerate manner. Vehicles must not be overloaded, and access areas used for loading and unloading must be kept organised and free from unnecessary hazards.
Housekeeping and Workplace Environment
Good housekeeping standards are essential to maintaining a safe working environment. Floors must be kept clean and dry where possible, and spillages dealt with promptly. Fire exits, emergency routes, and equipment must be kept clear at all times. Lighting and ventilation will be maintained to provide safe and comfortable working conditions within storage areas and offices.
Personal Protective Equipment
Where risks cannot be eliminated by other means, Storage Friern Barnet will provide appropriate personal protective equipment. This may include safety footwear, high-visibility clothing, gloves, or other items relevant to specific tasks. Employees must use this equipment as instructed and report any loss or damage so that replacements can be provided.
Accidents, Incidents, and Emergencies
All accidents, incidents, and near misses must be reported as soon as possible so that they can be recorded, investigated, and used to prevent recurrence. First aid arrangements will be in place, with appointed persons or first aiders available during working hours. Emergency procedures, including evacuation routes and assembly points, will be clearly communicated and regularly tested through drills.
Fire safety is a key priority. Fire detection and firefighting equipment will be installed, maintained, and inspected in line with relevant requirements. Staff will be informed of their responsibilities in the event of a fire, including how to raise the alarm and when to evacuate the premises.
Monitoring, Review, and Continuous Improvement
Storage Friern Barnet will monitor its health and safety performance through inspections, audits, incident reporting, and feedback from staff and customers. This policy and associated procedures will be reviewed regularly to ensure they remain effective and up to date with current best practice and legal requirements.
We are committed to learning from experience and to improving our systems so that everyone connected with our storage and removal operations can work and visit with confidence in a safe and well managed environment.
