Storage The Hyde Health And Safety Policy
This Health and Safety policy sets out the commitment of Storage The Hyde to provide a safe and healthy environment for employees, contractors, visitors and customers using our storage and related removal services. We aim to prevent accidents and work related ill health by identifying hazards, managing risk and promoting safe working practices at all times.
Policy Statement And Objectives
Storage The Hyde is committed to achieving high standards of health, safety and welfare in all activities, including storage, loading, unloading, packing and removal operations. Our objectives are to:
Identify, assess and control risks in all areas of our premises and operations.
Provide and maintain safe facilities, plant and equipment.
Ensure safe handling and movement of goods, including during collection and delivery.
Provide clear information, instruction, training and supervision to employees.
Consult with staff on health and safety matters and encourage reporting of concerns.
Prevent accidents, near misses and occupational ill health so far as reasonably practicable.
Review and improve our health and safety performance on a regular basis.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management at Storage The Hyde has overall responsibility for implementing this policy. Management will:
Ensure that suitable and sufficient risk assessments are carried out and kept up to date.
Provide adequate resources to maintain safe and healthy working conditions.
Implement safe systems of work for storage and removal activities, including loading bays, vehicle areas and storage units.
Ensure that staff receive appropriate training, induction and refresher instruction in line with their roles.
Monitor compliance with health and safety procedures through inspections and audits.
Investigate accidents, incidents and near misses and put in place measures to prevent recurrence.
Employee Responsibilities
All employees of Storage The Hyde share responsibility for maintaining a safe workplace. Employees must:
Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions.
Follow all safety procedures, instructions and signage at all times.
Use equipment, tools and vehicles only if they are authorised and trained to do so.
Wear any personal protective equipment provided and keep it in good condition.
Report hazards, defects, accidents and near misses to their manager as soon as possible.
Cooperate with managers and supervisors to enable compliance with health and safety requirements.
Customer And Visitor Safety
Storage The Hyde aims to provide safe access and use of the premises for customers and visitors. To support this aim, customers and visitors are required to:
Observe all safety notices, traffic controls and restricted areas on site.
Use designated walkways, loading areas and entrances.
Ensure goods are packed, stacked and transported safely, particularly when using trolleys or moving items between vehicles and storage units.
Inform a member of staff immediately if they observe any hazard, spill, damage or unsafe condition.
Safe Use Of Storage Facilities
To reduce the risk of fire, injury or property damage, Storage The Hyde will implement and enforce rules for safe storage. This includes:
Prohibiting the storage of dangerous, explosive, flammable or illegal goods, and any items that may pose a health risk.
Ensuring that goods are stacked safely, avoiding unstable loads and overloading shelves or units.
Keeping aisles, fire exits and access routes clear at all times.
Maintaining good housekeeping standards, including regular checks for obstructions, spills and damage.
Manual Handling And Lifting
Storage and removal activities often involve lifting and moving items. To reduce the risk of injury, Storage The Hyde will:
Provide manual handling training appropriate to each role.
Encourage staff and customers to assess the load and route before lifting and never to attempt more than they can safely manage.
Promote the use of trolleys, handling aids and team lifting for heavy or awkward items.
Ensure that removal activities are planned to minimise unnecessary carrying distances and awkward movements.
Vehicles, Traffic And Loading Areas
Vehicle movements and loading operations present particular risks. Storage The Hyde will manage these by:
Maintaining clearly marked traffic routes, speed limits and loading bays.
Implementing safe procedures for reversing, parking and manoeuvring vehicles.
Ensuring loading areas are kept tidy, level and free from obstructions.
Providing suitable equipment, such as ramps and securing devices, to allow safe loading and unloading.
Requiring drivers and staff to follow agreed communication methods and signals when vehicles are moving or being loaded.
Fire Safety And Emergency Procedures
Storage The Hyde will put in place and maintain robust fire safety arrangements, including:
Carrying out fire risk assessments and acting on findings.
Providing and maintaining fire detection and alarm systems, fire extinguishers and emergency lighting where appropriate.
Clearly marking fire exits and escape routes and keeping them unobstructed at all times.
Displaying site specific emergency instructions and evacuation procedures.
Providing training and regular drills for employees so that everyone knows how to respond in an emergency.
Welfare, First Aid And Incident Reporting
Storage The Hyde is committed to supporting the welfare of employees and visitors by:
Providing suitable welfare facilities such as rest areas and washrooms.
Ensuring that appropriate first aid provisions and trained first aiders are available during operating hours wherever reasonably practicable.
Maintaining an accident book and incident reporting procedures for all injuries, ill health, near misses and property damage.
Reviewing incident records to identify trends and implement corrective actions.
Training, Information And Supervision
We recognise that effective training is essential to safe working. Storage The Hyde will:
Provide new employees with a health and safety induction covering site rules, emergency arrangements and safe working procedures.
Offer job specific training for activities such as operating equipment, handling goods and working in loading areas.
Provide refresher training as required, particularly when procedures, equipment or work methods change.
Ensure appropriate supervision is in place, especially for new or inexperienced employees.
Monitoring, Review And Policy Availability
Storage The Hyde will monitor the effectiveness of this policy through regular inspections, audits and feedback from employees and customers. The policy will be reviewed periodically and updated to reflect changes in operations, best practice or legislation as necessary. A current copy of this Health and Safety policy is available to all employees and will be made available to customers and visitors on request.
By working together to follow this policy, Storage The Hyde aims to provide a safe, healthy and secure environment for all users of our storage and removal services.
