Storage Mile End Health and Safety Policy
Storage Mile End is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for employees, contractors, customers and visitors. This Health and Safety Policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks across our storage facilities and removal operations, and to complying with all applicable health and safety legislation and recognised industry standards.
Policy Aims and Objectives
The primary aims of this policy are to prevent injury and ill health, safeguard property, and promote a culture of safety awareness. We strive to identify and control hazards associated with storage, lifting, handling, transport of goods, and the use of vehicles and equipment. We aim to continuously improve our safety performance through regular monitoring, review, and staff engagement.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management holds overall responsibility for health and safety within Storage Mile End. This includes ensuring that adequate resources are made available for implementing this policy, that safety arrangements are clearly defined, and that responsibilities are communicated and understood throughout the company. Managers will lead by example, promote safe working practices, and ensure that risk assessments, procedures, and training remain up to date and relevant to our storage and removal activities.
Managers are responsible for ensuring that work is planned and supervised so that it can be carried out safely, including the loading and unloading of vehicles, movement of goods within our facilities, and any on-site removal work at customer premises. They will ensure that incidents are investigated, corrective actions are implemented, and lessons learned are shared.
Employee Responsibilities
Every employee has 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. Employees must follow all safety instructions, use equipment correctly, and co-operate with management in achieving a safe workplace. This includes reporting hazards, near misses, injuries, or unsafe conditions immediately so that appropriate action can be taken.
Employees are expected to wear any personal protective equipment provided, such as safety footwear, gloves, high visibility clothing, and any other items specified for particular tasks. They must not intentionally misuse or interfere with any equipment, systems, or arrangements provided in the interest of health and safety.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
Storage Mile End carries out regular risk assessments covering all significant activities, including storage operations, handling and lifting of goods, operation of vehicles, use of mechanical handling equipment, and on-site removal services. These assessments identify hazards and evaluate the likelihood and severity of potential harm so that suitable control measures can be implemented.
Safe systems of work are developed based on the findings of these assessments. They cover tasks such as manual handling of heavy or bulky items, stacking and de-stacking within storage units, loading and securing items in vehicles, driving and parking in and around our facilities, and working at customer locations. These systems are communicated clearly to employees and are reviewed whenever working practices, equipment, or legislation change.
Training, Information and Supervision
Appropriate health and safety training is provided for all employees, with additional role-specific training for staff involved in removals, driving, vehicle loading, and the use of lifting equipment. Induction training covers general safety rules, emergency procedures, reporting lines, and safe behaviour within storage areas and yards.
Ongoing training may include manual handling techniques, safe operation of trolleys and other handling equipment, vehicle safety and load restraint, working in customers premises, and dealing with challenging environments. Supervisors are responsible for monitoring competence and ensuring that tasks are only allocated to employees who are suitably trained and authorised.
Premises, Equipment and Vehicle Safety
We will maintain our premises, storage units, yards, and access routes in a condition that is safe and without risk to health. This includes ensuring clear walkways, adequate lighting, appropriate signage, safe stacking heights, and secure storage of materials. Regular inspections are carried out to identify and rectify defects relating to housekeeping, flooring, doors, loading bays, and other structural or operational features.
All equipment and vehicles used in storage and removal activities will be inspected, maintained, and serviced in line with manufacturer guidance and legal requirements. This includes trolleys, dollies, lifting aids, and any other mechanical handling equipment. Drivers are expected to perform routine checks on vehicles before use and to report defects immediately.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Manual handling presents a significant risk within storage and removal services. We will avoid hazardous manual handling wherever reasonably practicable by using mechanical aids, team lifts, and effective planning of work. Where manual handling is unavoidable, tasks will be assessed and managed so as to reduce the risk of injury.
Employees will receive guidance on correct lifting techniques, use of handling equipment, and recognition of personal limits. Heavy or awkward items must not be lifted alone where two-person handling is required. Supervisors will ensure that realistic timeframes and staffing levels are provided to avoid unsafe practices caused by time pressure.
Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures
Storage Mile End maintains fire safety arrangements appropriate to the nature of our premises and the goods stored. This includes provision of suitable fire detection and alarm systems, clearly marked escape routes, fire fighting equipment, and regular drills. All occupants must familiarise themselves with the location of exits and assembly points and must follow instructions given by staff during an emergency.
Emergency procedures cover fire, serious accidents, spillages, and other incidents that could affect the health and safety of people on site. Employees receive instruction on these procedures as part of their induction and refresher training.
Contractors, Visitors and Customers
We recognise our responsibility to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of contractors, visitors, and customers while they are on our premises or when we are working at their location. Contractors are expected to follow our safety rules, work within agreed methods, and provide evidence of their own safety arrangements where necessary.
Visitors and customers using our storage facilities or meeting our removal teams will be provided with relevant safety information and will be expected to comply with site rules and any instructions given by our staff.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
This Health and Safety Policy will be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure that it remains effective and relevant to our operations. We will review the policy regularly, and also following any significant changes in our activities, incidents, near misses, or updates to legislation or guidance.
Storage Mile End is committed to continually improving health and safety performance. Feedback from employees, contractors, and customers is welcomed and will be used to strengthen our arrangements, reduce risks, and maintain a safe environment for everyone associated with our storage and removal services.
