Self Storage Balham Health and Safety Policy
Self Storage Balham is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all employees, customers, visitors, contractors and any third parties attending our premises. This policy sets out our approach to managing health and safety risks across our storage facilities and associated handling activities, including the movement and storage of household goods, business items and contents commonly handled by removal and transport companies.
We recognise our responsibility to protect people from injury and ill health arising from our operations and to comply with all applicable health and safety legislation and recognised industry standards.
Our Health and Safety Objectives
The main objectives of this policy are to prevent accidents and work-related ill health, provide safe and well-maintained facilities, ensure safe handling, storage and transport of goods, and promote a positive health and safety culture among employees, contractors, removal partners and customers. We aim to continuously improve our performance through regular review, staff input and customer feedback.
Management Responsibilities
Senior management at Self Storage Balham has overall responsibility for implementing this policy and ensuring that adequate resources are provided to meet our obligations. They will set clear standards for health and safety performance, ensure that risk assessments are carried out and kept up to date, provide appropriate training, instruction and supervision, and monitor compliance with safe working practices, particularly during busy periods involving frequent loading and unloading of goods.
Managers will lead by example, promote a culture where safety concerns are taken seriously and acted upon promptly, and ensure that all incidents, accidents and near misses are recorded, investigated and, where necessary, followed by corrective actions.
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 must follow all health and safety procedures, work in accordance with training and instructions, use any equipment and personal protective equipment correctly, and report any hazards, defects, incidents or near misses to management without delay.
Employees involved in assisting customers, including those supporting loading, unloading or coordination with removal and transport companies, must pay particular attention to manual handling guidance, traffic management instructions and any lifting or safety rules in loading areas.
Customer and Visitor Responsibilities
Customers and visitors are expected to cooperate with our health and safety arrangements while on site. This includes following signage and instructions, parking only in designated areas, driving slowly and carefully within the facility, using trolleys and handling equipment correctly, and not blocking fire exits, corridors or loading zones.
Customers, including those working with professional movers, remain responsible for the safe packing of their own goods and for ensuring that any third parties they instruct behave safely and comply with our site rules.
Working With Removal and Transport Services
Self Storage Balham frequently works alongside removal and transport services that load and unload goods at our premises. All such activity must take place in a controlled and safe manner. Drivers, porters and handlers using our facility must observe site speed limits and one way systems, follow instructions from our staff regarding loading bay use, keep access routes and emergency exits clear at all times, and carry out lifting and carrying operations in a way that reduces the risk of injury.
We encourage all removal and delivery personnel to coordinate with our team before starting work on site, particularly for large items, heavy loads or multiple vehicle movements. Where concerns arise about unsafe practices, our staff may pause activity until suitable control measures are in place.
Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work
We carry out regular risk assessments to identify hazards associated with the operation of our storage facilities, including vehicle movements, manual handling, working at height for certain maintenance tasks, fire risk, slips, trips and falls, and security related issues that may affect personal safety. Control measures are implemented to eliminate or reduce risks to an acceptable level.
Safe systems of work are developed for key activities such as managing loading bays, guiding customers and movers, maintaining equipment, cleaning communal areas and managing waste. These systems are communicated to employees and, where relevant, to contractors and frequent removal partners.
Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures
Self Storage Balham maintains fire safety arrangements appropriate to the size and use of the facility. This includes the provision and maintenance of fire detection and firefighting equipment, clearly marked fire exits and escape routes, and visible emergency signage and instructions.
All staff are trained in emergency procedures, including evacuation routes, assembly points and how to assist customers and visitors during an incident. Customers and contractors must familiarise themselves with escape routes displayed on site and must not obstruct doors, corridors or access to firefighting equipment with stored items, vehicles or packaging.
Housekeeping and Storage Practices
Good housekeeping is essential to maintaining a safe environment. Aisles, corridors and shared areas must be kept clear, lighting must remain unobstructed, and units should be loaded in a stable manner that prevents falling items when doors are opened. Pallets, trolleys and packing materials should be returned to designated areas after use.
Hazardous, illegal or unsuitable materials must not be stored in our units. This includes flammable liquids, explosives, compressed gas, corrosive substances, perishable goods that may rot and cause contamination, and any items prohibited by our terms and conditions. Customers are responsible for ensuring that their goods meet these requirements and for handling fragile or heavy items carefully.
Training, Information and Supervision
We provide employees with health and safety training appropriate to their roles, including induction training, manual handling instruction, fire safety awareness and, where applicable, training in the safe use of equipment and vehicles. Refresher training is provided periodically or when significant changes occur.
Information on safe practices is communicated through signage, verbal briefings and written procedures. Supervisors monitor working practices, especially in loading areas and high traffic zones, and intervene where unsafe behaviour is observed.
Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
Self Storage Balham monitors health and safety performance through regular inspections, audits and the review of incident reports. We use this information to identify trends, address recurring issues and improve procedures. This policy is reviewed periodically and updated when needed to reflect changes in legislation, guidance or our operations.
By working together with our employees, customers, visitors and the removal and transport services that use our facility, Self Storage Balham aims to maintain a safe, efficient and professionally managed environment for the storage and handling of goods.
