Health and Safety Policy for Burroughs Storage

Burroughs Storage is committed to providing a safe, secure, and healthy environment for employees, customers, contractors, and visitors. This health and safety policy sets out the standards, responsibilities, and practical controls that support safe day-to-day operations across all storage activities. We believe that good safety practice is not separate from service quality; it is part of it. By managing risks carefully and encouraging responsible behaviour, we aim to prevent injury, protect property, and maintain confidence in every area of our operation.

The policy applies to all work areas, including receiving goods, moving items, storage handling, inspections, maintenance tasks, and access-controlled spaces. It also applies to any temporary activity that may introduce risk, such as repairs, cleaning, or contractor work. Everyone on site is expected to follow safe systems of work, report hazards promptly, and cooperate with instructions intended to reduce risk. We expect a culture where safety awareness is shared by all, and where concerns are raised early rather than ignored.

Policy Statement and Core Principles

Burroughs Storage will take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent accidents and ill health. This includes identifying hazards, assessing risks, implementing controls, and reviewing procedures when conditions change. Safety measures will be based on the nature of the task, the equipment involved, and the people affected. Where possible, risks will be removed completely; where that is not possible, they will be reduced to a suitable level through planning, supervision, training, and monitored work practices. The aim is to keep operations efficient without compromising the wellbeing of anyone on site.

Responsibility for health and safety is shared, but management holds overall accountability for establishing standards and ensuring they are applied. Supervisors must lead by example, monitor safe behaviour, and act on unsafe conditions without delay. Employees and contractors must take reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of others. They must use equipment properly, avoid reckless actions, and follow instructions relating to access, lifting, cleaning, storage stacking, and emergency procedures. No task is so urgent that it justifies unsafe conduct.

Risk assessment is a central part of this policy. Before tasks begin, relevant hazards will be considered and controls selected according to the level of risk. Common hazards may include manual handling strain, slips, trips, falls, unstable stacks, poor lighting, fire risks, restricted access, vehicle movement, and unsafe use of tools or equipment. Where necessary, work will be paused until the risk has been addressed. Risk controls may involve housekeeping measures, signage, barriers, equipment checks, load limits, or revised working methods.

Staff are expected to maintain tidy and unobstructed work areas. A clean environment helps prevent incidents and supports efficient movement around the site. Items should be stored in a stable, suitable manner and never placed where they could fall, block exits, or create a hazard. Spills, broken packaging, damaged materials, or other unsafe conditions should be dealt with quickly. If a problem cannot be corrected immediately, it must be reported and isolated as appropriate. Good housekeeping is not optional; it is a basic safety requirement.

Training, Communication, and Safe Working

All workers will receive appropriate information, instruction, and training for the duties they perform. This includes understanding site rules, emergency arrangements, manual handling expectations, and the correct use of equipment or protective controls. Training needs will be reviewed when work changes, new risks are introduced, or incidents indicate a gap in understanding. Supervisors should check that instructions are understood, not merely issued. When speaking about hazards, all communication should be clear, practical, and consistent with the risk involved.

Personal protective equipment will be provided where required and must be used correctly. However, PPE is the final line of defence and does not replace safer methods, good planning, or proper maintenance. Maintenance and inspection of equipment will be carried out at suitable intervals, with defective items removed from service until repaired or replaced. Safe access, emergency routes, and critical control points must remain available at all times. Any alteration to layout, workflow, or storage arrangements should be assessed before implementation so that new hazards are not created unintentionally.

Burroughs Storage encourages prompt reporting of incidents, near misses, defects, and unsafe behaviours. Reporting is essential because it helps us learn, correct weaknesses, and stop repeat events. Records will be reviewed to identify patterns and improve controls over time. Where an incident occurs, it will be investigated in a fair and constructive way, focusing on causes and preventive action rather than blame. This approach supports a stronger health and safety culture and helps ensure that lessons are shared across the operation.

Emergency Preparedness and Review

Emergency arrangements will be maintained so that people know how to respond to fire, injury, evacuation, security concerns, or other serious events. Exits and assembly arrangements must remain clear, and staff should understand what action to take if an alarm sounds or conditions become unsafe. First aid arrangements will be kept suitable for the scale and type of work undertaken. Emergency procedures will be tested and reviewed periodically to make sure they remain practical and effective. Preparedness reduces confusion and supports swift, organised action when time matters most.

This policy will be reviewed regularly to confirm that it remains suitable, sufficient, and up to date. Reviews may also occur after significant changes, incidents, or identified weaknesses in controls. Updates will be communicated to relevant people, and any revised measures will be implemented without unnecessary delay. Burroughs Storage expects every person associated with the business to support this policy by following safe practices, raising concerns, and contributing to a respectful working environment. Our shared objective is simple: to operate responsibly, protect people, and maintain safe storage services through consistent Burroughs Storage safety standards.