Health and Safety Site Rules

1. General Statement

Our aim is to protect, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of everyone who uses Sheeplands Self Storage, including our customers, their visitors and contractors, and members of the public.

Our team is on site during office hours. Outside office hours the site is not staffed, and you may be on site alone. Your safety, and the safety of anyone with you, depends on following these rules.

By entering or using the site you agree to follow these rules at all times. They form part of your storage agreement. They also apply to anyone on site on your behalf, including family, friends and contractors.

2. Legal and Standards Framework

These rules reflect our duties as operator under UK law. The list is not exhaustive and task specific regulations may also apply.

3. In an Emergency

If there is a risk to life, a fire or a serious injury, call 999 immediately. Do not wait.

Give the emergency services this exact location so they can find the site:

What to do

• Make yourself safe first. If there is a fire or immediate danger, leave the area straight away and call 999 from a safe place.
• For any medical emergency, call 999. A first aid kit is kept at reception during office hours, and there is a defibrillator on the outside wall of the main indoor storage building, beside the toilet and facing the HQ Office. The defibrillator is available at any time, and the 999 call handler will give you the code to open its cabinet. Outside office hours there is no one on site, but the defibrillator can still be used.
• If the fire alarm sounds, or you are asked to evacuate, leave by the nearest safe exit and go to the fire assembly point at the picnic area, between Little Green and the main car park. Do not return to collect belongings or move your vehicle until you are told it is safe.
• Once the area is safe and you have called 999 where needed, report the incident to us on 01189 402 277 or info@sheeplands-storage.co.uk.

4. Getting In and Out, and Security

• Standard access hours are 7am to 9pm, seven days a week. 24 hour access is available on request.
• Use your own key fob and keep it private. Never lend it to anyone or let anyone follow you through the gate (tailgating).
• Always close and lock your unit before you leave and check it is fully secured.
• If you are locked out, have lost your fob, or the gate will not work, call our main number, 01189 402 277, at any time. Our virtual assistant will help in the first instance and, if you are still stuck, will put you in touch with a member of our team.
• The site is covered by more than 160 CCTV cameras for security and safety purposes.

5. Looking After Yourself On Site

Outside office hours you may be on site alone. Take simple steps to stay safe:

• Tell someone where you are and roughly how long you expect to be.
• Keep your mobile phone charged and with you.
• Be aware of your surroundings. If something or someone makes you feel unsafe, leave and contact us, or call 999 if it is an emergency.
• If you have a health condition that could affect you while alone, consider bringing someone with you and carry any medication you may need.
• Take extra care in poor light and in wet or icy weather, and wear sensible footwear with a good grip.

6. Vehicles and Moving Around the Site

Sheeplands Farm is a shared site, so you may meet residents, commercial tenants, contractors and farm vehicles on the roads. The rules in this section apply on all farm roads, not only within the storage site.

• Drive at no more than 10mph and follow any one way or signed route.
• Pedestrians have priority.
• Take great care when reversing. If you cannot see clearly, get out and check, or ask someone to guide you.
• Switch off your engine when loading or unloading and never leave a vehicle running unattended.
• Park close to your unit while loading without blocking roadways, loading areas or other customers.
• Apply the handbrake and remove the keys whenever you step away from your vehicle.
• Do not carry out repairs, servicing, refuelling or fuel transfer on any vehicle anywhere on site, including on all farm roads.

7. Forklift and Equipment

• Our forklift may only be operated by trained members of the Sheeplands team. Customers and contractors must not operate it.
• Keep well clear of the forklift while it is working and follow any instructions from our team.
• Trolleys are provided in our indoor storage buildings. Do not overload them, and return them after use so they do not block corridors or exits.

8. Restricted Areas

Only use the roads, loading areas and routes needed to reach your own unit. For your safety, the following areas are strictly off limits to customers:

• Container roofs, which carry solar panels. Never climb on a container.
• The farm reservoir and the area around it.
• The biomass boiler, plant rooms and any area marked staff only.
• Farm buildings, fields and yards that are not part of the storage site.

9. Fire Safety

• No smoking or vaping anywhere on site, including inside your unit.
• No naked flames, candles, heaters, cooking or hot work (for example grinding, cutting or welding) anywhere on site.
• Do not store any flammable, combustible or explosive items, as set out in your storage agreement.
• Keep corridors, stairways, doorways, fire exits and roadways completely clear, so everyone can get out and the emergency services can get in.
• Never prop open or obstruct fire doors in the indoor storage buildings.
• If you discover a fire, do not tackle it. Leave immediately, go to the fire assembly point at the picnic area, call 999, then call us on 01189 402 277.

10. Items You Must Not Store

The following must never be stored on site. This list summarises the rules; the full and binding list is in your storage agreement. If you are unsure about anything, ask us before you bring it to site.

• Petrol, diesel, oils, gas bottles or cylinders, and any compressed or flammable gas.
• Paints, solvents, chemicals, fertilisers, or any flammable, corrosive, toxic or hazardous substance.
• Fireworks, explosives, ammunition, firearms or other weapons.
• Asbestos, and any waste or polluting material.
• Living things: people, animals or plants. No one may live or sleep in a unit.
• Food or perishable goods, unless securely packed in hard plastic or glass containers, and anything that may rot, go mouldy, give off fumes or odours, or attract pests or vermin.
• Illegal items, stolen goods, drugs, or the proceeds of crime.
• Cash, deeds and securities, and anything whose value cannot be measured in money.
• Portable battery chargers and power banks, and lithium ion batteries over 160 Wh unless built in and not removable.
• Vehicles, machinery or equipment with fuel in the tank or batteries connected, in a container or indoor room, unless we have agreed this in writing. Vehicles in our vehicle storage area are covered by your vehicle storage agreement.

11. Working Safely In and Around Your Unit

Lifting and carrying

• Plan the lift. If something is heavy or awkward, get help or split the load.
• Keep the load close to your body, bend your knees rather than your back, and avoid twisting while carrying.
• Bring a sack truck or other lifting aid if you need one, or use the trolleys provided in our indoor buildings.

Indoor storage buildings

• There is no lift in our indoor storage buildings. Take care on stairs and do not carry anything that blocks your view of the steps or stops you holding the handrail.
• If an item is too heavy or bulky to carry safely up or down stairs, speak to our team before you bring it, as a ground floor room may be more suitable.
• Keep corridors clear at all times. Do not leave items or packaging outside your room.

Stacking and heights

• Do not stack items higher than is safe and stable. Heavy items go at the bottom, lighter items on top.
• Do not climb on boxes, shelving or stored items to reach height. Use a suitable stepladder where needed.

Doors

• Take care with gates and container doors. Keep fingers and feet clear of edges, runners and hinges.
• On windy days, container doors can swing or slam. Secure doors when open and keep clear of them.

Housekeeping

• Keep your unit and the area outside it tidy. Do not leave items, packaging or waste in shared spaces.
• Clear up any spills straight away and report them to us. Take any rubbish away with you.

12. Vehicle Storage

• Only park in the bay allocated to you.
• Do not carry out repairs, servicing, refuelling or fuel transfer on your vehicle, as set out in section 6.
• We recommend a wheel clamp on at least one wheel and a steering wheel lock where possible. For boats and trailers, we recommend a hitch lock or coupling clamp.
• Do not leave gas cylinders, fuel cans or batteries on charge in or around your vehicle.

13. Children and Pets

• A self storage site is a working environment with vehicles, a forklift and heavy items. It is not a safe place for children to play.
• Children must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times and kept away from roadways, vehicles and doors.
• Keep pets under close control. Animals must not be left in units or vehicles.

14. Electrical and Battery Safety

• Do not leave any electrical item switched on, charging or running unattended in your unit.
• Take particular care with lithium batteries (in tools, e-bikes, scooters and similar). Do not store damaged or swollen batteries, and never charge batteries or electrical items in your unit or using any power supply on site.
• Report any burning smell, smoke, hot equipment or damaged wiring immediately, and call 999 if there is any sign of fire.

15. Reporting Problems, Hazards and Accidents

Please tell us straight away if something is wrong. During office hours you can speak to reception; outside office hours, please call our main number or email us. Please report:

• Any accident or injury, however minor.
• Any hazard, damage or fault, for example a broken light, damaged door, trip hazard, spillage, or a gate or lock that will not work.
• Anything that makes you feel unsafe, and any suspicious activity.

For anything urgent or dangerous, phone us. In an emergency, call 999 first.

16. General Conduct

• Only access your own unit and the shared routes to it.
• Do not live, sleep or carry out work or a business activity in your unit beyond storing goods, unless we have agreed this in writing.
• Follow any reasonable safety instruction given by a member of the Sheeplands team or our security patrol.
• Treat the site, other customers, our team and our equipment with respect, and leave the site as you found it.
• We may refuse access or end an agreement where these rules are not followed and safety is put at risk.

17. Monitoring and Review

These rules are reviewed at least every 12 months, and sooner following a significant incident, a change in legislation or HSE guidance, or a material change to the site, its layout or its risks. Last reviewed: 30/10/2026.