CreateAspace HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY

Trading name: CreateAspace Loft Boarding & Storage
Policy effective from: 11/09/2026
Review date: 10/09/2028
Policy owner: D Horrigan – Director & Responsible Person

At CreateAspace Loft Boarding & Storage, the safety of our customers, our team and anyone affected by our work is a priority. This policy outlines the approach we take to managing health and safety whilst carrying out loft boarding, insulation and storage installations.

1. POLICY STATEMENT

CreateAspace Loft Boarding & Storage (“we”, “us” or “our”) is committed to carrying out all work in a safe and responsible manner, protecting the health, safety and welfare of all workers, employees, contractors, customers, visitors and any other persons who may be affected by our activities.

Our work is primarily undertaken in domestic properties and involves loft boarding and storage installations, including the installation of raised boarding systems, loft boards, timber supports and associated access and storage improvements.

We recognise that loft work can involve significant risks, particularly falls from height, falls through fragile surfaces or openings, manual handling, use of power tools, electrical hazards, dust, noise, asbestos-containing materials, existing insulation and other hazards commonly encountered within loft spaces.

We will identify these risks before work begins and take reasonably practicable steps to eliminate or reduce them.

Safety will take priority over completing a job quickly or maintaining a programme.

2. RESPONSIBILITY

As a small business, the Director /Responsible Person will have overall responsibility for health and safety.

The Responsible Person will:

• Ensure suitable risk assessments are undertaken.
• Plan work so that it can be carried out safely.
• Provide suitable tools, equipment and personal protective equipment.
• Ensure equipment is maintained and used correctly.
• Ensure that work at height is properly planned.
• Ensure that relevant health and safety information is available.
• Maintain appropriate training and competency.
• Investigate accidents, incidents and near misses.
• Review this policy and the associated risk assessments when necessary.

Any person working for or on behalf of CreateAspace must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their work.

3. RISK ASSESSMENT

A suitable risk assessment, likely dynamic, will be completed before work begins.

The assessment will consider the specific property and the work to be undertaken rather than relying solely on a generic assessment.

Particular consideration will be given to:

• Access to and from the loft.
• Working at height.
• Loft openings and access hatches.
• Fragile ceilings, surfaces and roof areas.
• The condition and strength of existing joists and structures.
• Existing insulation.
• Electrical cables and other services.
• Water tanks, pipework and heating equipment.
• Asbestos or suspected asbestos-containing materials.
• Manual handling of boards, timber and equipment.
• Power tools and electrical equipment.
• Dust and airborne particles.
• Noise
• Slips, trips and falls.
• Lighting and visibility within the loft.
• The presence of customers, children, pets or other people.
• Protection of the customer’s property.
• Emergency access and escape.

Where conditions change during a job, work will be stopped or reassessed as necessary.

HSE guidance confirms that risk assessment is central to managing health and safety and should identify hazards, who may be affected and the measures required to control the risks.

4. WORK AT HEIGHT

Work in lofts frequently involves working at height and will therefore be carefully planned.

The business will:

• Avoid working at height where the task can reasonably be completed from a safer position.
• Use suitable and stable access equipment.
• Inspect ladders and access equipment before use.
• Position ladders on suitable, stable surfaces.
• Secure ladders where necessary.
• Never overreach from ladders.
• Keep access routes clear.
• Protect or avoid exposed openings.
• Take particular care around loft hatches and unboarded areas.
• Avoid standing or kneeling on ceilings, plasterboard or other surfaces that are not designed to support the person.
• Maintain suitable lighting.
• Keep tools and materials controlled so that they cannot fall onto people below.

Ladders will not automatically be treated as the safest method simply because they are convenient. The equipment selected will depend upon the nature, duration and circumstances of the work.

HSE guidance requires work at height to be properly planned and carried out by competent people using suitable equipment.

5. LOFT ACCESS AND LOFT OPENINGS

Before entering a loft, the access arrangement will be assessed.

Particular attention will be paid to:

• The condition of the loft hatch.
• The stability of the ladder or access equipment.
• The area immediately around the hatch.
• The risk of falling through the opening.
• Whether there is a suitable working platform.
• The location of joists and safe walking areas.

Where necessary, temporary precautions will be used to prevent falls.

Materials and tools will not be positioned where they could obstruct the access route or create a falling hazard.

6. EXISTING STRUCTURE AND SERVICES

CreateAspace will not undertake structural alterations unless specifically agreed and appropriately assessed.

Before installing boarding or supports, consideration will be given to:

• Existing joists.
• Structural condition.
• Electrical cables.
• Water pipes.
• Heating equipment.
• Water tanks.
• Ventilation equipment.
• Existing services and equipment.

Existing cables and services will not be deliberately damaged, compressed, trapped or obstructed.

Where the proposed work appears to require structural alterations or specialist electrical, plumbing or other work outside our competence, the work will be referred to an appropriately competent person.

HSE guidance for domestic loft work specifically highlights checking the location of electricity supplies and taking precautions around existing cables and services.

7. ASBESTOS

Asbestos will be treated as a potential hazard, particularly in older properties.

Workers, employees and contractors will not knowingly disturb, cut, drill, sand, remove or otherwise interfere with suspected asbestos-containing materials unless the work has been properly assessed and the necessary competence, controls and legal requirements are in place.

If suspected asbestos-containing material is identified:

1. Work will stop in the affected area.
2. The material will not be disturbed.
3. The customer will be informed.
4. Further advice or an appropriate asbestos survey will be considered where necessary.
5. Work will only recommence when it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Where asbestos-related work is required, it will only be undertaken where the business has the appropriate competence and arrangements. Otherwise, an appropriately qualified specialist contractor will be required.

HSE advises that properties, particularly older buildings, may contain asbestos and that work which could disturb asbestos must be appropriately assessed before work begins.

8. MANUAL HANDLING

Loft boards, timber, tools and other materials can be heavy, awkward and difficult to manoeuvre through loft access points.

The business will reduce manual-handling risks by:

• Planning material movement before work begins.
• Avoiding unnecessarily heavy or awkward loads.
• Breaking loads down where reasonably practicable.
• Using suitable lifting and carrying techniques.
• Avoiding twisting while carrying loads.
• Taking care when moving materials through loft hatches and stairways.
• Using assistance where a load cannot be safely handled by one person.
• Avoiding excessive repetitive handling where reasonably practicable.

Manual handling risks will be considered as part of the job-specific risk assessment. HSE guidance identifies manual handling as a significant source of injury in construction and recommends measures to reduce the risk.

9. POWER TOOLS AND WORK EQUIPMENT

Only suitable and properly maintained tools and equipment will be used.

Before use, tools will be checked for obvious defects, including:

• Damaged cables.
• Damaged plugs.
• Damaged guards.
• Loose or defective components.
• Signs of overheating or other faults.

Defective equipment will be removed from service until repaired or replaced.

Power tools will be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Appropriate guards and safety features will not be removed or bypassed.

Where appropriate, suitable dust extraction, eye protection, hearing protection and respiratory protection will be used.

Electrical equipment will be operated from a safe and suitable power supply, with care taken around existing electrical installations.

10. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Personal protective equipment will be used where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means.

Depending on the work being undertaken, this may include:

• Safety footwear.
• Work gloves.
• Safety glasses or goggles.
• Hearing protection.
• Suitable respiratory protective equipment.
• Head protection where appropriate.
• Protective clothing.

PPE will be suitable for the task and maintained in good condition.

PPE will not be regarded as a substitute for safer working methods or proper risk control.

11. DUST, INSULATION AND AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS

Loft work can disturb insulation, dust and other airborne materials.

The business will:

• Minimise unnecessary disturbance of insulation.
• Use appropriate dust-control measures.
• Use suitable extraction where practicable.
• Wear appropriate respiratory protection where required.
• Maintain ventilation where reasonably practicable.
• Avoid creating unnecessary dust.
• Clean the work area after completion.

Where the material encountered is unknown or suspected to present a significant health risk, work will stop until the hazard has been assessed.

12. HOUSEKEEPING AND CUSTOMER PROPERTY

Work areas will be kept as tidy as reasonably practicable throughout the job.

Particular care will be taken with:

• Stairways
• Landing areas.
• Flooring
• Walls and ceilings.
• Furniture
• Customer belongings.
• Loft access areas.

Tools and materials will not be left where they create an unnecessary trip or falling hazard.

Waste materials will be removed or safely contained.

At completion, the working area will be left in a clean and safe condition appropriate to the agreed scope of work.

13. FIRE AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Before starting work, consideration will be given to:

• Safe access and escape routes.
• The location of the property’s main entrance.
• Electrical isolation where relevant.
• The location of suitable first-aid equipment.
• How emergency assistance can be obtained.

In the event of a serious emergency, work will stop and the appropriate emergency services will be contacted by calling 999.

No person will be expected to place themselves at unnecessary risk attempting to rescue another person.

14. FIRST AID

Suitable first-aid provisions will be available for the nature of the work being undertaken.

A first-aid kit will be kept readily accessible in the works van.

The business will ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for dealing with injuries and emergencies.

15. ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS AND NEAR MISSES

All accidents, injuries, dangerous occurrences and significant near misses will be taken seriously.

They will be recorded and enquired into where appropriate.

The purpose of an enquiry will be to establish what happened, identify the underlying causes and determine whether working practices or risk controls need to be changed.

Where an incident is reportable under applicable legislation, the required reporting procedure will be followed.

16. CUSTOMER AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Because work is generally undertaken in occupied domestic properties, customers and other occupants may be present.

Where necessary, the work area will be restricted to prevent unauthorised access.

Customers will be informed of significant hazards where appropriate.

Children and pets will be kept away from work areas.

Tools, ladders and materials will not be left unattended in a position where they could create an unnecessary risk to occupants.

17. TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

Only persons who are suitably competent for the work they undertake will carry out work on behalf of CreateAspace.

Relevant training will be maintained where appropriate, including consideration of:

• Work at height.
• Ladder safety.
• Manual handling.
• Asbestos awareness.
• Safe use of power tools.
• PPE
• Emergency procedures.
• First aid.

Training requirements will be reviewed when work activities, equipment or risks change.

18. SUBCONTRACTORS

Where subcontractors are used, CreateAspace will take reasonable steps to ensure that they are suitably competent, appropriately insured and capable of carrying out their work safely.

Subcontractors will be expected to comply with relevant site safety requirements and cooperate with the business’s health and safety arrangements.

19. ENVIRONMENTAL AND WASTE CONSIDERATIONS

Waste materials will be handled responsibly.

Where practicable:

• Waste will be minimised.
• Suitable materials will be reused or recycled.
• Waste will not be left at the customer’s property unless agreed.
• Waste will be disposed of through appropriate means.

Hazardous materials will be handled and disposed of in accordance with applicable requirements.

20. REVIEW OF THIS POLICY

This policy will be reviewed at least biennial and sooner if:

• There is a significant change in the business or its activities.
• New equipment or working methods are introduced.
• An accident or significant near miss occurs.
• Relevant legislation or guidance changes.
• A risk assessment identifies a need for change.

The policy will be communicated to anyone working on behalf of CreateAspace and is available to customers or other interested parties on the CreateAspace website.

21. DECLARATION

I confirm that CreateAspace Loft Boarding & Storage will take reasonably practicable steps to protect the health, safety and welfare of those affected by its activities and will continually review its working practices to improve health and safety performance.

Signed: D Horrigan

Name: D Horrigan

Position: Director

Date: 11 September 2026

Next review date: 10 September 2028