Traditional Cotswold Stoneware

IMPORTANT SAFETY & HANDLING GUIDE

Thank you for your purchase. Our reproduction stone products and garden ornaments range significantly in size and weight, spanning from 0.2 kilogram up to 350 kilograms per item. Because of the substantial weight of our larger pieces, we ask that you review this safety sheet carefully before attempting to unpack, move, or position your items.

Legal Liability Disclaimer

Please Note: Due to the materials and substantial physical weight of our products, extreme care must be taken during handling, moving, and installation. By accepting and taking possession of these goods, the customer acknowledges that handling or moving these items involves inherent physical risks.

Jason Wheeler trading as Wheeler’s Stoneware (operating as Traditional Cotswold Stoneware) accepts no responsibility or liability for any personal injury, back strain, physical accident, or damage to personal property that occurs once the items have been collected by the customer or successfully delivered to the premises. All subsequent handling, transport, lifting, and placement of these items are performed entirely at the customer's own risk.

Safe Lifting & Handling Recommendations

• Assess the Weight First: Always check the estimated weight of your specific item before moving it. Do not attempt to lift any heavy stone ornament alone.
• Use Mechanical Assistance for Heavy Items: For our larger, heavier items (particularly those approaching or exceeding 50kg, up to our maximum 350kg pieces), do not attempt a manual human lift. You must use appropriate mechanical lifting aids, such as hoist straps, engine cranes, sack trucks, or forklifts.
• Use Correct Lifting Posture: For smaller items handled manually, always bend at your knees and hips, keeping your back straight. Lift smoothly using your leg muscles, and avoid twisting or bending your spine.
• Clear the Path: Before moving an item, ensure your route is completely clear of trip hazards, loose gravel, wet grass, or uneven ground. Ensure the ground can support the weight of the machinery or item.
• Wear Appropriate Gear: We strongly advise wearing steel-toe-capped safety boots to protect your feet against accidental drops, along with heavy-duty, high-grip gloves.
• Secure Multi-Part Items: If an ornament comes in multiple pieces, move each piece individually. Ensure each part is safely supported and balanced so they cannot slide, roll, or topple over.

Ground Stability & Permanent Placement

Large stoneware requires solid foundations to prevent tipping over time:

• Ensure that heavy stone items are set upon flat, compacted, and stable ground (such as concrete, compressed hardcore, or solid paving slabs) to prevent them from sinking, leaning, or falling.
• Keep heavy ornaments away from areas where young children or pets could climb on, pull over, or destabilize them.
• ⚠️ Direct Warning

Please prioritize your physical health. Items weighing up to 350 kg carry a severe risk of crushing injuries, bone fractures, or permanent back damage if mishandled. If you do not have the proper mechanical equipment or experience to move an item of this weight safely, you must hire a local professional landscaper or specialist contractor to position it for you.

Traditional Cotswold Stoneware is a trading style of [Jason Wheeler t/a Wheeler’s Stoneware. For payment transparency: Bank transfers or cheques will appear under or must be made payable to: Wheeler’s Stoneware.