HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY FAQs

Who must have a Health & Safety Policy?

Organisations employing five or more persons must write their Policy.

What must the Policy contain?

• A Policy Statement—this is the simple bit and can be one side of A4, but what it actually says is crucial
• If the Policy consists only of a statement, this on its own is not enough to comply
• The Organisation—this is about who does what, from the top down
• The Arrangements—how your business is going to comply with all those regulations

What information goes into the Organisation section?

People and their responsibilities, including:

• Specific responsibilities of the Board, Managing Director or equivalent
• Exactly what senior management are responsible for
• Details of the duties of managers and supervisors
• The responsibilities of any nominated Competent Persons for health and safety
• Functions of employee representatives
• Duties of all employees
• A structure chart

What information goes into the Arrangements section?

Some topics will always apply and the employer should detail the arrangements for:

• Fire safety
• Electrical safety
• First aid
• Accident and incident reporting
• Risk assessment
• Consultation with employees
• Monitoring and review

Some further topics may apply and the arrangements for these should be detailed; for example:

• Equipment and machinery
• Manual handling
• Display screen equipment
• Hazardous substances (COSHH)
• Flammable substances (DSEAR)
• Noise and vibration
• Management of contractors
• Others depending on risks, e.g. work at height, lone working or entry to confined spaces