Not Sure Where to Start with Health and Safety?
12 Simple Safety Tips for Businesses
Health and safety does not need to be complicated.
For many directors, managers and business owners, the hardest part is knowing where to start. You may know you have legal duties, but you may not know what documents, assessments, checks or training you actually need.
This simple guide gives you a practical starting point.
At Safety is the Key Ltd, we help businesses put sensible health and safety arrangements in place without unnecessary jargon or overcomplication.
Simple. Sensible. Safe.
- Display the Health and Safety Law Poster
Most employers must either display the official Health and Safety Law Poster or provide workers with the equivalent leaflet.
This is a basic legal requirement and a simple place to start.
The poster should be displayed where employees can easily see it. If you are unsure whether you have the correct version, we can help you check.
Need the official HSE poster? Ask us and we can point you in the right direction.
- Assess the Risks in Your Business
Risk assessments help you identify what could cause harm and what controls are needed to prevent accidents, injuries and ill health.
They are also one of the first things an inspector, insurer, auditor or client may ask to see after a serious incident.
Your risk assessments should be suitable for your business and reviewed regularly, especially if your work, premises, equipment or staff change.
We can prepare clear, practical risk assessments for your business and provide training so your team understands how to use them.
- Write a Health and Safety Policy
A health and safety policy explains how your business manages health and safety.
It should set out:
- Your general approach
- Who is responsible for what
- The arrangements you have in place
- How risks are managed
- How employees are informed and trained
If you have five or more employees, your health and safety policy must be written down.
A good policy should not sit in a folder and be forgotten. It should reflect how your business actually operates.
If your policy is missing, outdated or too generic, we can help you put a clear and suitable one in place.
- Provide Health and Safety Training
Employees need to understand the hazards and risks in their workplace.
Good training helps people work safely, follow procedures and know what to do if something goes wrong.
Training may include general health and safety awareness, fire safety, manual handling, COSHH, asbestos awareness, working at height, risk assessment training or job-specific instruction.
After an accident or inspection, you may be asked to provide evidence of training. Keeping clear training records is important.
We can provide online and in-house training to suit your team, your risks and your budget.
- Appoint a Competent Person
Every business needs access to competent health and safety advice.
This could be someone within your business who has suitable training, knowledge and experience, or it could be an external consultant.
The important point is that the person must be able to help you meet your health and safety duties properly.
Safety is the Key Ltd can act as your external competent health and safety adviser, giving you practical support when you need it.
- Carry Out a Fire Risk Assessment
If you are responsible for business premises, commercial premises, shared areas or certain residential buildings, you may need a suitable fire risk assessment.
A fire risk assessment helps identify fire hazards, people at risk, escape routes, fire precautions, emergency arrangements and actions needed to keep people safe.
It should be carried out by someone competent and reviewed when things change.
We carry out professional fire risk assessments for a wide range of businesses and premises every year.
If your fire risk assessment is missing, old or unclear, now is a good time to review it.
- Check Electrical Systems and Portable Appliances
Electrical faults can cause serious injury and are a common cause of fires.
Your fixed electrical installation should be inspected and tested at suitable intervals by a competent person. Many commercial premises use an Electrical Installation Condition Report, often known as an EICR, as part of their electrical safety management.
Portable electrical equipment should also be checked and maintained so it remains safe to use.
Portable appliance testing, often called PAT testing, is one method of checking equipment, but the right approach depends on the type of equipment, how it is used and the level of risk.
- Provide a Safe Workplace and Welfare Facilities
Your workplace should be safe, healthy and suitable for the work being carried out.
This includes basics such as:
- Safe access and movement around the site
- Suitable lighting
- Reasonable temperature
- Ventilation
- Cleanliness
- Suitable toilets
- Washing facilities
- Drinking water
- Rest areas where required
These are simple things, but they matter.
Poor welfare and poor working conditions can quickly lead to complaints, accidents, poor morale and enforcement attention.
We can carry out workplace inspections and help you identify practical improvements.
- Record Accidents, Incidents and Near Misses
Workplace accidents, incidents and near misses should be recorded and investigated.
An accident book is important, but recording is only part of the process. You should also look at what happened, why it happened and what can be done to prevent it happening again.
Some work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences must be reported under RIDDOR.
If you are unsure whether something is reportable, get advice before making assumptions.
Good incident reporting helps protect people and gives your business better evidence if questions are asked later.
- Assess Your First Aid Requirements
Every workplace needs appropriate first aid arrangements.
What you need will depend on your business, the number of employees, the risks involved, your working environment and how quickly emergency help can arrive.
Your arrangements may include:
- First aid boxes
- Travel first aid kits
- Appointed persons
- Trained first aiders
- Defibrillators
- Clear emergency procedures
We can help you assess your first aid needs and arrange suitable training where required.
- Manage Asbestos Risks
If your commercial premises, shared residential areas or HMO were built before 2000, asbestos may be present.
You may need an asbestos survey and an asbestos management plan, depending on your responsibilities for the building.
Asbestos must be managed properly because it can become dangerous if disturbed or damaged.
If your employees could disturb asbestos during their work, such as maintenance, refurbishment or construction-related activities, they may need asbestos awareness training.
We can arrange asbestos surveys, asbestos awareness training and practical advice to help you manage your duties.
- Have Employers’ Liability Insurance
Most employers must have Employers’ Liability insurance.
This protects your business if an employee is injured or becomes ill because of the work they do for you. You must have cover from an authorised insurer and keep appropriate records.
If you employ people, this is not something to overlook.
Need Help Getting Started?
If you are not sure what applies to your business, we can help you take the next sensible step.
You do not always need everything at once. Often, the best approach is to review what you already have, identify the gaps and prioritise the actions that matter most.
Safety is the Key Ltd provides practical health and safety support for businesses that want clear advice, sensible documents and straightforward help.
Email: info@safetyisthekey.co.uk
Call: 020 8406 5039
Safety is the Key — Simple. Sensible. Safety.