Health and Safety Policy Development

A clear and well structured health and safety policy is essential for strong safety performance and compliance. It also provides useful direction for managers and employees, helping to guide everyone to the same goal of a healthy and accident-free workplace.

At Lanahan Risk Management Services, our team can help to create and develop health and safety policies that are specifically tailored to meet the unique needs and requirements of your business.

What is a Health and Safety Policy?

A Health and Safety Policy is a written statement that outlines an organisation's commitment to managing health and safety at work. It includes the safety of employees, customers and the public, as well as detailed roles and responsibilities to ensure you have a safe working environment for everyone.

It is often considered a roadmap for how an organisation will address health and safety issues, ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of their responsibilities.

The Health and Safety Policies all organisations need

A health and safety policy is a legal requirement under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. All organisations need a health and safety policy that outlines their commitment, responsibilities and procedures for managing hazards in the workplace and ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation.

If you have five or more employees, it is a legal requirement to have your health and safety policy in writing. It is also essential to review the policy regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and effective, especially when there are changes in your organisation's operations on working environments.

Our Health and Safety Policy development

At Lanahan Risk Management Services, we can help you to navigate the confusion that often comes with creating health and safety policies and the law around it. We know a standard solution is not ideal for every business, which is why we take the time to create tailored health and safety policies for your specific business.

Our team will work closely with you to understand your workplace environment, meaning that every policy isn’t just compliant, it is practical and effective too. We will also take the time to understand the roles of your team, and will set out clear responsibilities for these team members to create a healthy and safe workplace.

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Who is responsible for Health and Safety Policies in the workplace?

In the workplace, employers have the primary responsibility for developing and implementing health and safety policies.

They have a duty to ensure a safe working environment for all employees, visitors and members of the public. Employees also have a duty and responsibility to follow these policies and procedures.

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What is included in a Health and Safety Policy?

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, your organisations’ Health and Safety Policy should include the following:

Health and Safety Policy Statement of Intent - The first part of a business’s health and safety policy is a Statement of Intent. This outlines how your business intends to manage health and safety issues and meet specific requirements. The statement of intent should contain your organisation's safety aims, objectives and what safety performance targets you have.
Organisation of Health and Safety - The second part of your health and safety policy should outline the names, positions and duties of those in your organisation who have specific responsibilities related to health and safety.
This is usually created in a chart format, showing the hierarchy of seniority within your organisation and the names of those who have a role in health and safety. In small organisations, with very few management or control levels, a simple list will suffice.
Arrangements for Health and Safety - The final part of the policy identifies the arrangements you have in place to manage and control the risks to health and safety.
Here, you should give specific details of the systems and procedures used to implement your health and safety policy statement. The arrangement is likely the biggest section to your health and safety policy and it should include details on your health and safety procedures, emergency procedures, first aid, training information, consultation and communication, reviews and any updates.

How Health and Safety Policies should be implemented

To effectively implement a health and safety policy in your business, it is essential that you clearly communicate it to your staff, provide adequate training and conduct regular risk assessments.

A more detailed breakdown of the implementation process includes:

Develop a clear and concise policy - You should be creating a clear health and safety policy that outlines the organisation's safety aims and objectives. You should ensure that the policy is easy for employees to understand.
Communicate the policy effectively - You should be engaging with your employees about the development and implementation of your policy by making sure it is easily accessible to all employees, such as through notice boards and training materials.
Adequate training is also essential for all employees, as well as regularly reinforcing the importance of health and safety through communication and reminders.

Conduct regular risk assessments - Conducting regular risk assessments is an essential part of implementing your health and safety policies as it can help you find areas which may require improvement or be updated. You should regularly review your risk assessments to ensure your policies remain relevant and appropriate.
Monitor compliance - It is also essential to ensure all managers and supervisors are actively involved in monitoring compliance with the policy. You should conduct regular workplace inspections to identify any potential hazards, establish clear procedures for reporting and investigating incidents and encourage employee feedback on health and safety measures.

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How often should a Health and Safety Policy be reviewed?

Your health and safety policy should be reviewed at least once a year. However, if there are any significant changes in the workplace or an incident has occurred, this is when your policy should be reviewed again as recommended by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The process of reviewing your health and safety policy should examine whether the policies reflect your organisation's current priorities and targets, and whether or not your employees are effectively following the policy.