What are Health and Safety
Policies & Procedures?
The health and safety policy outlines how your organisation will comply with the law and how you will prevent employees and others, such as visitors including clients, suppliers and the general public from suffering harm in the workplace. A health and safety policy helps promote safe working practices by outlining who does what, when and how.
Why do you
need them?
?
Organisations in the UK with five or more employees must have a written health and safety policy. Even organisations with fewer than five employees need a policy, but it doesn’t need to be written down – however, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends you to have a written one as it helps with compliance and understanding.
All managers and employees of your business should understand their responsibilities and follow the policy and procedures. When a new employee joins the organisation or changes their role, employers should tell them about the policy during their induction training or onboarding to a new position. Employers should also reiterate the policy during toolbox talks or refresher training.
When health and safety policies and procedures are reviewed, or changes are made to the policy, these must be communicated to all employees. Employees must be consulted and informed.
