Assess your risks
Identify anything that could cause harm and consider what you could do to remove or reduce the risks. Take a walk around your business and look for things that can cause an accident: rubbish bins in walkways, litter or spilt drinks around rest room areas, trailing cables, sharp edges, shelves stocked dangerously.
Look at what your staff do and consider any associated risks: lifting things, driving, whether they have the right protective equipment, whether they have the right tools for the job. Consider any additional risks caused by staff working alone.
Ask you staff what they think the risks are - they're in a much better position to identify real and potential dangers than you are! See some tips from HSE on how to do this
Create a health and safety policy
How are you going to manage health and safety in your business? If you have 5 or more employees you should put this in writing. Share the policy with your staff and review and update it regularly so it stays relevant to the business. You might find
An introduction to health and safety: health and safety in small businesses from the Health & Safety Executive useful.
Protect your staff
- All staff should get free health and safety training so they know what hazards and risks they may face, and how to deal with them
- Provide any equipment and protective clothing they require, and ensure it's properly maintained
- Display a health and safety law poster or provide leaflets with the same information
- Provide adequate toilets, washing facilities and drinking water for all your employees, including those with disabilities
- Take out Employers Liability Compulsory Insurance and display the certificate where your staff can see it. Get a quote for Employer's Liability insurance here.
Report any health and safety incidents
There are some work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences that must be reported by law. This is the
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 - better known as RIDDOR.
Find more detailed guidance on health & safety issues at work on the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.