The health and safety policy and associated procedures will ensure compliance with Regulation 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 which requires a business to have proper health and safety arrangements in place.
Health and Safety Policy
Any successful health and safety management system will have at its forefront a robust and comprehensive health and safety policy. It is also a legal requirement of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to have an effective policy in place and if you employ five staff or more then it must be formally documented.
An effective Health and Safety Policy sets a clear direction for a business to follow in terms of health and safety. It explains how you, as an employer, will manage health and safety in your business. It clearly states who does what, when and how and there are three parts to it:
- Statement of Intent
A formal statement of commitment to continuous improvement in health and safety by demonstrated leadership, effective management and provision of resources.
The statement establishes the importance of Health and Safety in relation to other business objectives.
It sets out a declaration at senior level of the business’s commitment to health and safety using a recognised safety management modal. It also highlights your intentions of providing safe working conditions and work activities that will not harm your employees or others.
It also states your aims and objectives in relation to maintaining a robust and effective safety management system and promoting a positive health and safety culture.
- Organising
The organising section of the health and safety policy will identify health and safety responsibilities and accountabilities within the business.
- Arrangements
The arrangements section sets out in detail the systems and procedures that show how the health and safety policy will be implemented.
The health and safety policy will influence all activities. It includes the selection of people, equipment and materials. It influences the way that work is done and how goods and services are provided and designed.
The written statement of your policy, and the organisation and arrangements for implementing and monitoring it, show your staff and anyone else that hazards have been identified and that risks have been assessed, eliminated or controlled.
Health and Safety Procedures
After writing the health and safety policy, health and safety procedures are the next step. They are much more specific and go into much more detail about how the health and safety policy will be implemented practically within the business. They are step by step instructions for all areas of the business.
I can help you to write and implement all your policies and procedures in a simple and interesting way. I can also provide you with a procedure note index which will provide an automatic count-down to the review date of each procedure note and is a useful way of providing assurance that the policy and procedure part of your safety management system is being met.
