What is a Health and Safety Policy?

What is an Health and Safety Policy?
A written Health and Safety Policy a useful document for all organisations and employers. A Health and Safety policy sets out your general approach to health and safety. It explains how you, as an employer, will manage health and safety in your business.
You should ensure that your employees have access to the Health and Safety policy, and any amendments to it.

Do we need a Health and Safety Policy?

It is a legal requirement for any Employer that has 5 or more employees to have a written Health and Safety Policy.

Your policy should cover three areas.
Statement of intent
This is a statement of your commitment to managing health and safety and your safety goals and targets as an employer. This should be signed by the Director responsible for Health and Safety, and reviewed regularly.
Organisation
This section details who in what job role has a specific responsibility for health and safety.
Arrangements for health and safety
The arrangements section should give details of the practical safety arrangements you have in place for each of the main health and safety issues, tasks and hazards that your employees are exposed to and how they will be kept safe.