Primarily a commitment to health and safety in your business. Where an employer has five or more employees, a written health and safety policy is required. This document will lay out the general policy with respect to the health and safety of employees and also the organisation and arrangements put in place, within the company, for achieving this.
The health and safety policy needs to be brought to the attention of all employees, who should understand its contents and purpose. The policy needs to be dated and signed by the managing director to give it validity.
It should be revised when practices or procedures change. There should be a review on a regular basis to keep it updated.
Is that all ?
No.
The inspector will ask to see a number of documents where applicable including:
- Your Risk Assessments of the health and safety of employees to identify workplace hazards, and also an assessment of the risks to those persons who you do not employ, but who may be affected by what you do (or what you should have done) - for example members of the public, outside contractors.
- You should provide an accident book or accident recording system. Also, as an employer, you need to know which accidents and ill health cases to formally report to the Incident Contact Centre (ICC). Such accidents fall under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) and guidance can be found here.
- Your COSHH assessments under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations if you use substances, which are hazardous in a working environment.
- Your training records, for example if you operate fork lift trucks or machinery. Inspections and maintenance records for the electrical installation, portable electrical equipment, gas appliances, lifting equipment, lifts and air compressors.
- As an employer you have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare of all your employees.