Employers are required to adequately manage health and safety within their business and should use the following methods.
Company safety policy statement
This must be in writing if there are more than five employees.
The statement must contain three parts:
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The policy statement which is a declaration of intent by the employer to maintain the health, safety and welfare of employees.
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The organisation of the company which describes the duties of everyone in the company, with regard to health and safety. This may take the form of a management tree.
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The arrangements put in place to ensure that the aims of the policy are achieved. These usually form the organisation's health and safety rules.
The policy must be brought to the attention of all employees and be revised as often as there are any changes in the company or to the policy. It is a good idea to have the policy signed by the owner of directors of the company and to date the policy so that employees know what revision is in place.
Risk assessment
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require that a risk assessment be carried out. Employers must undertake an assessment of the risks to employees and anyone else who may be affected by their undertaking. This could include customers, contractors or the general public.
If there are five or more employees, any significant findings from the risk assessment must be put in writing.
The Risk Assessment must be reviewed if anything changes in the workplace or process.
Risk Assessment should follow three steps:
- Identify who is at risk from these hazards. This may be individuals or groups of people. What control measures are in place, if any?
- Decide which risks are not adequately controlled and what action is required to reduce those risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
For further information and guidance please contact the Environmental Health Service or refer to the link to the Health and Safety Executive website.