H&S - What Are Your Obligations?

If you are wondering what is required from your business in terms of Health and Safety, we just have the right resource to get you started! 

Put together by our very own H&S buff, Mark Taylor! (Facilities Manager @ The Trampery Fish Island Village)

Health & Safety Policy

It is a requirement by law that all businesses have a health and safety policy. If you employ 5 or more people, then this policy needs to be written down.

The policy should open with a statement committing yourself to managing health and safety signed by your duty holder (this is usually the company founder, director or CEO). The policy should include how your company will manage health and safety at your place of work, including how your company will prevent injuries, how it will provide training and proper equipment, and that it will have appropriate emergency procedures in place. These responsibilities should be clearly assigned to a job role. The HSE provides a good template here. It’s best to involve your employees in the writing of your policy and you should think about how you will induct any new starters on your H&S procedures when they join. 

Fire Safety Policy, Evacuation and Fire Risk Assessment 

It is a legal requirement that all companies have a fire safety policy. Again, if your company employs more than 5 people, this policy needs to be written down. Like your H&S policy, a fire safety policy is your company's commitment to good fire safety practices and should include your procedures for ensuring your unit has adequate fire safety equipment, your means of escape is clear, and that all your employees know what to do in the event of an emergency evacuation. 

As a part of your evacuation procedure, it is a legal requirement that each business designates a fire warden. You should also consider how you will assist with the evacuation of anyone with mobility difficulties. The best means for assessing this is the implementation of a Personal Emergency Evacuation Procedure (or ‘PEEP’).

It is important that a company carries out a regular review of their fire policy. As well as this, it is a legal requirement for businesses to carry out a fire risk assessment on their premises delivered by a competent third party. If you employ more than 5 people, then this document should be written down and held on site. If you have a sink or shower in your unit, you should also arrange a legionella or water risk assessment. 

H&S Equipment Required

Fire extinguishers – It is a legal requirement to have at least one class-A fire extinguisher on each floor of your unit. Best practice is to have both a water and foam extinguisher.

H&S Law Poster – no matter how many people you employ, it is a requirement to have a health and safety law poster on display for your staff. 

First Aid Kit – at minimum, you should have at least one fully stocked first aid kit within your premises. Someone should be responsible for checking if it is well stocked. 

Fire Action Notice – all businesses should have a fire action notice on display, which lets visitors know what to do in the event of an emergency evacuation.