This document provides information for business owners on their health and safety requirements under UK law. It outlines 13 key requirements including having employer's liability insurance, appointing a competent health and safety officer, writing a health and safety policy and risk assessments, providing personal protective equipment and first aid, consulting employees, and keeping updated on legislation changes. It encourages business owners to contact the company for a free audit if the requirements seem daunting.

1. Directors: P.A. Winter M.A. Winter R.A. Staincliffe S.A. Parker
Registered Office: 13 Drakes Mews, Business Centre, Crownhill, Milton Keynes MK8 0ER
VAT Registration No. 600 4634 85 Company Registration No. 2644153
13 DRAKES MEWS
BUSINESS CENTRE
CROWNHILL
MILTON KEYNES
MK8 0ER
Tel: +44 (0) 1908 261921
Fax: +44 (0) 1908 261782
E-mail: info@ehsc.co.uk
Website: www.ehsc.co.uk
Starting or Running a Business?
Do you know your own health and safety requirements and
what is required by law?
This leaflet provides a very basic summary of the requirements
needed to ensure that your business complies with health and
safety law.
Remember it pays to manage your business’ health and
safety. You need to demonstrate that you have taken all reasonable steps to protect
your employees (including yourself if you are the owner!).
1 If you have employees, you must have Employer’s Liability Insurance. (There
are only a few types of business which do not legally require it.)
2 Have you got in-house provision or do you employ the services of a competent
health and safety person? As an Employer, you must appoint someone
competent to help you meet your health and safety duties. A competent person is
someone with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to manage health
and safety within your business.
3 Write a Health & Safety Policy. If you have less than 5 Employees you do not
have to have this formally written down. However, you must remember if
something goes wrong you need evidence of what you have told your Employees.
(Ensure it accurately reflects your business and your practices).
4 You must display (or provide a copy to each worker) the Health and Safety Law
Poster. (You must ensure that it is completed.)
5 Write Risk Assessments to demonstrate you have controlled and managed risks
within your workplace. Again, if you have less than 5 Employees you do not have
to have this formally written down, but if something goes wrong you need
evidence of what you told your Employees. (Ensure it accurately reflects your
business and your practices. You also need to only detail those risks that are
significant. You must consider all aspects of your business and all employees
and the level of detail will be risk dependant.)
6 Ensure that you provide a safe workplace. What does this mean? Are floors
clear and clean? Fire exits free from obstruction? Equipment maintained?
7 Every workplace must have and maintain suitable workplace facilities. You
need to consider those with special needs. Also you should make sure that you
have sufficient welfare facilities ie toilets, somewhere to rest and eat meals etc.
You should ensure that you have a healthy workplace taking into consideration
temperature, ventilation etc.

2. Directors: P.A. Winter M.A. Winter R.A. Staincliffe S.A. Parker
Registered Office: 13 Drakes Mews, Business Centre, Crownhill, Milton Keynes MK8 0ER
VAT Registration No. 600 4634 85 Company Registration No. 2644153
8 Everyone in your business needs to know what to do and how to do it safely
(including emergency situations). You should ensure that they are provided clear
instructions, information and training. First task….ensure that everyone has
had a formal induction.
9 If you employ the services of Contractors you must confirm that they are
‘Competent’, have the right information and that you manage them and their
health and safety.
10 Have you identified whether your employees require personal protective
equipment (PPE)? If so, you must provide this to them free of charge.
11 You need to make arrangements for first aid, accidents and ill health. If an
Employee is taken ill at work you must have the necessary systems in place ie
first aid box, an appointed person (the identity and contact details of whom
should be known to Employees & Contractors) to take charge in an emergency.
You are also legally obliged to report and record certain injuries, incidents and
work-related diseases to the Enforcement Authorities.
12 So, if you have documented all of the above, what’s next? You need to make
sure that you consult with your Employees. Don’t make this too complicated as
they will lose interest! Listen and talk to them about various issues that impact
them. Allow them to raise concerns and act upon them.
13 Lastly you will need to consider, once you have completed the above tasks, how
will you keep up to date on any changes in legislation and best practice?
Does all of this sound a bit daunting? Then contact us and we will undertake a free
of charge, no obligation, snap-shot Audit of your business.
There will be no hard sell! We believe that you will be suitably impressed by the
suggestions and money saving tips that we provide you, you will wish to take up our
services and for us to be part of your team.