Small business and Health and Safety Policy. Why bother ?
Another piece of document to be kept in a drawer? Nothing like that.
So many times we hear:
⏩ Why would we produce another document nobody will read?
⏩ It is another paperwork exercise!
⏩ What a waste of time, we are a small business, and we don't need it.
Well, do you indeed? The benefits of having tailored to your business despite its size and Health and Safety policy are greater than expected.
⚖ ⚖ Legal obligation? ⚖ ⚖
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, every employer must prepare, maintain, revise and introduce to their employees, a statement on managing health and safety in their organisation and what arrangements are put in place to ensure the policy is implemented.
Whether the policy should be written down or not, depends on the organisation's size. As per the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, businesses with 5 and more employees must have the policy recorded.
Regardless of their size, every business, even the smallest one, should have a health and safety policy, which can be verbally communicated to the employees and those affected by the organisation’s undertakings.
Recorded Health and Safety Policy is the best example of your business’s commitment to health and safety.
From:
✅ getting onto the list of approved contractors/suppliers
✅ getting those contracts you tendered for,
✅ winning your business health and safety accredited or
✅ improving health and safety standards and engaging with your employees, Health and Safety Policy is the key!
The benefits of having the policy are far superior to not having it at all. Don’t you think?🤔
