How to create a health & safety policy for your UK small business: a practical guide

A clear, simple walkthrough to help UK small businesses create a legally compliant, tailored health & safety policy without overwhelm.

Start your policy in minutes

If your business has five or more employees, UK law requires you to have a written Health & Safety policy . Even if you have fewer than five staff, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) strongly recommends having a policy in place, as it’s useful to write down how you manage safety ( HSE guidance ). A clear, simple policy protects your team, reduces risk, and shows regulators you take safety seriously.

The good news is that creating a Health & Safety policy doesn’t need to be complicated. With the right approach, you can produce a clear, tailored document that reflects how your business actually works.

Health & Safety equipment alongside a policy document

Having a dedicated Health & Safety policy is not only a legal requirement for many UK businesses, but also a tangible demonstration of your commitment to protecting staff and customers. Small businesses should document how they manage risks and safety procedures, even if not strictly required, to foster a safer workplace culture.

👉 If at any point this process feels overwhelming, remember: High 5 Safety is here to help . We specialize in simplifying health and safety for small businesses.

Now, let’s walk through the steps to create your policy.

1. Understand the three key parts of a compliant policy

The HSE’s guidance indicates that every written health and safety policy should be divided into three main sections ( HSE – How to Write Your Policy ). These sections ensure your policy covers all crucial aspects of managing safety. They are: (1) the Statement of Intent, (2) Responsibilities, and (3) Arrangements. Below we break down each component:

Part 1: Statement of intent (“our commitment”)

This is a clear, simple declaration of your commitment to protecting your staff, customers, visitors, and anyone affected by your work. It outlines your business’s safety philosophy and goals. Your Statement of Intent should include:

  • Overall aims: What you aim to achieve in terms of health and safety (your general policy and objectives).
  • Management approach: How you intend to manage health and safety daily (e.g. maintaining equipment, training staff, conducting audits).
  • Commitment to improvement: An acknowledgment that you will continually monitor and improve standards over time.
  • Signature and date: Signed and dated by the owner or most senior person, showing leadership commitment.

Think of this section as your promise to your staff and to the regulators. It sets the tone for safety in your workplace. Make it sincere but concise.

👉 Need help writing this in clear, plain language? High 5 Safety can draft your Statement of Intent , ensuring it covers all key points without legal jargon.

Part 2: Responsibilities (“who does what?”)

This part explains who is responsible for managing health and safety in your business. It doesn’t need to be complicated – the goal is simply to clarify roles so everyone knows what’s expected. In this section, list out who does what regarding safety. Include:

  • Overall responsibility: The person with ultimate responsibility (usually the owner or a director).
  • Day-to-day safety management: Who manages daily safety tasks.
  • Specific duties: Who conducts checks, maintenance, or training.
  • Incident reporting: Who reports and investigates accidents or near-misses.
  • External liaison: Who communicates with contractors, suppliers, or enforcement bodies such as HSE inspectors.

UK safety regulations require employers to consult and involve workers in health and safety decisions ( HSE – Legal Duties ), so defining responsibilities and communication channels is essential.

👉 Not sure how to assign responsibilities? High 5 Safety can walk you through it and help map out each safety role.

Part 3: Arrangements (“how you keep people safe”)

This is the largest section of your policy – the practical “how-to” part. Here you detail how you control risks in your workplace day-to-day. Your arrangements might include:

  • Risk assessments
  • Cleaning and hygiene schedules
  • Equipment and machinery safety
  • COSHH procedures
  • Manual handling practices
  • Fire safety
  • First aid arrangements
  • Training programmes
  • Water safety (Legionella)
  • Working at height
  • Electrical safety
  • Lone working
  • Contractor management

For certain industries, you’ll need additional arrangements. Depending on your business, you may also need to document:

  • Allergen management
  • Food safety controls
  • Equipment sterilisation
  • Pool or spa safety
  • Customer interaction risks
  • Safeguarding policies

The HSE advises that arrangements should clearly show how you will achieve your safety aims (e.g., conducting risk assessments, training employees) ( HSE – How to Write Your Policy ).

👉 Not sure which arrangements apply to you? Take the Business Health Check or book a consultation for tailored guidance.

2. Gather the information you need

To build an accurate policy, start by collecting key information about your business and existing safety measures. Having the facts at hand will make writing the policy much easier. Gather things like:

  • Basic business details: Your company name, address, and the person with overall safety responsibility.
  • Staff structure: An organisational chart or list of employees, which helps define who is responsible for what.
  • Current safety procedures: Any procedures or checklists you already follow (even informal ones).
  • Risk assessments: Existing risk assessment documents for your workplace or tasks.
  • Training records: Records of any health and safety training your staff have done (e.g. first aid, fire marshal training).
  • Equipment maintenance logs: Proof of maintenance or safety checks on equipment and machinery.
  • Accident records: Your accident book or any incident reports, which highlight areas of risk.
  • Fire safety information: Your fire risk assessment, fire drill records, alarm test logs, etc.
  • Contractor agreements: How you ensure contractors or visitors comply with safety rules (any induction forms or contracts).

This can feel like a lot of documentation – especially if you’ve never compiled it before. Don’t panic. Pull together what you have. Identifying gaps is part of the process and will show you where you might need to improve.

👉 Time-saving tip: High 5 Safety’s Business Health Check collects all this information in an organised way, helping you quickly identify gaps and risks.

3. Write the policy in clear, plain English

When you sit down to write the policy, keep the language clear and simple. The goal is that any of your team members can read and understand it. Avoid heavy legal jargon or copying lengthy text from regulations. Instead, write as if you’re explaining how your business works to a new employee.

  • Be specific to your business: Don’t just copy a generic template word-for-word. Tailor the policy so that it describes your actual workplace, processes, and people. Generic policies that don’t match reality won’t be effective (and inspectors can tell).
  • Use plain English: For example, instead of saying “mitigate risk of musculoskeletal disorders,” say “prevent injuries from heavy lifting by using trolleys and proper technique.” Clarity is key.
  • Keep sentences and sections concise: Long-winded paragraphs will lose readers. Break text into bullet points or short sections for easier reading.
  • Ensure it’s accurate: Make sure that what you write in the policy matches what you actually do. If you say “weekly fire drills” in the policy, you need to actually conduct them!

Remember, the policy is ultimately for your employees’ benefit and safety. It’s not just a document to file away; it should guide daily work. So write it in a way that your team will find helpful and understandable.

👉 Want a policy written in everyday language (not legal speak)? High 5 Safety can draft it for you - compliant, clear, and tailored to your business.

4. Involve your team

Your staff understand the on-the-ground reality of your workplace better than anyone. Involve them in creating the policy – this not only improves the quality of the policy but also boosts buy-in. Employees who help craft the safety rules are more likely to follow them. Ask your team to contribute to:

  • Risk assessments: Employees can help identify hazards in their own work areas and suggest sensible precautions.
  • Safe working procedures: Work with staff to develop practical methods for tasks (they often know the best ways to work safely and efficiently).
  • Spotting hazards: Encourage workers to speak up about any dangers or near-misses they notice. Front-line employees might see issues management isn’t aware of.
  • Finding solutions: When a hazard is identified, involve the team in brainstorming how to eliminate or control it. This creates a sense of ownership of safety measures.

By law, employers should consult employees about health and safety matters ( HSE – Legal Duties ) - this can be through direct conversations or via a safety representative. Involving your team early on meets this requirement and helps create a positive safety culture. Workers are more likely to embrace safety rules if they had a hand in shaping them.

👉 Need help getting your staff engaged? High 5 Safety can run team workshops or training sessions to help gather valuable input and build a stronger safety culture.

5. Review and update your policy regularly

Your Health & Safety policy is not a one-time document to write and forget. It should be a living document that you update as your business evolves. In fact, the HSE advises reviewing your health and safety performance at least once a year ( CHAS – When to Renew Your Policy ) to ensure your policy remains effective and up-to-date.

Plan to review your policy annually, and also update it whenever there are significant changes, such as:

  • Changes in operations: If you introduce new processes, services, or change how work is done, assess how this impacts safety and update the policy accordingly.
  • New equipment or substances: Whenever you buy new machinery or start using a new chemical, make sure the safety procedures for it are reflected in your arrangements.
  • Staffing changes: If you grow your team or change key personnel, you may need to revise who is responsible for what, and ensure new staff are covered by the policy (and trained on it).
  • New locations or sites: Expanding to a new site or moving premises can introduce new hazards. Update the policy to cover location-specific risks and procedures.
  • Incidents or close calls: If an accident or a near-miss happens, investigate it and see if your policy or risk assessments need to be changed to prevent future incidents.
  • Legal or regulatory updates: If the law changes or new regulations come into force, you may need to adjust your policy to stay compliant. Keep an eye on HSE guidance for any updates.

As a baseline, set a reminder to review your policy each year – perhaps at the same time you renew insurance or do annual training refreshers. During a review, read through each part of the policy and confirm it still reflects your actual work practices and the current law. Re-sign and re-date the Statement of Intent if any changes are made, to show it is current.

👉 Keeping policies current can be time-consuming. High 5 Safety offers annual review packages to ensure your policy always meets the latest requirements without the headache.

6. Store it accessibly (both digitally and on paper)

In the digital age, it’s easy to keep your Health & Safety policy as a file on your computer or cloud drive. Digital copies are great for quick sharing and editing. However, don’t rely solely on digital. Technical issues – cyber incidents, network outages, or even a dead laptop – could suddenly make your policy inaccessible when you need it. That’s why it’s wise to keep a paper copy (or two) as well. Make sure that your policy is:

  • Accessible to all staff: Every employee should know where to find the health and safety policy and be able to read it. Consider posting the Statement of Intent on a notice board and ensuring each department has access to the full policy. (By law, you must share the policy and any updates with your employees HSE – Share Your Policy .)
  • Stored safely: Keep the master paper copy in a safe place (protected from damage), and back up the digital file in a secure manner.
  • Shared with managers/supervisors: Ensure those in leadership or supervisory roles have their own copy or easy access, since they’ll be responsible for implementing it day-to-day.
  • Available for inspections: If an HSE inspector or local authority officer visits, they will likely ask to see your health and safety policy. Having it readily available (and obviously well-maintained and updated) creates a good impression. Don’t make them wait while you dig through files.

In practice, many small businesses print out the policy and keep it in a Health & Safety binder on site, while also storing a PDF version in a shared folder or company intranet. This way, you cover all bases.

👉 Want your policy professionally formatted, digitised, and even printed for you? High 5 Safety can handle that - providing a polished digital copy plus high-quality printed versions for your workplace.

7. If you’re too busy or unsure – don’t struggle

Health and safety is critical, but we understand that running a business is demanding. Many small business owners simply don’t have the time, specialized knowledge, or confidence to create a thorough health and safety policy on their own. And that’s okay. Struggling in isolation can lead to mistakes or omissions that leave your business vulnerable. That’s exactly why High 5 Safety exists.

👉 We can create your bespoke Health & Safety policy for you – quickly, professionally, and affordably. Start your tailored policy here . Our experts will gather the needed information, write the document in plain English, and tailor it to your business’s specific needs. We make sure it ticks all the legal boxes and truly protects you and your team.

Beyond the policy itself, we can also support you with other essentials: risk assessments, staff training, food safety procedures, ongoing compliance audits, and more. Whether you’re starting from scratch or just need to update and polish what you have, we’re here to help at whatever stage you’re at.

Creating a Health & Safety policy might feel like a daunting task, but with this guide (and a helping hand if needed), you can get it done. Protecting your people and your business is well worth the effort. Good luck, and remember that you don’t have to do it alone!

Sources

This guide is based on official UK health and safety guidance and reputable industry bodies. You can explore the full details in the sources below: