Health and Safety Policy Template for UK Businesses
A health and safety policy is a legal requirement for any UK employer with five or more employees. Under section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, you must prepare a written statement of your general policy on health and safety, the organisation you have in place to carry it out, and the practical arrangements. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) can issue improvement or prohibition notices — and prosecute — employers who fail to comply.
Who Needs This Policy?
All UK employers with 5 or more employees are legally required to have a written health and safety policy under section 2(3) of the HSWA 1974. However, even businesses with fewer than 5 employees have general duties under the Act and benefit from documenting their approach. Businesses in higher-risk sectors (construction, manufacturing, hospitality, care) face additional regulatory requirements under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
What's Covered
This health and safety policy template covers 14 key sections:
Purpose
[your details] recognises its legal and moral duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, a...
Scope
This policy applies to all employees, workers, contractors, agency staff, visitors, and anyone else who may be affected ...
General Statement of Intent
[your details] will, so far as is reasonably practicable: - Provide and maintain a safe and healthy working environment...
Organisation -- Roles and Responsibilities
has overall responsibility for: - Ensuring [your details] meets its health and safety obligations - Providing adequate ...
Arrangements -- Risk Assessment
[your details] will carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments of all work activities in accordance with Regulat...
Arrangements -- Training
[your details] will provide health and safety training to all employees: - : All new employees will receive health and ...
Arrangements -- Accident Reporting and Investigation
All accidents, injuries, near-misses, and dangerous occurrences must be reported immediately to [your details] and recor...
Arrangements -- Fire Safety
[your details] will: - Carry out a fire risk assessment in accordance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 20...
Arrangements -- First Aid
[your details] will provide adequate first aid provision in accordance with the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulation...
Arrangements -- Consultation with Employees
[your details] will consult with employees on matters affecting their health and safety, as required by the Health and S...
Arrangements -- Workplace Welfare
In accordance with the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, [your details] will ensure: - The workp...
Enforcement and Consequences
Failure to comply with health and safety rules and procedures is a serious matter. Depending on the circumstances, it ma...
Related Policies
This policy should be read alongside: - Disciplinary Procedure - Data Protection Policy - Equality and Diversity Policy...
Review
This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if there are: - Changes to legislation or HSE guidance - Significant c...
Legal Framework
This policy template is grounded in the following UK legislation and guidance:
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, s.2(3) (written policy requirement for 5+ employees)
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (risk assessment, competent person, training)
- Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013
How Complaiance Helps
Our health and safety policy goes beyond a generic template:
- Structured template covering all three required parts: statement of intent, organisation, and arrangements
- Industry-specific risk assessment prompts based on your sector and workplace type
- RIDDOR reporting guidance and first aid provisions built into the document
- Automatic references to current legislation including the 1974 Act, 1999 Regulations, and Fire Safety Order 2005
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Get Started FreeFrequently Asked Questions
How many employees do you need before a written health and safety policy is required?
Under section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers with 5 or more employees must have a written health and safety policy. This must include a general statement of intent, details of the organisational structure for managing health and safety, and the practical arrangements in place. Employers with fewer than 5 employees still have duties under the Act but are not legally required to write them down.
What are the three parts of a health and safety policy?
A health and safety policy must contain three parts: (1) a general statement of intent signed by the most senior person, setting out the organisation's commitment; (2) the organisation section, detailing who is responsible for what; and (3) the arrangements section, describing the practical steps taken to manage risks including risk assessments, training, accident reporting, fire safety, and first aid.
What happens if my business doesn't have a health and safety policy?
The HSE can issue an improvement notice requiring you to produce a policy within a specified timeframe. Failure to comply is a criminal offence. Under the Health and Safety Offences Act 2008, penalties include unlimited fines and up to 2 years' imprisonment. In cases involving a death, the organisation could face corporate manslaughter charges under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.