Skip the NI Direct Bar

Write a Safety Policy

Introduction:

A health and safety policy sets out your general approach, objectives and the arrangements you have to put in place for managing health and safety in your business. It is a unique document that says who does what, when and how.

A policy is different from a risk assessment. A policy is a general vision and arrangements for the business as a whole while a risk assessment is a regular review of how you remove or control hazards or whether you are doing enough or if you require further controls.

A policy will only be effective if you and your staff act on it, follow it through and review it on a regular basis.

Key Issues:

  • What Does It Include?

    A written health and safety policy does not need to be complicated or time consuming. It tells staff and others about your commitment to health and safety, and simply describes how you will implement and monitor your health and safety controls.

    The policy is usually made up of three parts:-

    1. A Statement of Intent (what you intend to do) - A written policy statement which shows your staff, and anyone else, your commitment to health and safety.
    2. Organisation details (who will be involved) - This section names those who will have responsibilities for health and safety matters in your company.
    3. Arrangements (how you will put it in place) - This section explains how you will control the main hazards that have been identified in your risk assessment.

  • Information For Small Businesses

    If you require more information on writing a health and safety policy or you are unsure of the requirements for your business you can click on the link to the HSWNI site. HSWNI provides a template of a policy statement that can be used in your own workplace. The format gives you an idea of the kind of information you need to record, however, you do not have to use this document or format. You are free to record and store the information in any form you choose.