simple health & safety checklist

There are a number of key things you must do to comply with health and safety regulations and a number of ways to make it as easy as possible. Use the checklist below to ensure you understand your main responsibilities and then link to the articles mentioned for more detailed information. Make use of free downloads and keep it simple.

1. Decide what could cause harm to people and how to take precautions. This is your risk assessment. (See Duport’s article on risk assessment). Use the two ready-made self assessment forms for risk assessment and a health and safety policy in www.hse.gov.uk
2. Decide how you are going to manage health and safety in your business. If you have 5 or more employees you need to write this down. This is your health and safety policy.
3. If you employ anyone you need Employers Liability Compulsory Insurance and you must display the certificate in your workplace.
4. You must provide free health and safety training for your workers so they know what hazards and risks they may face and how to deal with them.
5. You must have competent advice to help you meet your health and safety duties. This can be workers from your business, external consultants/advisers or a combination of these.
6. You need to provide toilets, washing facilities and drinking water for all your employees, including those with disabilities. These are basic health, safety and welfare needs.
7. You must consult employees on health and safety matters.
8. If you have employees you must display the health and safety law poster or provide workers with a leaflet with the same information.
9. If you are an employer, self-employed or in control of work premises, by law you must report some work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences.
10. If you are a new business you will need to register either with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or your Local Authority - depending on the sort of business you have.