Health And Safety Manual

Outline Your Policy

Under the Health and SaIety At Work Act 1974, all employers are required to produce a
policy statement which outlines their commitment to and arrangements Ior the health and
saIety oI employees. It should state what your objectives are and outline the responsibilities
and arrangements in place to meet those objectives.
First Aid Procedures
In this section you should state where Iirst aid boxes are located in your workplace and who
is responsible Ior maintaining the stocks oI Iirst aid supplies. Explain also your policy on
training Iirst aiders and speciIy who the current trained or appointed Iirst aiders are and how
they may be contacted. You need to detail all other Iirst aid procedures such as whether you
have a Iirst aid room.
Accident and Incident Reporting
You should set out clearly what the arrangements are Ior reporting accidents and incidents,
and deIine exactly what constitutes an accident or incident. It is important to record details oI
minor accidents and even near misses. You should have a standard Iorm or book Ior reporting
such incidents and your manual should explain where these are kept and who should
complete them.
Risk Assessment
This is now the cornerstone oI health and saIety management and a key legal requirement Ior
any business. You must assess all risks that could present a hazard to anyone on your
premises and assess the precautions in place to protect people Irom these risks. Standard Iorm
can be a helpIul guide in carrying out these risk assessments.
Staff Training and Emergency Procedures
You have a duty to train staII properly in their health and saIety responsibilities, including
their role in an emergency and how to evacuate the building. Your health and saIety manual
should explain your training policy, what training is compulsory, how and when it will be
delivered, etc.
Control Of Substances Hazardous To Health
Employers are required to assess the risks associated with any hazardous substances Iound in
the workplace. It is easy to think that this only applies to people working with industrial
chemicals or other hazardous substances, but it is more Iar reaching than many would guess.
Even things like Tipp-ex and cleaning supplies have to be considered and planned Ior. You
should obtain data sheets Ior each substance used and standard Iorms can be used to assess
the risks.
Electricity At Work
Your health and saIety manual should set out your procedures Ior ensuring saIe use and
maintenance oI electrical equipment in your workplace. This could include Pat testing
arrangements, electrical installation testing, proper training, planned maintenance
programmes, appropriate signage and warnings, etc.
Manual Handling
This should cover proper procedures Ior not just liIting heavy objects, but any kind oI
movement oI equipment or goods. You should set out your policy with regard to what you
expect staII to do and not do, and how they should assess whether, and how, to move things.
This will inevitably involve some kind oI risk assessment process and may well include
special staII training.
Smoking Policy
The Health Act 2006 places new duties on employers to protect employees and visitors Irom
the eIIects oI second hand smoke. This should include highlighting areas or shelters where
smoking is allowed.
Working At Height
There are several pieces oI legislation relating to this, and it is an area that leads to many
workplace injuries each year. You manual should outline your policy, which may include
considering other ways oI working, assessing the risk beIore each task, the use oI appropriate
equipment, the testing and maintenance oI access equipment, proper training and supervision,
adequate rest breaks, etc.
Personal Protective Equipment
You should outline what PPE is provided and when and how it should be used. Also consider
how staII should assess its suitability/eIIectiveness and how to obtain replacements or report
Iaults.

There will be other areas Ior consideration, depending on your workplace, which might
include procedures Ior drivers, display screen users, use oI dangerous chemicals, gasses
under pressure, lone working, protection oI children and young people, legionella control, use
oI particular equipment or machinery, etc