How to Write your Health & Safety Policy
When it comes to writing a health and safety policy, many people are keen to find a health and safety policy example they can copy.
However, one size doesn’t fit all, and it’s vital that your written policy is tailored to meet the unique requirements of your organisation. With this in mind, rather than showing you how to write a health and safety policy document, we have put together a simple checklist illustrating the sort of things that need to be included. Your written health and safety policy should consist of three parts:
1. A general statement of intent – This should outline in broad terms the organisation’s overall philosophy in relation to the management of health and safety, including reference to the broad responsibilities of both management and the workforce.
2. Organisation (people and their duties) – This outlines the chain of command in terms of health and safety management e.g. who is responsible for whom and for what, what is the accountability protocol to ensure delegated responsibilities are undertaken and how is policy implementation monitored.
3. Arrangements (systems and procedures) – This deals with the practical arrangements by which the policy will be effectively implemented.
These include:
- Safety training
- Safe systems of work
- Environmental control
- Safe place of work
- Machine / area guarding
- Housekeeping
- Safe plant & equipment
- Noise control
- Radiation safety
- Dust control
- Use of toxic materials
- Workplace Monitoring
- Medical facilities and welfare
- Internal communication / participation
- Accident reporting and investigation
- Emergency procedures
