Starting a Business – Health and Safety at Work

Starting a Business – Health and Safety at Work

For further information or assistance please do not hesitate to contact Bradley Haynes Law via telephone: 01905900919 or email: welcome@bradleyhayneslaw.co.uk.  We would be delighted to discuss how we can support your business whether that be in relation to employment or any other business matters.

Legislation concerning health and safety has increasingly focused on procedures that employers should adopt rather than prescribing specific actions. This means that the duties of employers have become wider and more ambiguous. For this reason, it is important to know what regulations you need to abide by and your duties as an employer. See below for some of the key duties and responsibilities in relation to Health and Safety.

What you need to do:

• Carry out an assessment health and safety risks per the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. If you have more than five employees, any important findings and any employee identified as being particularly at risk must be recorded.
• You are required to have a safety policy detailing, amongst other things, evacuation procedures. You must publish the policy to all staff if you have more than five employees.
• The Records and Notification of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurences Regulations 2013 require to you record all staff injuries and report any serious injuries to the Health and Safety Executive. Failure to report or record can result in up to two years’ imprisonment or an unlimited fine.
• Health and Safety Regulation 1981 state you must provide adequate and appropriate first-aid facilities and equipment as well as, if need, trained first aiders.
• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 replaces previous legislation in relation to fire precautions and states assessments of fire risk must be carried out by a responsible person.
• Check that you follow published Health and Safety guidance on specific risks and hazards, see www.hse.gov.uk for guidance and advice.

What you should provide your employees:

• A safe place of work per the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
• You are required to display a Health and Safety Law Poster in a place visible to staff or provide them with leaflets giving health and safety information.
• Adequate health and safety training must be provided to new staff.
• Employees should be consulted on health and safety matters directly or through the employee representatives.
• You should display a current Employers Liability Insurance Certificate. This can be displayed electronically but all employees must be able to access the certificate. Failure to display this may result in a £1,000 fine.