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Health and Safety
1. Your Responsibilities
1.1 You must register with the appropriate authority.
- If you have employees in an office or shop, you register with the local council - usually with the Environmental Health Department.
- If you have a factory, you must register with the Health and Safety Executive.
1.2 You are responsible for the health and safety of everyone affected by your business.
- This includes employees, anyone working in or visiting your premises, people affected outside your premises (eg by emissions), and anyone affected by products and services which you design, produce or supply.
- You must have a health and safety policy (see 2). If you have five or more employees, the policy must be in writing.
- You must provide appropriate information, instruction and training (see 3).
1.3 You must carry out a suitable risk assessment.
- A thorough risk assessment is the most effective way of improving health and safety.
1.4 You must make suitable arrangements for employee welfare (see 6).
1.5 You must have employers' liability insurance, unless all your employees, without exception, are your close relatives. (There are certain other exemptions. See Insurance to protect your business).
Special Cases
Your health and safety and fire arrangements must take into account any particular difficulties faced by people with disabilities (employees or visitors).
Special regulations cover the employment of young people (below 18 years of age).
Extra precautions need to be taken to avoid exposing pregnant women to situations which could harm either the woman or the unborn child.
- For example, heavy lifting or exposure to harmful substances.
If your business provides food (either to employees or to the public), you will need to register with the Environmental Health Department.
Businesses with particular dangers face extra regulation eg the construction industry as well as businesses involved with chemical processing, mining, explosives and petroleum products.
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Business Advice