Health and Safety Policies and Procedures That Work in Practice
Health and Safety Policies and Procedures That Work in Practice.
SS Safety Ltd helps small and growing businesses establish clear, practical and proportionate health and safety policies and procedures.
Your documentation should accurately describe your business, its risks, who is responsible and how health and safety will be managed in practice.
It should not be a collection of generic templates that employees do not understand or relate too.
Whether your existing arrangements require updating or you need a complete health and safety management framework, SS Safety can review your organisation, identify what is required and create a controlled system around your actual activities.
You will work directly with Shaun Smith a Chartered Member of IOSH from the initial review through to implementation and ongoing support.
Request a Policy and Procedure Review
Has Your Business Outgrown Its Health and Safety Arrangements?
A review may be required where:
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The business is approaching or has exceeded five employees.
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Your health and safety policy is generic or out of date.
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Policies do not reflect your current activities, premises or equipment.
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Managers and supervisors are unclear about what is expected of them.
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Risk assessments are incomplete, inconsistent or overdue for review.
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Procedures exist on paper but are not followed in practice.
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New machinery, vehicles, substances or work activities have been introduced.
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The business has moved premises or opened additional locations.
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A client, insurer, auditor or accreditation body has requested evidence.
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You are completing a tender, CHAS, SafeContractor, Constructionline or ISO 45001 assessment.
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An accident or near miss has identified weaknesses.
SS Safety can establish what you already have, what remains suitable and what needs to be improved.
What the law says
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 requires an employer to prepare and revise a written statement of its general health and safety policy and the organisation and arrangements for carrying it out.
Employers with five or more employees must record their significant risk-assessment findings.
The written policy normally contains three principal elements:
Statement of Intent
This explains the organisation’s commitment, objectives and overall approach to protecting employees and other people who may be affected by its activities.
Organisation and Responsibilities
This identifies who is responsible for health and safety at each level of the business, from directors and senior managers to supervisors and employees.
Arrangements
This explains how significant health and safety matters will be controlled, monitored and reviewed.
The policy must be supported by suitable risk assessments, procedures, records and evidence of implementation. Producing a document does not, by itself, demonstrate that health and safety is being managed effectively.
More Than a Standard Health and Safety Policy
A policy is only one part of a functioning health and safety management system.
Your arrangements may need to address:
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Leadership and management responsibilities.
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Access to competent health and safety assistance.
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Risk assessment.
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Employee consultation.
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Information, instruction, training and supervision.
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Accident and near-miss reporting.
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Workplace inspections.
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Contractor selection and control.
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Work equipment and machinery.
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Workplace transport.
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Hazardous substances.
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Fire and emergency arrangements.
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Occupational health and health surveillance.
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Monitoring, audit and management review.
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Document control and record retention.
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Management of organisational and operational change.
The documents required will depend on the nature and complexity of your business. A small office does not need the same system as a manufacturer, haulage operator, chemical business or construction contractor.
SS Safety will identify the arrangements relevant to your organisation rather than automatically producing policies that serve no practical purpose.
What Our Review Covers
Depending on the agreed scope, this may include:
Business Activities - what, where work and who.
Organisation and Responsibilities - structure and health and safety responsibilities
Existing Documentation - We examine current policies, risk assessments, procedures, forms, inspection records, training information and action plans.
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Workplace Conditions and Activities - We visit the workplace, observe how work is performed
Significant Hazards - Identify hazards arising from your premises, equipment, substances, vehicles, employees, contractors and work activities.
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Legal and Other Requirements - Relevant health and safety legislation, customer, contractual, certification and industry requirements.
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Employee Knowledge and Consultation - Do employees understand the arrangements, have been adequately consulted and know what is expected of them.
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Implementation and Monitoring - Are responsibilities, inspections, actions and document reviews planned, recorded and completed.
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The result is a clear understanding of what is already effective, what needs improvement and what should be prioritised.
No Rebranded Templates
Generic documents often contain responsibilities, equipment and procedures that do not exist within the business. They may also omit significant hazards or require actions the organisation cannot realistically implement. This creates the appearance of a management system without providing effective control.
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SS Safety develops documentation using information obtained from our personal review of your company.
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The finished system will be understandable, proportionate and capable of being followed.
It will describe what your business does — not what a standard template assumes it does.
Suitable for Small and Growing Businesses
This service is particularly suitable for:
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New employers establishing formal arrangements.
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Businesses approaching or exceeding five employees.
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Family businesses moving to a more structured management model.
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Companies employing supervisors or departmental managers for the first time.
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Businesses taking on larger or more demanding clients.
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Companies completing prequalification assessments such as Safe Contractor, CHAS, SSIP's
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Companies moving into manufacturing, warehousing or other higher-risk activities.
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Organisations preparing for ISO 45001.
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Businesses that have inherited incomplete or inconsistent documentation.
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Directors who want an independent assessment of their current position.
The system can begin simply and develop as your organisation grows. Complexity should be introduced only where it is needed to control risk and manage the business effectively.
Why Use SS Safety?
Direct Access to a Chartered Consultant
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Practical Workplace Knowledge
Documents Based on Real Activities
Clear Priorities
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Implementation Support
Ongoing Assistance
