A clear and effective health and safety policy is a cornerstone of workplace safety and a legal requirement for most UK businesses. More than a formality, it acts as the foundation for managing risks, protecting staff, and promoting a culture of accountability.
Under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA), employers with five or more employees must produce and maintain a written health and safety policy. This obligation is further reinforced by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which require all employers to have suitable and sufficient arrangements in place to manage health and safety risks.
Beyond compliance, an effective policy supports the health, safety, and welfare of your workforce. It also builds confidence among clients, contractors, and regulators. For businesses aligning with ISO 45001 – the international standard for occupational health and safety – a formal policy becomes a strategic commitment to continuous improvement and high standards of performance.
This article outlines how to structure, implement, and review a robust policy tailored to your organisation’s operations, with expert support from Kingfisher Professional Services.
Legal Requirements & Context
UK health and safety law makes it clear that employers are responsible for safeguarding anyone affected by their work. If your organisation has five or more employees, a written health and safety policy is not optional; it’s mandatory.
Section 2 of the HSWA 1974 outlines the employer’s duty to provide a safe working environment, and to prepare, revise, and communicate a written statement of health and safety policy. The Management Regulations then expand on this by requiring businesses to demonstrate how they plan, organise, control, monitor, and review risk management practices.
ISO 45001 provides a wider framework for those looking to align with global best practice. It calls for a policy that is proportionate to the size and context of the organisation and clearly sets out its commitment to fulfil legal obligations, prevent injury, and continually improve safety performance. The policy must be documented, communicated, and understood at all levels of the organisation.
To manage this process effectively, the HSE promotes the Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) cycle, as set out in its HSG65 guidance. This model ensures that policies evolve alongside your organisation, rather than becoming outdated or overlooked.
Core Components of a Health & Safety Policy
A compliant and practical policy must include three essential parts: a Statement of Intent, clear Responsibilities, and detailed Arrangements. Each section plays a vital role in setting expectations, assigning accountability, and outlining your approach to managing workplace health and safety.
Part 1: Statement of Intent
This section is your formal declaration that health and safety matters. It should clearly state your organisation’s overall aims, such as reducing incidents, promoting safe practices, and complying with legislation. It also needs to reflect your values and commitment to improving safety culture.
The Statement of Intent must be signed and dated by the most senior person in the business, typically the Managing Director or CEO. This signature signals ownership from the top and reinforces the importance of the policy to all employees and stakeholders. It should also include a review date, showing that the statement is kept under active consideration.
Part 2: Responsibilities
For a policy to work in practice, people must know what’s expected of them. This section assigns roles and outlines who is responsible for what at every level of the organisation.
Begin by naming key roles: senior managers responsible for overseeing health and safety strategy; line managers and supervisors for implementing day-to-day controls; and employees for following procedures and reporting issues. You must also identify your competent person, as defined by HSE guidance; this is someone with the necessary knowledge and skills to help the organisation meet its duties. They could be an internal appointee or an external advisor, such as Kingfisher.
Avoid vague statements; be specific about responsibilities so that they can be monitored and reviewed. Clear accountability helps embed safety into routine business decisions.
Part 3: Arrangements
The final section of the policy turns intent into action. It describes the practical systems in place to manage health and safety risks throughout your organisation.
This includes how you conduct risk assessments and implement control measures, how you train staff and monitor competence, and what you do when incidents occur. It should also explain how visitors and contractors are managed, how consultation with workers takes place, and how inspections, audits, and reviews are conducted.
Each arrangement should be described in plain language, with enough detail to show how responsibilities are fulfilled and risks are controlled. The section should reflect your specific industry and operations, whether that involves office-based DSE assessments, site safety protocols, manual handling procedures, or COSHH compliance.
Formatting & Supporting Tools
A health and safety policy should be readable and practical. Use clear headings to separate each section, and consider incorporating tables or charts to improve clarity. For example, a table of roles and responsibilities can help employees understand their duties at a glance. Similarly, a matrix showing key risk control processes and responsible persons can make arrangements more transparent.
Organisational charts or RACI diagrams are helpful where multiple people are involved in decision-making or oversight. Version control and review history should be clearly visible to show the policy is actively maintained.
While the HSE provides a basic policy template, many businesses benefit from tailored formats. A bespoke structure helps you reflect your processes and terminology, improving uptake and ensuring relevance. Kingfisher offers editable Word or PDF templates that can be customised to your sector and operations.
Implementation Guidance
Creating a policy is only valuable if it is properly embedded into your organisation.
Communicate & Launch
Once signed off, communicate the policy clearly to all employees. This can be done through team briefings, digital rollouts, toolbox talks, or printed copies in shared areas. Contractors and temporary staff should also be included in the rollout to ensure consistency across your workforce.
Training & Competence
Staff should not only be aware of the policy; they need to understand how it affects their role. Induction training is a good opportunity to introduce the policy, followed by refresher sessions and job-specific updates. Supervisors should be trained in how to enforce policy standards and support compliance.
Worker Involvement
Engage employees in implementing and reviewing the policy. Involving safety representatives or volunteers in inspections, discussions, or incident reviews helps develop a shared sense of responsibility. Feedback from those doing the work is vital to making sure arrangements are realistic and effective.
Embed into Operational Processes
Finally, integrate the policy into other business activities, such as contractor vetting, supplier selection, performance reviews, or strategic planning. This ensures that health and safety is not siloed but considered in all key decisions.
Review and Continuous Improvement
A health and safety policy is a living document. It should be reviewed formally at least once a year, but more frequently if significant changes occur. These might include new processes, changes in the law, staff turnover, or after an incident or near miss.
Reviews should draw on multiple data sources, including audits, inspection findings, training feedback, and employee input. The results should lead to practical updates, not just in the document itself, but in how the policy is implemented and communicated.
Embedding the Plan–Do–Check–Act model ensures that improvements become continuous. It also demonstrates a mature, forward-thinking approach to risk management – something regulators and stakeholders increasingly expect.
Kingfisher Professional Services – How We Can Help
Kingfisher Professional Services provides end-to-end health and safety policy solutions that help you comply with the law, protect your workforce, and embed safety into your daily operations:
- Bespoke Policy Development: We draft tailored health and safety policies aligned with the Health and Safety at Work Act, Management Regulations, and ISO 45001, reflecting your organisation’s size, structure, and sector-specific risks.
- Custom Templates and Sector-Specific Tools: From editable policy documents to industry-specific risk assessment templates, we provide the tools you need to manage responsibilities, arrangements, and legal compliance with clarity and confidence.
- Training and Implementation Support: We deliver training sessions to help staff and managers understand their roles and responsibilities. Our consultants also guide you through communicating and embedding the policy across your operations.
With 24/7 support and expert consultancy, Kingfisher ensures your health and safety policy is not just compliant, but practical, effective, and aligned with how your organisation works.
Conclusion
An effective health and safety policy does more than meet legal obligations; it creates a shared understanding of your organisation’s approach to safety. It should reflect your values, the nature of your work, and the expectations placed upon your team.
By setting out who is responsible for what, and how risks are to be managed, the policy provides clarity, structure, and direction. But for it to succeed, it must be part of everyday practice – supported by communication, training, worker engagement, and regular review.
Kingfisher Professional Services is ready to support your business in building and maintaining a health and safety policy that works; not just on paper, but in practice. Whether you need a simple template or a full-scale safety management solution, we are here to help.