Health and Safety
Executive
Health and safety made simple
The basics for your business
Introduction
This guide is for employers and those who want some basic information on what they
must do to make sure their businesses comply with health and safety law.
Managing health and safety doesn’t have to be complicated, costly or timeconsuming. In fact it’s easier than you think. If you have taken reasonable steps to
prevent accidents or harm to your employees (and the injury or illness was caused
after 1 October 2013), you shouldn’t have to pay compensation.
This is a web-friendly version
of leaflet INDG449(rev1),
published 08/14
For many businesses, all that’s required is a basic series of practical tasks that
protect people from harm and at the same time protect the future success and the
growth of your business. This guide will take you through the steps and help you
make sure you have done what you need to – and no more.
In general, health and safety laws apply to all businesses. As an employer, or a
self-employed person, you are responsible for health and safety in your business.
Health and safety laws are there to protect you, your employees and the public from
workplace dangers.
The approach you take should be proportionate to the size of your business and the
nature of your business activity. For most small, low-risk businesses the steps you need
to take are straightforward. If you have fewer than five employees you don’t have to
write down your risk assessment or your health and safety policy.
How the guide can help you
This guide makes life easier for you by providing the basic information on what you
need to do in one place. It will help you get started in managing health and safety in
your business.
We’ve introduced the H&S ABC
logo onto guidance and tools
to show small and mediumsized businesses just how
straightforward health and
safety can be. So when they
see the logo, they know that
it’s designed...