Health and Safety Basics for Small UK Workplaces

Why health and safety is your responsibility

If you run a small business, you might think health and safety is something only big factories and construction sites need to worry about. The truth is that every employer in the UK has a legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their staff, customers and anyone else affected by their work. That duty comes from the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and it applies whether you employ one person or one hundred.

The good news is that you don't need a thick manual or a dedicated safety officer to get the basics right. You need a sensible, proportionate approach that fits the size and risks of your business. Once you have the core elements in place, keeping compliant becomes a habit rather than a headache.

Risk assessments: the foundation of a safe workplace

A risk assessment is simply a careful look at what could harm people in your workplace, and what you are doing to prevent that harm. For most small businesses, you can do this yourself. You don't need to be a health and safety expert. You just need to think about the significant hazards and write down what you find if you employ five or more people.

The Health and Safety Executive recommends five steps:

• Identify the hazards – walk around your premises, ask your team, and think about slips, trips, manual handling, electrical equipment, chemicals and stress.
• Decide who might be harmed and how – consider new starters, young workers, pregnant employees, cleaners and visitors.
• Evaluate the risks and take action – remove the hazard if you can, or control it with guards, signage, training or protective equipment.
• Record your findings – keep it simple. A short document with the hazard, who is at risk, and what you are doing about it is enough.
• Review and update – revisit your assessment when you change equipment, processes or staff, and at least once a year.

Don't overcomplicate it. A one-page assessment for a small office or shop is perfectly acceptable. What matters is that it is suitable and sufficient for your actual risks.

First aid: being prepared for the unexpected

Accidents and sudden illnesses happen, even in the calmest workplaces. Your job is to make sure someone can help quickly. You need to carry out a first aid needs assessment, which considers your workplace hazards, the size of your team, and whether you have shift patterns or remote workers.

As a minimum, you must have a suitably stocked first aid kit and an appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements. If your work involves higher risks – such as using machinery, chemicals or sharp tools – you may need a trained first aider on site at all times. For many small offices, an appointed person and a well-stocked kit are enough.

A basic first aid kit should include:

• Plasters in assorted sizes
• Sterile gauze dressings and bandages
• Disposable gloves
• Scissors and tweezers
• Safety pins and adhesive tape
• Eye wash and a burns dressing
• A first aid guidance leaflet

Check your kit regularly and replace anything that has been used or has expired. Make sure everyone knows where it is kept.

Reporting accidents and keeping records

By law, you must keep a record of any accident, injury or work-related illness that happens in your workplace. This is usually done in an accident book, which should be kept somewhere accessible. The record helps you spot patterns, improve your risk assessments, and show that you are taking your duties seriously.

Some incidents must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations – known as RIDDOR. These include:

• Deaths and serious injuries, such as fractures or amputations
• Injuries that keep a worker off their normal duties for more than seven days
• Certain occupational diseases, such as hand-arm vibration syndrome or dermatitis
• Dangerous occurrences, such as a fire or explosion that could have caused serious harm

Reports must be made within specific timeframes – usually within ten days for over-seven-day injuries, and without delay for deaths and serious incidents. Keep copies of all records for at least three years.

Training, communication and regular reviews

Health and safety only works if your team understands what they need to do. Give every new starter a basic induction that covers fire procedures, first aid arrangements, manual handling and how to report a hazard. Hold short toolbox talks or team meetings to refresh key topics. Encourage people to speak up – the person doing the job often spots the risk first.

Finally, treat health and safety as a living part of your business, not a one-off tick box. Review your risk assessments and first aid arrangements at least once a year, and whenever something changes. If you have an accident or near miss, learn from it. Small, consistent steps keep your workplace safe and your business compliant – without drowning you in paperwork.