Introduction to managing health and safety

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2. Find the right guidance for your business

The approach you take for managing health and safety will depend on the size of your business, the type of work you do and the level of risk in your workplace.

Basic advice for all small businesses

You can find advice on your main responsibilities as an employer and the basic health and safety steps^[5] you must take if you are running a small, low-risk business.

It will also be helpful if you are:

starting up a new business
a worker or a safety representative

Making arrangements to manage health and safety

We have guidance on how to use a Plan, Do, Check, Act^[6] approach to manage health and safety if you are a small to medium-sized business.

It takes you through arrangements to:

plan the actions you need to take
do the right things to control workplace risks^[7]
check those measures are working
act when you need to make changes

Your workers and workplace

There is advice on:

protecting vulnerable workers^[8], such as those working alone and disabled workers
your workplace^[9] temperature, ventilation and welfare facilities

Detailed guidance for larger organisations

If you are in a larger organisation or have more complex hazards, there is more detailed guidance on leading and managing health and safety^[10].

It will be helpful if you are:

an owner or a leader
setting up or overseeing your organisation’s health and safety management system
a health and safety practitioner or training provider
a union or safety representative

View a printable version of the whole guide^[13]

Link URLs in this page

Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/introduction/index.htm
How to manage health and safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/introduction/how-to-manage.htm
The lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/introduction/the-law.htm
Go to surveyhttps://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/77V79CQ
basic health and safety stepshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/index.htm
Plan, Do, Check, Acthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/introduction/how-to-manage.htm
control workplace riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm
protecting vulnerable workershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vulnerable-workers/index.htm
your workplacehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplace-health/index.htm
leading and managing health and safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg65.htm
Previous page Overview https://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/introduction/index.htm
Next page How to manage health and safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/introduction/how-to-manage.htm
View a printable version of the whole guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/introduction/print.htm
Managing for health and safety (HSG65)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg65.htm
Health and safety basics for your businesshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/index.htm
Common workplace riskshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/common-workplace-risks.htm
Vulnerable workershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vulnerable-workers/index.htm
Using contractorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg368.htm
Have the right workplace and welfare facilitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/workplace-facilities/index.htm
Leadership of health and safety at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/leadership/index.htm
ISO 45001 Health and safety management standardhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/managing/management-system/iso45001.htm