A clear health and safety policy is the foundation of any successful SSIP application. It is also one of the first documents assessors review when determining whether your organisation meets the SSIP Core Criteria (see the first section).
For many small and medium-sized businesses, the challenge is not having a policy at all – but ensuring that it is relevant, current and properly structured.
What assessors expect to see
A compliant health and safety policy normally includes three sections:
- Statement of intent
This confirms your organisation’s commitment to protecting employees and others affected by your work. It should be signed by the most senior person in the company.
- Organisation and responsibilities
This section identifies who is responsible for health and safety within your business, from senior management to supervisors and employees.
- Arrangements for managing health and safety
Here you explain how safety is managed in practice – for example through risk assessments, training, accident reporting and monitoring.
Avoid generic templates
One of the most common issues is submitting a generic policy that does not reflect the work your company actually performs. Assessors expect the policy to relate directly to your activities.
Keep it reviewed and up to date
Your policy should include a review date – at least once a year – and be updated as required. This shows that your organisation actively manages health and safety rather than treating it as a one-off document.
In the next article in this series, we will look at risk assessments and method statements – one of the most important ways to demonstrate how risks are managed in practice.
