Published: January 2024
Reading time: 4 minutes
Suitable for: Business Owners, Directors, Managers and Supervisors
Topics: Health & Safety Management | Compliance | Training | Business Planning
At a glance
Main goal: Make health and safety part of your business planning for the year ahead.
Who should review it? Business owners, directors, managers and supervisors.
When? At the start of each year and whenever significant changes occur.
Time required: Around one to two hours for an initial review, depending on the size of your business.
Why this matters
The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to review your business priorities. Alongside setting financial targets and growth plans, it’s important to make sure your health and safety arrangements are fit for the year ahead.
Strong health and safety management isn’t just about complying with the law. It helps reduce accidents, improve productivity, protect your reputation and create a workplace where employees feel safe and valued.
By reviewing your health and safety systems now, you can build a safer, more resilient business throughout the year.
What does it mean to prioritise health and safety?
Prioritising health and safety means making it part of your everyday business decisions rather than treating it as a separate task.
This includes:
- Ensuring policies and procedures are up to date
- Providing employees with the training they need
- Completing and reviewing risk assessments
- Communicating safety expectations clearly
- Monitoring compliance and making improvements where necessary
When health and safety becomes part of your business culture, employees are more likely to work safely, report concerns and contribute to continuous improvement.
What should you review?
Consider checking the following areas:
Policies and Procedures
- Are they current and accurate?
- Have they been reviewed within the last year?
- Do employees know where to find them?
Risk Assessments
- Are they still suitable for your workplace?
- Have any new hazards been introduced?
- Have significant changes been recorded?
Training
- Have all employees completed the training they need?
- Are refresher courses required?
- Have new starters completed their induction?
Employee Communication
- Do employees understand their responsibilities?
- Are important updates shared regularly?
- Can staff easily access health and safety information?
How can the portal help?
Managing health and safety can feel overwhelming, particularly for small businesses with limited time and resources.
Our Health & Safety Portal brings everything together in one place, making it easier to manage your responsibilities.
Through the portal you can:
- Access health and safety policies and procedures.
- Complete e-learning courses.
- Download risk assessment templates.
- Access toolbox talks.
- Keep employees informed with the latest health and safety updates.
- Provide new starters with a structured introduction to your health and safety arrangements.
Having one central location for your health and safety resources helps ensure everyone is working from the latest information.
What does the law say?
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers have a legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and others who may be affected by their work.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 also require employers to assess workplace risks, provide appropriate information and training, and review arrangements when circumstances change.
Regularly reviewing your health and safety systems helps demonstrate that you are actively managing these responsibilities.
Related resources
Documents
E-learning
Need more help?
Starting the year with a structured review of your health and safety arrangements can save time, reduce risk and help keep your business compliant throughout the year.
Our Health & Safety Portal provides everything you need to manage health and safety in one place, from policies and training to toolbox talks and practical templates. If you’re adding new employees this year, make sure they have access to the portal from day one so they can quickly understand your organisation’s health and safety expectations.
If you need additional support, Harwood can help you review your current arrangements and identify practical improvements to keep your business safe, compliant and ready for the year ahead.