If you employ 5 or more people, the Health and Safety at Work Act requires you to prepare a written statement of your health and safety policy. Salford Environmental and Services Directorate have produced guidance that is available to help you with this. The following publications may also be of assistance to you:

Essentials of Health and Safety at Work ISBN ISBN 071760716X
Starting Your Business INDG 324
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002

These regulations apply to all substances hazardous to health including chemicals, drugs and micro-organisms. You must assess and control risks to health of employees and others. To assess the risks, you must: identify hazards of the substance (its potential for causing harm) reach justifiable conclusions about how well risks to health are controlled by considering the likelihood that ill health will occur identify additional control measures which are needed Assessing COSHH compliance must be recorded unless the conclusions are straightforward and the criteria can be easily repeated.

At the beginning of 1993 six new sets of Health and Safety at Work Regulations came into force. Guidance on these Regulations are available from HSE Books or the Environmental Services Directorate. These are:

1. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

These regulations set out broad general duties that require employers to make adequate arrangements for managing health and safety in the business. In particular:

a) You must assess risks to your employees and other people who may be affected by your undertaking. If you employ five or more people, the Regulations require you to record the significant findings of the assessment which you make. Assessments may be recorded as part of your Health and Safety Policy.

These risk assessments need not duplicate those made under other legislation for example the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

b) You must appoint competent people to assist you in discharging your duties under Health and Safety legislation. You may appoint an employee, yourself or an outside consultant, provided that the person is competent.

Further guidance on how to undertake risk assessments can be obtained from contacting this Directorate.

2. Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

These regulations lay down minimum requirements for all places of work such as:

Working environment e.g. space, temperature, lighting Safety e.g. maintenance, cleanliness, safe passageways Welfare provisions e.g. toilets, rest areas, washing facilities 3. Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

Employers must carry out an assessment to consider whether any handling operations present a risk of injury to their employees. Where risks have been identified, then appropriate steps have to be implemented to eliminate or reduce such risks as is reasonably practicable.

In addition, suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training should be given to employees who are exposed to such risks.

4. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

These regulations place duties on employers to ensure that equipment used at work is suitable for its purpose, is maintained in an efficient state, working order and kept in good repair.

You also have a duty to ensure that the persons who use or supervise the use of work equipment are provided with sufficient information, instruction and training.