Getting started - step-by-step

1. Register your new business
   Decide whether you need to notify the Health and Safety Executive or your local authority about your business and where necessary, do so.
2. Take out Employer's Liability Compulsory Insurance
   Employer's Liability Compulsory Insurance covers you against claims from employees who are injured or become ill as a result of their work.
3. Appoint a competent person
   The law says you must appoint a competent person to help you meet your health and safety duties. This does not have to be an external consultant.
4. Write your health and safety policy
   Your health and safety policy sets out the arrangements you have put in place for managing health and safety in your business. It is a unique document that says who does what, when and how.
5. Assess the risks
   Decide what could harm people and what precautions to take. This is your risk assessment. You must act on the findings of your risk assessment, by putting sensible controls in place to prevent accidents and ill health and making sure they are followed.
6. Provide basic welfare facilities
   You must provide a safe and healthy environment for all your employees. This includes toilets, washing facilities and drinking water, and appropriate lighting and temperature.
7. Provide free health and safety training and supervision
   Everyone who works for you, including self-employed people, needs to know how to work safely and without risks to health. So you need to train them and supervise their work.
8. Consult your workers
   Consultation means discussing health and safety with your workers allowing them to raise concerns and influence decisions.
9. Display the health and safety law poster
   This is required by law. The poster includes basic health and safety information and lets people know who is responsible for health and safety in your workplace. Or you can give workers a leaflet.
10. Understand RIDDOR reporting procedures
    The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR), require you to report work-related accidents, diseases and near-miss incidents. Make sure you know how to report, even if you never need to.
11. Keep up to date
    You can follow the news in your sector through e-bulletins, news feeds, podcasts and texts to your mobile.