How to Improve Health and Safety in Your Workplace
If you're responsible for employees, you have a legal duty to follow health and safety legislation. That can sound daunting, but a safe workplace pays for itself — fewer accidents mean less absence, lower sick pay costs, less reliance on temporary staff, and a reduced risk of prosecution. Training is the best place to start, and NEBOSH qualifications provide excellent, widely recognised training across industries.
1. Train Your Employees
The NEBOSH Award in Health and Safety at Work is an ideal introduction to health and safety, giving your team the vital skills and knowledge to build a strong safety culture from the ground up.
2. Create and Share a Health and Safety Policy
A written health and safety policy is a legal requirement if you employ five or more people — but it's good practice for every business, regardless of size. Once written, communicate it clearly to your whole workforce, along with the safe working methods you expect them to follow.
3. Carry Out Risk Assessments
Risk assessments must be carried out before anyone begins a task. They help you identify hazards arising from the job itself or from the way work is carried out. The NEBOSH General Certificate (renamed GNC1/GNC2 from February 2026) gives you the skills to write thorough, legally compliant risk assessments. Once completed, keep a record and go through it with the employee performing the task, along with the safe methods of work you've identified.
4. Plan for First Aid and Emergencies
Have a first aid kit and appoint a person to deal with first aid in the workplace. Accidents, illness and disease can happen at any time, so make sure your appointed person has the right training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a written health and safety policy?
If you employ five or more people, yes — it's a legal requirement under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. With fewer than five employees it's not mandatory, but it's still strongly recommended.
How often should risk assessments be reviewed?
Risk assessments should be reviewed whenever circumstances change — new equipment, new processes, an accident or near-miss, or at regular intervals as part of good practice.