Health and Safety Basics: The Simple Steps That Prevent Serious Harm

Understanding the fundamental principles that keep your people safe and your business compliant

Published by Arinite Health & Safety Consultants | February 2026 | 14 min read

Health and safety at work is not about paperwork. It is the practical system that stops people getting hurt, becoming ill, or taking risks that could have been avoided. Most workplace incidents are predictable. A trailing cable causes a trip. Poor workstation setup leads to chronic pain. Stress from excessive workload results in long-term absence. These are not freak accidents. They are foreseeable events that occur when basic precautions are missing.

The basics of health and safety are straightforward: identify what could cause harm, put sensible controls in place, and check those controls are followed every day. When basics are done well, injuries reduce, work runs smoothly, and people feel confident in their workplace. When basics are ignored, the consequences can be serious, sudden, and expensive.

This guide explains the fundamental principles that underpin effective workplace safety. Whether you are new to health and safety or looking to reinforce your existing arrangements, understanding these basics is essential for protecting your people and your business.

Case Study: When Basic Office Hazards Cause Long-Term Harm

An office worker had been experiencing persistent neck pain and headaches for several months. She worked at a desk for most of the day, using a laptop as her primary computer. The laptop sat directly on the desk surface, meaning she spent hours looking downward at a screen positioned well below eye level. Her chair was not adjustable, and she had never received any guidance on how to set up her workstation correctly.

Over time, the neck pain worsened and began affecting her sleep. She started taking regular painkillers and eventually visited her GP, who diagnosed a musculoskeletal disorder related to poor posture. She was referred for physiotherapy and advised to take time off work. What began as minor discomfort became a condition requiring several weeks of absence and ongoing treatment.

The investigation found the incident was entirely preventable. The company had never conducted DSE assessments for its employees. There was no formal process for setting up workstations, and no one had explained to staff how to adjust their equipment or what a good posture looked like. Laptop users were not provided with separate keyboards, mice, or laptop stands to raise their screens to an appropriate height. The HR team assumed that because the work was "just office work," there were no significant health risks.

The business impact was considerable. The employee's absence created gaps in the team that had to be covered by colleagues, increasing their workload and stress. Deadlines were missed while work was redistributed. The company faced potential liability for failing to meet its legal obligations under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. Management time was consumed dealing with the absence, arranging occupational health referrals, and reviewing their obligations.

This is what basic failures look like in an office environment: small oversights that combine to cause real harm. No DSE assessment. No workstation setup guidance. No suitable equipment for laptop users. Each gap on its own might seem trivial. Together, they resulted in a preventable injury that affected both the employee and the organisation.

Common Hazards in Any Workplace

While every workplace is different, certain hazards appear consistently across industries. Understanding these common risks is the starting point for effective safety management:

Slips, trips, and falls: The most common cause of workplace injury. Wet floors, cluttered walkways, uneven surfaces, poor lighting, trailing cables, and inadequate footwear all contribute to these incidents. In the UK, slips and trips account for over 30% of all reported workplace injuries. In offices, trailing cables and items left in walkways are frequent culprits.

Display screen equipment: Prolonged computer use without proper workstation setup causes musculoskeletal disorders affecting the back, neck, shoulders, arms, and wrists. Eye strain and headaches are also common. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 require employers to assess and control these risks.

Manual handling: Lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying activities cause a significant proportion of musculoskeletal disorders. Even in office environments, moving boxes of paper, equipment, or furniture can cause injury if done incorrectly.

Machinery and equipment: Moving parts, poor guarding, lack of maintenance, and inadequate training can all lead to serious injuries. Contact with machinery remains one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities in industrial settings.

Hazardous substances: Chemicals, dusts, fumes, and biological agents can cause immediate harm or long-term health problems. Even offices use cleaning chemicals that require proper handling and storage.

Workplace transport: Forklifts, reversing vehicles, and poor pedestrian segregation create risks in warehouses, construction sites, and many other workplaces. Being struck by a moving vehicle is a leading cause of workplace deaths.

Electrical hazards: Damaged cables, unsuitable equipment, overloaded circuits, and uncontrolled repairs can cause electric shock, burns, and fires. In offices, overloaded extension leads and damaged charger cables are common issues.

Fire risks: Blocked exits, poor storage of flammable materials, ignition sources, and weak housekeeping all increase fire risk. Every workplace must have adequate fire safety measures in place.

Stress and fatigue: Often overlooked as a health and safety issue, work-related stress is one of the leading causes of sickness absence. High workload, unclear roles, inadequate breaks, poor management support, tight deadlines, and harassment all contribute to mental health problems. In office environments, stress is frequently the most significant health risk.

Legal Duties: What the Law Requires

In the UK, health and safety legislation places clear duties on employers, employees, and others. Understanding these duties is fundamental to getting the basics right.

Employer Duties

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must:

• Provide a safe workplace with safe access and egress
• Provide safe systems of work for all activities
• Provide and maintain safe equipment
• Ensure articles and substances are used, handled, stored, and transported safely
• Provide adequate information, instruction, training, and supervision
• Assess risks and implement appropriate control measures
• Appoint competent persons to assist with health and safety
• Consult with employees on health and safety matters
• Manage contractors and protect visitors

Employee Duties

Employees also have legal duties under Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974:

• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety
• Take reasonable care not to affect the health and safety of others
• Cooperate with their employer on health and safety matters
• Use equipment and substances in accordance with training and instructions
• Report hazards, defects, and near misses

Management Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors have a crucial role in ensuring safety standards are maintained. They must plan work safely, enforce standards consistently, act when risks are identified, and ensure their teams have the competence and resources to work safely. Legal compliance is the minimum. Good management is what prevents incidents from happening in the first place.

International Requirements

While the specific legislation varies between countries, the core duties are broadly consistent worldwide. Employers must provide safe workplaces and safe systems of work. They must assess risks and implement controls. They must provide training and supervision. In the European Union, the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC establishes these principles across member states, including requirements for DSE users under Directive 90/270/EEC. In the United States, OSHA's General Duty Clause requires employers to provide workplaces free from recognised hazards. In Australia, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 places similar duties on persons conducting a business or undertaking. Organisations operating internationally should understand the specific requirements in each jurisdiction while maintaining consistent standards across all locations.

Control Measures: Practical Actions That Work

Identifying hazards is only the first step. Effective safety management requires implementing practical controls that actually prevent harm. The hierarchy of controls provides a framework for selecting the most effective measures: eliminate hazards where possible, reduce exposure where elimination is not feasible, and protect people from remaining risks.

Clear Responsibilities and Supervision

Many safety failures stem from unclear responsibilities. Nobody knows who should deal with a hazard, so nobody does. Effective safety management assigns clear ownership for specific tasks. Specify who should complete DSE assessments for new starters. Clarify who is responsible for checking fire exits remain clear. Explain to line managers what good standards look like. Ensure supervisors understand their role in monitoring compliance and addressing problems. When everyone knows what they are responsible for, hazards get addressed before they cause harm.

Risk Assessment and Simple Procedures

Assess routine tasks and predictable changes such as office moves, new equipment, or changes in working patterns. Create short, usable procedures for common activities. Procedures should be practical and proportionate. Long, complex documents that nobody reads do not improve safety. Clear, simple instructions that people actually follow are what make the difference. For office environments, this includes DSE assessment processes, procedures for reporting hazards, and guidance on workstation setup.

Workstation Setup and Ergonomics

For office workers, proper workstation setup is essential. Screens should be at eye level to avoid looking up or down. Chairs should be adjustable and set so feet are flat on the floor or on a footrest. Keyboards and mice should be positioned to allow wrists to remain straight. Laptop users should be provided with separate keyboards, mice, and laptop stands or docking stations with external monitors. Regular breaks from screen work help prevent fatigue and musculoskeletal problems. The 20-20-20 rule is a useful guide: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Housekeeping and Environmental Controls

Good housekeeping prevents a significant proportion of workplace injuries. Keep walkways clear of obstructions. Manage cables properly using cable tidies or trunking rather than allowing them to trail across floors. Ensure adequate lighting for the tasks being performed. Maintain comfortable temperatures and good ventilation. Store materials safely and keep work areas organised. In offices, clutter and poor cable management are common causes of trips and falls.

Training and Competence

Training is essential, but attendance alone is not enough. Staff need to understand the hazards they face and know how to work safely. Training should cover the specific risks in their work area: DSE and workstation setup, manual handling when moving equipment or supplies, fire evacuation procedures, and incident reporting. Confirm understanding, not just attendance. Provide refresher training when needed. Ensure new starters and temporary workers receive appropriate induction before they begin work.

Managing Work-Related Stress

Work-related stress is a significant health risk, particularly in office environments. The HSE's Management Standards identify six key areas that should be managed: demands (workload, work patterns), control (how much say people have in how they do their work), support (from managers and colleagues), relationships (including dealing with conflict and unacceptable behaviour), role (whether people understand their role and avoid conflicting responsibilities), and change (how organisational change is managed and communicated). Addressing these factors systematically helps prevent stress-related illness and absence.

Monitoring and Learning

Safety management is not a one-time activity. Carry out regular inspections to check that controls remain effective. Review DSE assessments when workstations change or employees report discomfort. Investigate near misses as well as actual incidents, since near misses provide valuable warning signs before someone gets hurt. Review controls after incidents and update procedures when work changes. Learn from what goes wrong and share those lessons across the organisation.

The Benefits of Getting the Basics Right

When organisations consistently apply the basics of health and safety, the benefits are significant:

• Fewer injuries and illnesses, protecting employees from harm and the organisation from the costs of accidents
• Reduced sickness absence and improved productivity, since healthy employees are more effective
• Lower insurance premiums and fewer compensation claims
• Improved compliance, reducing the risk of enforcement action, fines, and prosecution
• Better reputation with clients, contractors, and the public
• Higher employee morale and engagement, since people want to work for organisations that care about their wellbeing
• Smoother operations, since safety incidents disrupt work and divert management attention

Prevention is always more cost-effective than dealing with the consequences of incidents. The investment in basic safety measures is small compared to the costs of injuries, investigations, legal proceedings, and reputational damage.

How Arinite Can Help

At Arinite, we help organisations get the basics right. Our team of Chartered (CMIOSH) health and safety consultants has over 500 years of combined experience across virtually every industry, from offices and professional services to manufacturing and construction. We understand that effective safety management is about practical, proportionate measures that actually work, not paperwork that gathers dust.

Our services include:

• Health and safety audits to assess your current arrangements and identify gaps
• DSE assessments for office workers, including home and hybrid workers
• Risk assessments covering all activities and specific hazards
• Policy and procedure development that is practical and usable
• Training programmes to build competence at all levels
• Stress risk assessments and mental health support
• Ongoing support and advice as your competent person
• Incident investigation and learning
• Support for international operations across multiple countries

With experience supporting over 1,500 UK businesses and operations in more than 50 countries, we understand the challenges organisations face. Our approach is focused on what actually prevents harm. We call it "Keeping It Simple."