Health and Safety Policy Example: An Annotated Office Policy in 17 Clauses

Download a free health and safety policy template and you will usually get one of two things: a short statement that could belong to any company on earth, or a 40-page document written for a building site. Neither describes a modern office where half the team works from home on any given day.

Every employer in Great Britain with five or more employees must have a written health and safety policy under section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It must set out your general policy, the organisation for carrying it out, and your arrangements, and it must be brought to the attention of employees. HSE's guide to writing your policy explains the basics.

What most templates do not do is explain why each part is there, which is the only way to adapt one properly. This article does that. Below is an example office policy in 17 clauses, split across the three legally required parts, with sample wording you can adapt and an annotation for each clause. It is written for offices in tech, AI, legal, insurance, financial services and education, with notes on adapting it for other countries.

For the theory behind the structure, see what is a health and safety policy: the 3 parts every one must have.

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Part 1: Statement of Intent

Clause 1: The Commitment

> [Company name] is committed to preventing injury and ill health among our employees, contractors, visitors and anyone else affected by our work, wherever that work takes place, including our offices, client sites and employees' homes.

Why it is there: this is the "general policy" required by law. The words "wherever that work takes place" matter in a hybrid business, because your duties do not stop at the office door.

Clause 2: The Standard You Are Aiming For

> We will comply with health and safety law as a minimum, and aim for continual improvement in how we manage risk. We will provide the resources needed to meet this commitment.

Why it is there: "comply as a minimum" sets the floor. "Provide the resources" is the line inspectors and insurers notice, because a policy without resources behind it is just a statement.

Clause 3: Signature, Date and Review

> Signed: [Name], [Chief Executive or Managing Director]. Date: [date]. This policy will be reviewed at least annually and whenever there is a significant change.

Why it is there: the statement should be signed by the most senior person, not the office manager. A dated signature and review commitment show the policy is live. An out-of-date signature from a director who left two years ago is one of the most common findings in health and safety audits.

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Part 2: Organisation (Who Does What)

Clause 4: Overall Responsibility

> Overall responsibility for health and safety rests with [Name], [Chief Executive]. Day-to-day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put into practice is delegated to [Name], [Role].

Why it is there: naming people, not just job titles, makes accountability real. Leadership responsibility cannot be delegated away, even when tasks can. HSE's Leading health and safety at work sets out what boards are expected to do, and our leadership guide for directors and senior managers explains it in practice.

Clause 5: Managers and Team Leads

> Managers are responsible for health and safety in their teams, including making sure risk assessments are completed for their team's work, new starters receive an induction, and concerns are acted on promptly.

Why it is there: in tech and professional services, team leads are often promoted for technical or commercial skill. This clause makes their health and safety role explicit.

Clause 6: Every Employee

> All employees must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others, cooperate with the company on health and safety, and report hazards, incidents and near misses.

Why it is there: this mirrors employees' own legal duties under section 7 of the 1974 Act. Including near misses encourages the reporting that prevents accidents.

Clause 7: Competent Advice

> We have appointed [Name or organisation] to provide competent health and safety advice.

Why it is there: employers must appoint one or more competent persons to help them comply, under regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Many offices use external health and safety consultants for this. See our competent person service.

Clause 8: Consultation

> We will consult employees on health and safety matters through [team meetings / a health and safety committee / elected representatives].

Why it is there: consultation is a legal duty, not a courtesy. Say how it actually happens in your business.

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Part 3: Arrangements (How It Happens)

Clause 9: Risk Assessment

> Risk assessments will be carried out for all significant work activities, including office work, home working, travel and events, reviewed at least annually and after any significant change, and shared with the people affected.

Why it is there: risk assessment underpins everything else. Listing home working and travel prevents the most common office gaps.

Clause 10: Induction and Training

> All new starters will receive a health and safety induction in their first week. Managers will receive training appropriate to their responsibilities. Training records will be kept and refreshed as needed.

Why it is there: an induction in week one, not month three, is when people learn where the fire exits are. See health and safety induction: 3 things it has to do.

Clause 11: Display Screen Equipment and Hybrid Working

> Everyone who uses display screen equipment as a significant part of their work will complete a workstation assessment for each place they regularly work, including at home. Eye tests will be provided on request.

Why it is there: "each place they regularly work" is the hybrid fix. See our DSE assessment service.

Clause 12: Fire and Emergencies

> A fire risk assessment will be maintained for each premises. Fire wardens will be appointed for each floor, evacuation drills will be held at least annually, and emergency arrangements will be coordinated with our landlord.

Why it is there: in multi-let offices, coordinating with the landlord is a legal duty. See our fire risk assessment service.

Clause 13: First Aid and Accident Reporting

> First aid provision is based on a needs assessment that reflects actual attendance. All accidents, incidents and near misses must be reported to [Name / system], and reportable incidents will be notified to the enforcing authority.

Why it is there: "reflects actual attendance" matters when first aiders work from home. The reporting line covers your RIDDOR duties.

Clause 14: Work-Related Stress and Wellbeing

> We will assess and manage the causes of work-related stress, including workload, role clarity and change, and provide support to anyone affected.

Why it is there: stress is the leading cause of work-related ill health in office businesses, and the law treats it as a risk to manage, not just a wellbeing issue. See work-related stress: 9 things the law actually requires.

Clause 15: Contractors and Visitors

> Contractors will be selected with regard to their health and safety competence and will be informed of our arrangements. Visitors will sign in and receive emergency information.

Why it is there: offices host maintenance contractors, cleaners, caterers and clients every day. See visitors and reception: 7 duties offices miss.

Clause 16: Information for Employees

> The health and safety law poster is displayed at [location] or provided electronically. This policy is available on [intranet location] and explained at induction.

Why it is there: the law requires information to be brought to employees' attention. See the health and safety law poster.

Clause 17: Monitoring and Review

> We will monitor how well this policy is working through inspections, incident data and independent audits, and report results to [the board / leadership team] at least annually.

Why it is there: a policy that is never checked drifts out of date. Independent audits and board reporting close the loop.

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Adapting the Example for Your Business

Small businesses: fewer than five employees in Great Britain do not legally need a written policy, but writing one is still good practice, and many insurers and customers will ask for it. A small business can cover all 17 clauses in two or three pages.

Larger and multi-site businesses: keep the policy short and principled, and put detailed procedures in a separate health and safety manual. The policy says what you will do; the manual says how.

Sector notes: AI and data businesses should add arrangements for server rooms and out-of-hours work. Law firms and insurers should cover client-facing risks and workload. Schools and universities need arrangements for students, visitors and educational visits. See our guide to health and safety policies for office, tech and finance firms.

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Adapting It for Other Countries

A UK policy is a good group template, but each country has its own required documents.

Country	What the law expects	Adaptation
Great Britain	Written policy with statement, organisation and arrangements, for five or more employees	Use the 17 clauses as written
Ireland	A Safety Statement based on risk assessment, under section 20 of the 2005 Act	Expand Part 3 into a full Safety Statement; see what is a Safety Statement
France	The DUERP risk assessment document	Add a local DUERP
Netherlands	The RI&E risk inventory and evaluation	Add a local RI&E
Ontario, Canada	A written policy reviewed annually where more than five workers are regularly employed, plus violence and harassment policies	Add Ontario-specific policies; see our Canada page
California, USA	A written Injury and Illness Prevention Program under Title 8, section 3203	Build an IIPP on the same foundations

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How Arinite Helps

Arinite has supported 1,500+ businesses across 50+ countries for 15+ years, protecting 100,000+ employees, with 95%+ client retention. Our qualified consultants write policies that describe how your business actually works, then help you prove they are followed. See our health and safety policy service.

• Done For You: we write your policy, supporting risk assessments and manual, and test them through independent audits.
• Done With You: we work through the 17 clauses with your leadership team and tailor each one to your offices, people and countries.
• DIY: you hold your policy, review dates and supporting documents on our health and safety consultants and software platform, with reminders for every annual review.

For groups operating abroad, our international health and safety consultants add the local documents each country needs, and our global health and safety consultants keep one group policy at the centre. Our Ireland page shows how this works for one of the most common first overseas offices.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should a health and safety policy include?

Three parts: a statement of intent signed by the most senior person, an organisation section setting out who is responsible for what, and an arrangements section explaining how health and safety is managed in practice.

Can I use a free health and safety policy template?

Yes, as a starting point, but it must be adapted to describe your actual business, people and risks. A generic template that does not match how you work will not satisfy an inspector, insurer or auditor.

Who should sign the health and safety policy?

The most senior person in the organisation, such as the chief executive or managing director, should sign and date the statement of intent.

How often should a health and safety policy be reviewed?

At least annually, and whenever there is a significant change, such as a new office, a restructure, a move to hybrid working or expansion into another country.

Do small businesses need a written health and safety policy?

In Great Britain, a written policy is legally required once you employ five or more people. Smaller businesses are still advised to have one, and customers and insurers often expect it.

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Turn the Example Into Your Policy

If your current policy is generic, unsigned, out of date or written for a different kind of business, the 17 clauses above are a quick way to see the gaps. Book a free gap analysis with Arinite and we will review your policy and supporting arrangements, in the UK and internationally, and show you what to change first.

Request your free gap analysis