Return to Social Business Compliance index

Legal responsibility

A business has a legal duty to ensure the health and safety of its staff, volunteers, contractors and users. 

Further guidance:

HSE Employers Responsibilities 

Key requirements 

• Appoint competent person to manage health and safety
• Prepare health and safety policy (requirement if you employ 5 or more staff)
• Carry out risk assessments
• Control risks
• Consult with and train staff
• Display health and safety poster (compulsory if you employ staff)
• Keep appropriate health and safety records
• Take out employers’ liability insurance.

Further guidance:

Health and Safety for your Business 

In this section:

Detailed guidance on systems and procedures for business compliance

Ensuring compliance: Governance systems and records

Ensuring compliance: Financial systems and controls - set-up requirements

Ensuring compliance: Financial systems and controls - ongoing requirements

Ensuring compliance: HR systems and procedures

Ensuring compliance: HR systems - Spotlight on ‘Managing people’

• Managing people: Employing and managing staff
• Managing people: Managing volunteers
• Managing people: Using contractors and freelancers

Ensuring compliance: Managing assets and resources - Spotlight on ‘Assets’

• Managing assets: Health and safety
• Managing assets: Premises and equipment
• Managing assets: Information technology
• Managing assets: Data protection
• Managing assets: Intellectual property, licenses, registration