Compliance guide
Health and Safety Policies and Procedures
A single policy states your commitment; your policies and procedures are how you actually run safety day to day. Together they make up your health and safety management system (sometimes called a WHSMS or, under ISO 45001, an OH&S management system). This guide lists the documents to include, with examples. Start with a signed policy; a full procedures pack is a later product.
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Key takeaways
- A policy says what you're committed to; a procedure sets out the steps for doing a task safely. You need both.
- Your full set of policies, procedures and records is your health and safety management system (WHSMS, or an ISO 45001 OH&S management system).
- WHS and OHS policies and procedures are the same thing under different names.
- Prequalification systems like CM3 and Avetta often ask for several procedures, not just a policy, especially for higher-risk work.
- Scale the set to your risk: a low-risk office needs far less than a construction or aged care business.
- Use the examples below to build your own. Start with the signed policy; add procedures for your real risks next.
Policies vs procedures: what's the difference?
- A policy is a short, high-level statement of intent and responsibility, for example your health and safety policy.
- A procedure is a step-by-step method for carrying out a specific task safely, for example how to report an incident or isolate equipment.
- Records are the evidence that you follow your procedures, such as completed inductions, risk assessments and incident reports.
Reviewers look for all three. A policy with no procedures behind it, or procedures with no records, is a common reason prequalification submissions are sent back.
What to include in your health and safety management system
Most small to medium businesses build their system from this core set. Include the policies and the procedures relevant to your work, you don't need every item if it doesn't apply.
Core policies
- Health and safety policy (your overarching commitment)
- Consultation, cooperation and coordination
- Drug and alcohol policy
- Return to work / injury management
Core procedures
- Hazard identification and risk management
- Incident, injury and near-miss reporting and investigation
- Emergency response and evacuation
- First aid
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Contractor and visitor management
- Training, induction and competency
- Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) for high-risk work
Procedure example: incident reporting
A good procedure is short and tells a worker exactly what to do. For example:
- Make the area safe and attend to anyone injured; call emergency services if needed.
- Report the incident to your supervisor as soon as practicable.
- Record the details in the incident register (what, when, where, who).
- Investigate to identify the cause and what control will prevent a recurrence.
- Notify the regulator if it's a notifiable incident, and keep records as required.
Download the health and safety policy template
Add your email and we'll send the health and safety policy template (Word) plus a short how-to. A full procedures / WHSMS pack is not included yet. Start with the signed policy; add procedures for your real risks next.
How to build your health and safety policies and procedures
A practical path from a single policy to a working management system.
- 1
Start with your policy
Put your overarching health and safety policy in place first; everything else hangs off it.
- 2
Identify your real risks
List the hazards in your work. Your highest risks tell you which procedures you actually need.
- 3
Write procedures for those risks
Create short, step-by-step procedures for your key risks rather than copying a generic library you won't follow.
- 4
Consult your workers
Involve workers in writing and reviewing procedures, it's a legal duty in many places and it makes them workable.
- 5
Train, induct and record
Roll the procedures out through induction and training, and keep the records that prove it.
- 6
Review and improve
Review after incidents and at least annually, and update procedures as your work changes.
Build it yourself vs done-for-you
Start with a signed health and safety policy. A full procedures pack is a later product. The free template gets you the policy; we can fill a branded version for US$99.
| Free policy template | Done-for-you policy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £0 | US$99 |
| Effort from you | A few hours editing | A short intake form |
| What you get | Empty policy + how-to | Branded signed-ready policy |
| Procedures pack | Not included yet | Not included yet |
| Upload-ready PDF | Format it yourself | Yes |
| If a buyer sends it back | You fix it | We revise it free |
Prefer the health and safety policy done for you?
We can fill a branded, signed health and safety policy for US$99. A full procedures pack is a later product. Start here if a buyer asked for the policy first.
Requests for the health and safety documents are reviewed and prepared manually, we'll follow up by email.
Get a branded Health and Safety Policy
We fill a signed 1 to 2 page policy for US$99. Usually delivered within the hour. A procedures pack is a later product.
Health and Safety Policy
A branded health and safety policy, signed and ready to upload. (US$99)
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