Health & Safety Policies
Phoenix STS provides expert health and safety policy development services for Irish workplaces. Our CMIOSH qualified consultants prepare comprehensive, compliant policies tailored to your operations including lone working policies, incident reporting procedures, risk management policies, and safety statements. Professional policy documentation ensuring legal compliance and best practice workplace safety management.
Professional health and safety policies provide clear frameworks for managing workplace safety, protecting employees, and demonstrating compliance with Irish health and safety legislation.
Workplace Safety Policy Development Ireland
Health and safety policies are formal written documents that set out your organisation’s commitment to workplace safety and the arrangements in place to manage health and safety. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, employers must prepare a written safety statement that includes their safety policy and the arrangements for managing health and safety.
Phoenix STS develops comprehensive health and safety policies tailored to your business operations. Our consultants prepare clear, practical policies that comply with Irish legislation, reflect best practice, and provide effective frameworks for managing workplace safety across all aspects of your operations.
⚖️ Legal Requirements for Safety Policies
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires employers to prepare a written safety statement that includes the organisation’s safety policy. Policies must be based on risk assessment, specify the arrangements for managing safety, and be brought to the attention of employees. Well-developed policies demonstrate your commitment to workplace safety and provide clear frameworks for compliance.
Understanding Health and Safety Policies
Health and safety policies are formal written statements that communicate your organisation’s approach to managing specific safety issues. They typically include the policy statement (what you will do), the organisation and responsibilities (who is responsible), and the arrangements (how you will do it). Effective policies provide clear direction, assign responsibilities, and establish procedures that all employees can understand and follow.
CMIOSH
Qualified Consultants
Bespoke
Policy Development
Legislative
Compliance
All Sectors
Nationwide
Why Professional Policies Are Essential
⚖️ Legal Compliance
The SHWW Act 2005 requires written policies as part of your safety statement. Clear policies demonstrate compliance with legal requirements and provide evidence of your commitment to workplace safety.
📋 Clear Safety Management Framework
Policies provide clear direction on how your organisation manages specific safety issues. They establish responsibilities, set standards, and provide procedures that employees can follow, ensuring consistent safety management.
👥 Employee Protection and Awareness
Well-communicated policies ensure employees understand safety expectations, their responsibilities, and the procedures to follow. This awareness protects employees and supports a positive safety culture.
🛡️ Risk Management Support
Comprehensive policies demonstrate proactive safety management to insurers, HSA inspectors, and other stakeholders. They support insurance applications and provide evidence of due diligence.
Types of Workplace Safety Policies
Phoenix STS develops a comprehensive range of workplace safety policies:
Health and Safety Policy Statement
- Organisation’s safety commitment
- Board and management responsibilities
- Employee responsibilities and duties
- Safety management arrangements
Lone Working Policy Ireland
- Risk assessment requirements
- Communication and monitoring
- Emergency procedures
- Vulnerable worker protection
Incident Reporting Procedures
- Incident reporting requirements
- Investigation procedures
- HSA notification requirements
- Corrective action processes
Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)
- PAT inspection schedules
- Equipment registers
- Testing frequency and methods
- Complies with HSA guidelines
Risk Management
- Risk assessment frameworks
- Risk rating methodologies
- Control measure hierarchy
- Review and monitoring procedures
Smoking and Vaping
- Designated smoking areas
- Workplace smoking ban compliance
- E-cigarette and vaping rules
- Enforcement procedures
Work Equipment
- Equipment selection criteria
- Maintenance and inspection
- User training requirements
- Fault reporting procedures
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- PPE assessment and selection
- Provision and maintenance
- Training and enforcement
- Storage and replacement
Manual Handling
- Assessment requirements
- Training provisions
- Control measures
- Health surveillance
Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
- Workstation assessments
- Eye test provisions
- Breaks and work patterns
- Equipment standards
First Aid Provision
- First aid provision requirements
- Qualified first aider numbers
- First aid equipment and facilities
- Emergency response procedures
Violence and Aggression
- Risk assessment procedures
- Prevention measures
- Incident response protocols
- Employee support arrangements
Our Policy Development Process
Initial Consultation
We discuss your operations, existing policies, and specific requirements. We identify which policies are needed, review any existing documentation, and understand your organisational structure and safety management arrangements.
Research and Legislative Review
We research relevant legislation, HSA guidance, and industry best practice. We ensure policies comply with current Irish health and safety law and reflect the latest regulatory requirements and standards.
Drafting and Customisation
We draft policies tailored to your organisation. Policies are written in clear, accessible language that employees can understand. We ensure policies are practical and implementable within your operations.
Review and Consultation
We provide draft policies for your review and feedback. We incorporate your comments and ensure policies align with your organisational culture and existing management systems. Where appropriate, we support employee consultation.
Finalisation and Implementation
We provide final policy documents in your preferred format. We can support implementation including employee communication, training arrangements, and integration with your safety statement and management systems.
📄 Effective Policy Structure
Phoenix STS policies follow a clear three-part structure for maximum effectiveness:
- Policy Statement: The organisation’s commitment and objectives for the specific safety issue. This section states what you will do and why it matters.
- Organisation and Responsibilities: Who is responsible for implementing and maintaining the policy. This assigns clear responsibilities to management, supervisors, employees, and competent persons.
- Arrangements: The practical procedures and systems in place to implement the policy. This section explains how you will achieve the policy objectives, including risk assessments, training, monitoring, and review processes.
This structure ensures policies are comprehensive, assign clear responsibilities, and provide practical guidance for implementation.
What’s Included in Our Service
- Comprehensive policy research
- Legislative compliance review
- Clear, accessible language
- Organisation-specific customisation
- Draft and final versions
- Review and revision support
- Implementation guidance
- Integration with safety statement
Irish Health and Safety Legislation
Our health and safety policies ensure compliance with Irish legislation:
- Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005: Primary legislation requiring employers to prepare a written safety statement including the organisation’s safety policy (Section 20). Policies must be based on risk assessment and brought to the attention of employees.
- General Application Regulations 2007: Detailed requirements for specific areas including manual handling (Part 3), display screen equipment (Part 5), personal protective equipment (Part 2), and other workplace safety topics requiring policy coverage.
- Public Health (Tobacco) Acts 2002-2015: Workplace smoking ban requirements that must be addressed in smoking policies.
- Sector-Specific Regulations: Additional policy requirements for construction, healthcare, chemicals, and other sectors depending on your operations.
🔄 When to Review Your Policies
Health and safety policies should be reviewed and updated:
- Regularly: At least annually to ensure continued relevance and compliance
- After significant changes: New equipment, processes, organisational changes, or workplace modifications
- Following incidents: After accidents, near misses, or enforcement action to address identified issues
- When legislation changes: New or amended health and safety regulations
- After audits or inspections: HSA inspections, internal audits, or external reviews identifying policy gaps
- Following employee feedback: When employees identify practical implementation issues
Phoenix STS can provide ongoing policy review and update services to ensure your documentation remains current and effective.
Why Choose Phoenix STS
✅ CMIOSH Qualified Consultants: Chartered Members of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health with extensive experience developing workplace safety policies across multiple sectors.
✅ Legislative Expertise: In-depth knowledge of Irish health and safety legislation ensuring policies comply with the SHWW Act 2005, General Application Regulations 2007, and sector-specific requirements.
✅ Practical, Implementable Policies: Policies written in clear, accessible language that employees can understand and management can implement effectively in real-world operations.
✅ Bespoke Development: Policies tailored to your specific operations, organisational structure, and workplace risks, not generic templates.
✅ All Sectors: Experience developing policies for offices, manufacturing, hospitality, retail, healthcare, construction, and public sector organisations.
✅ Integration with Safety Management: Policies integrate seamlessly with your safety statement, risk assessments, and overall safety management system.
✅ Implementation Support: Guidance on policy communication, employee training, and integration into day-to-day operations.
✅ Nationwide Coverage: We serve clients throughout Ireland from our Longford base.
Essential Policy Topics
Phoenix STS develops policies covering all essential workplace safety topics:
Lone Working
Risk assessment, communication, monitoring
Incident Reporting
Reporting procedures, investigation, HSA notification
Risk Management
Assessment frameworks, control hierarchies
PAT Testing
Inspection schedules, equipment registers
Smoking & Vaping
Designated areas, enforcement procedures
Manual Handling
Assessment, training, control measures
PPE Provision
Selection, training, maintenance, enforcement
Work Equipment
Selection, maintenance, user training
First Aid
Provision requirements, qualified personnel
Display Screen Equipment
Workstation assessments, eye tests, breaks
Violence & Aggression
Risk assessment, prevention, response
Emergency Procedures
Evacuation, fire safety, first aid response
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need written health and safety policies?
Yes. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 requires all employers to prepare a written safety statement that includes their safety policy and arrangements for managing health and safety. Additional specific policies (lone working, incident reporting, etc.) are best practice and often required by insurers.
What’s the difference between a policy and a safety statement?
A safety statement is the comprehensive document required by the SHWW Act 2005 that includes your safety policy, risk assessments, and arrangements for managing all workplace safety. Individual policies are more detailed documents addressing specific safety topics (lone working, PAT testing, etc.) that sit alongside and support your safety statement.
Can I use template policies I found online?
Generic templates rarely address your specific operations, organisational structure, or workplace risks. The HSA expects policies to be tailored to your actual operations. Professional policy development ensures policies are legally compliant, practical for your workplace, and effective in managing your specific safety issues.
How many policies do I need?
This depends on your operations and workplace risks. At minimum, you need a safety policy (part of your safety statement). Additional policies should cover significant workplace risks identified in your risk assessments. Common examples include lone working, incident reporting, manual handling, PPE, first aid, and work equipment policies. We can advise which policies your organisation needs.
Do employees need to see policies?
Yes. The SHWW Act 2005 requires safety statements (including policies) to be brought to the attention of employees. Policies should be accessible to all staff, communicated during induction and training, and available for reference. Effective communication ensures employees understand their responsibilities and follow procedures.
How often should policies be reviewed?
Policies should be reviewed at least annually as a minimum. They must also be reviewed after significant changes (new equipment, processes, organisational changes), following incidents, or when legislation changes. Regular review ensures policies remain current, relevant, and effective.
What should a lone working policy include?
A lone working policy should include: identification of lone working situations, risk assessment requirements, communication and monitoring arrangements, emergency procedures, training requirements, and restrictions on high-risk activities. It should address both planned lone working (scheduled shifts) and unplanned situations.
Do I need a PAT testing policy?
If you have portable electrical appliances, a PAT testing policy demonstrates compliance with HSA electrical safety guidelines. The policy should specify inspection frequencies, testing methods, equipment registers, and responsibilities for maintaining electrical safety.
How much does policy development cost?
The cost depends on the number and complexity of policies required. We can develop individual policies or comprehensive policy suites. Pricing is tailored to your specific needs. Contact us for a no-obligation quote.
Can you help implement policies after development?
Yes. We provide implementation support including employee communication plans, training arrangements, integration with existing systems, and guidance on monitoring compliance. Our goal is not just to write policies but to ensure they work effectively in practice.
Related Services
Health and safety policies work alongside our other consultancy services:
Clear Policies. Legal Compliance. Effective Safety Management.
Professional health and safety policies provide the framework for effective workplace safety management. Ensure compliance with clear, practical policies tailored to your operations.
CMIOSH qualified consultants. Bespoke policy development. Legislative compliance. Nationwide service.
Page updated: January 2026
