3 Health and Safety Policy Templates + How to Write Your Own

If you run a small business, you’ve probably got enough on your plate without adding “write a health and safety policy” to the list. But having one matters—it protects both your staff and your customers. 

When it comes to actually writing the policy, though, you might not know where to start. You may browse some examples online, only to find that most are written for large corporations, not small businesses like yours.

In this blog post, we’ve pulled together three workplace health and safety policy templates from real small businesses. They’ll show you how others keep it simple but effective—and give you ideas to shape a policy that works for your team, not just for a legal checkbox. We’ll also cover some tips and best practices for what to include in your policy.

A health and safety policy is a written document that explains how your business will keep employees, customers, and visitors safe. It outlines the steps you take to prevent accidents, manage risks, and respond to emergencies. The policy also sets out everyone’s responsibilities for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.

For small businesses, especially in service-based industries like spas, hair salons, and tattoo parlors, a health and safety policy also helps to:

• Stay on the right side of local health and safety laws
• Get insured (many insurers ask to see your policy)
• Train new hires without repeating yourself 10 times

Say you run a tattoo studio. Your health and safety policy might outline how you handle equipment sterilization, dispose of needles, and keep your workspace clean between clients.

Or if you’re running a salon, it might cover chemical storage for hair products, how you deal with slips and spills, and where to find the first aid kit.

Most health and safety policies follow a simple structure with three main parts:

• a statement of intent
• a breakdown of responsibilities
• the actual day-to-day safety stuff (a.k.a. arrangements).

Here’s how each part works—and what to say.

A statement of intent is a short sentence or paragraph that explains your business’s commitment to health and safety. It sets out your overall goal to keep employees and customers safe and shows that you take safety seriously.

It typically includes:

• Your goal to prevent accidents and work-related illnesses
• A commitment to following all relevant laws and regulations
• A note that the policy will be reviewed regularly

This part explains who is responsible for health and safety in your business, both overall and in daily operations.

Include:

• What you (the employer) are responsible for—e.g., providing PPE, maintaining equipment, ensuring proper training takes place
• What employees are responsible for—e.g., reporting hazards, following safety rules, attending required training
• Whether you have any designated health and safety personnel (in small teams, this might be you!)

This is the meat of the policy. It covers how your business actually manages safety on a day-to-day basis.

Depending on your setup, this might include:

• How and when you carry out risk assessments
• Emergency procedures (fire drills, evacuation plans)
• First aid (who’s trained, where the kit is)
• How accidents or near-misses are reported
• Training and supervision for new or junior staff
• How you store or handle hazardous products (if you use any)
• Equipment maintenance, who checks it, and how often

You don’t need to go overboard. Just cover the stuff that applies to your workplace.

Lastly, you can also mention or attach any forms or templates you already use to support your health and safety policy.

Examples:

• Daily/weekly safety checklists
• Risk assessment templates
• Accident report forms
• Emergency contact lists

That’s the structure. Next, let’s go over a few helpful tips for creating your actual health and safety policy template. 👇

Writing a health and safety policy doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be clear and practical so your team knows what’s expected.

Here are a few ways to make sure your health and safety policy template does the job:

• Keep it short (but not vague): Two to three pages is plenty for most small businesses. Just make sure each section clearly states what your business will do and what your team is expected to do. Avoid generic filler like “we value safety” without showing what that actually means.
• Use plain language: Skip the legalese. Use clear, everyday language that your team will understand. “Wear gloves when handling chemicals” beats “Employees shall utilize appropriate personal protective equipment."
  
• Make it easy to find: Put it somewhere obvious, like on the staff noticeboard, in the break room, or your team’s shared drive. A safety policy hidden in a folder nobody opens might as well not exist.
• Update it once a year (or when things change): Did you move locations? Add new services? Bring in new equipment? Update your policy whenever your business setup changes. Otherwise, aim for a quick review once a year to keep it fresh.

Now that we've covered the theoretical part and the best practices, let's take a look at a few real-world examples to see how these policies come together.

At Treat Hair and Beauty, a beauty salon in East Sussex, United Kingdom, their policy makes it clear that everyone, whether staff, clients, or visitors, has a role in keeping the space safe.

What they focus on:

• Staff are trained in key safety areas like first aid, hygiene, safe chemical use, and manual handling
• Clear systems are in place for daily tasks, with written procedures to guide safe work
• Clients are asked to follow basic hygiene rules and respect posted safety signs (like wet floor notices)
• Risks are regularly reviewed, from environmental factors (like noise and ventilation) to human error and product exposure
• All equipment is properly maintained, and there’s full coverage through public and employer liability insurance

Why it works:

This policy balances structure with real-world awareness. It’s written in a way that helps both staff and clients understand what’s expected of them. The focus on shared responsibility makes it feel like a team effort, not just a list of rules from the top down.

Park Fitness, a gym in Brooklyn, New York, keeps its health and safety policy focused on practical, visible action, especially when it comes to cleaning, air quality, and shared responsibility between staff and members.

What they focus on:

• Full gym sanitation every two hours, with a daily cleaning logbook available at the front desk
• Use of Merv 13 filters in the HVAC system to improve air quality
• First aid kit and defibrillator are available at the front desk in case of emergencies
• Members are asked to wipe down equipment after use, with sanitizing wipes and spray provided

Why it works:

This policy is simple and easy to follow. It shows a commitment to both hygiene and community. Staff do their part, and members are asked to do theirs.

Jayde Spa Studio puts a strong focus on both safety and client responsibility. Their Health & Safety Statement is clear, practical, and encourages everyone, from staff to clients, to take an active role in keeping the space safe.

What they focus on:

• Regular inspections of the studio space and equipment
• Emergency procedures and first aid plans that are clearly communicated and regularly reviewed
• Qualified instructors trained to deliver safe sessions with options for all fitness levels
• Rigorous cleaning routines with attention to high-touch areas and shared equipment
• Ongoing risk assessments to identify and reduce potential hazards
• Clear expectations for clients, including following instructions, reporting issues, and staying home if unwell

Why it works:

The policy balances facility standards with client accountability. It makes it easy for everyone to understand what is expected of them, helping maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all.

You don’t need a legal team to write your health and safety policy. Just follow the best practices and use our shared examples to shape a policy that fits your business. 

At the end of the day, your policy should reflect how your business operates, covering your workplace setup, the type of services you provide, the size of your team, and the specific risks you need to manage day to day.

The next step? Making sure your team actually knows the policy and what’s expected of them. That might mean walking new staff through it, scheduling training sessions, or setting up a quick check-in after you’ve made updates.

YouCanBookMe makes scheduling those training sessions super easy. Simply share your booking link and let your team pick a time that works for them.

And with our Calendar Overlay feature, your team can connect their own calendar when booking a training session. This way, they’ll instantly see which times fit with their schedule, so they can choose a time that works without having to flip between calendars or risk double-booking.

Get started for free today (no credit card required).