Health and Safety
You have a legal responsibility to make sure that your staff remain safe and healthy whilst doing their job.
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the minimum you must do is:
- Identify what could cause injury or illness in your business (hazards).
- Decide how likely it is that someone could be harmed and how seriously (the risk).
- Take action to eliminate the hazard, or if this isn't possible, control the risk.
If you employ five or more people, you will need a health and safety policy. As an employer you must:
- Carry out risk assessments on your home, including around your pets that you keep.
- Think about any training that your personal assistant(s) need.
- Tell your Personal Assistant(s) about health and safety, including fire safety.
- Record (and possibly report) any accidents that take place in your home.
- Take out employer’s liability insurance.
Websites and templates to support you:
Visit the Health and Safety Executive website for free guidance and support, including a model policy.
Or visit Skills for Care website to access their ‘Safety in the home checklist’ and a ‘Risk assessment’ template that you can download.