Health and safety for small businesses

How to make practical safety habits visible in small teams, kitchens, stores, salons, and vans.

Start with the work people actually do: cooking, lifting boxes, driving, using chemicals, handling cash, cutting hair, loading vans, or setting up events. List the main things that could harm workers, customers, or visitors.

Create simple controls: labelled chemicals, safe knife storage, delivery lifting rules, burn prevention, driver fatigue checks, clean walkways, first aid supplies, and incident reporting.

Review after busy periods. If someone nearly slipped, a freezer failed, or an event setup felt unsafe, update the checklist before the next job.