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HSE inspections up 47% - HSE carried out over 13,200 workplace inspections in 2024/25.

Since 2011

Health & Safety Manual
Procedures & Management System | ISO 45001

Bespoke health and safety manuals with procedures, safe systems of work & management system documentation

IOSH Chartered consultants build health and safety manuals aligned with HSG65 and ISO 45001. Complete procedures manual — not templates.

1,500+
Businesses Protected
50+
Countries
95%+
Retention
IOSH Chartered
HSG65 & ISO 45001 Aligned
ISO Certified
30+ Years H&S Experience
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Free Health & Safety Gap Analysis

30-minute Compliance Call Valued at £750+

What Happens on Your Free Gap Analysis Call:

  • 1.30-minute consultation
  • 2.We review your current H&S arrangements
  • 3.We identify 1-10 critical compliance gaps you're missing

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and consent to Arinite contacting you about your Gap Analysis. You may also receive helpful HSE tips (unsubscribe anytime).

No Card Details Required
Free Arinite factsheet (tailored to your gaps)
Honest recommendation (audit needed or not)

Identify 1+ gaps, or you receive a £50 gift card. Only 20 consultations are available every month.

Health & Safety Manual

A Complete, Defensible System for Managing Workplace Risk

A Health & Safety Manual is the operational backbone of effective Health & Safety management.

While a Health & Safety Policy sets intent, a Health & Safety Manual explains how safety is managed in practice, day to day, role to role, and site to site.

Arinite develops bespoke Health & Safety Manuals that are legally compliant, practical to use, and defensible across jurisdictions. Our manuals are designed as global frameworks, with country-specific amendments where required.

What Is a Health & Safety Manual?

It typically includes:

A Health & Safety Manual is a structured collection of policies, procedures, and arrangements that explain how an organisation manages Health & Safety risks in practice.

Core Health & Safety policies

Roles and responsibilities

Risk assessment and control procedures

Safe systems of work

Emergency arrangements

Training and competence requirements

Monitoring, inspection, and review processes

Unlike a single policy document, a manual provides operational detail and is intended to be used, not filed away.

Is a Health & Safety Manual a Legal Requirement?

Most Health & Safety legislation does not explicitly require a document titled "Health & Safety Manual".

However, employers are legally required to:

Plan, organise, control, monitor and review Health & Safety
Implement suitable arrangements to manage workplace risks
Document those arrangements where appropriate

A Health & Safety Manual is the most effective way to demonstrate compliance with these legal duties, particularly during inspections, audits, tenders, and investigations.

In practice, regulators, insurers, and clients frequently expect to see a documented manual.

Health & Safety Manual vs Health & Safety Policy

This distinction is critical and commonly misunderstood.

Health & Safety Policy

Sets intent and commitment
Required in writing for organisations with 5+ employees (UK)
High-level document
Signed by senior management
Explains what the organisation commits to

Health & Safety Manual

Explains how Health & Safety is managed in practice
Contains procedures, systems, and arrangements
Used day-to-day by managers and staff
Supports audits, inspections, and investigations
Demonstrates how compliance is achieved

In short:

A policy sets direction.

A manual delivers compliance.

Most organisations require and should have both.

The Arinite Health & Safety Manual

Each manual is:

Arinite's Health & Safety Manuals are bespoke, working documents, never generic templates.

Written by IOSH Chartered Health & Safety professionals

Aligned with applicable legislation and guidance

Tailored to your activities, risks, and management structure

Designed for real-world use

Structured to support audits and inspections

Our manuals form a central reference point for your Health & Safety management system.

What's Included in an Arinite Health & Safety Manual

While content is tailored, a typical manual includes the following core sections.

1

Health & Safety Policy & Statement of Intent

Senior management commitment
Legal compliance statement
Health & Safety objectives
2

Roles, Responsibilities & Organisation

Director and senior management responsibilities
Manager and supervisor duties
Employee responsibilities
Appointed competent persons
3

Risk Assessment & Risk Control

General risk assessment procedures
Activity-specific assessments
Hierarchy of risk control
Review and update processes
4

Safe Systems of Work & Procedures

High-risk activity procedures (where applicable)
Permit-to-work arrangements
Contractor management
5

Fire Safety & Emergency Arrangements

Fire risk management
Evacuation procedures
First aid arrangements
Incident and emergency response
6

Training, Competence & Communication

Induction training
Role-specific training
Refresher training
Employee consultation and communication
7

Incident Reporting & Investigation

Accident and near-miss reporting procedures
Investigation procedures
RIDDOR reporting — reporting of injuries, diseases, and dangerous occurrences to the HSE under RIDDOR 2013
Legal reporting requirements and timelines
8

Monitoring, Inspection & Review

Workplace inspections
Performance monitoring
Internal audits
Management review
Global Health & Safety Manuals

Arinite designs Health & Safety Manuals for global use, with local adaptations where required.

Our approach:

Uses UK Health & Safety law as a robust baseline, widely regarded as a leading risk-based standard
Aligns with international best practice, including ISO 45001 principles
Adapts content to meet local legal requirements by country

This enables organisations to maintain:

Consistency across locations
Strong governance and oversight
Local legal compliance
Health & Safety Manuals for Offices, IT & Low-Risk Workplaces

For office-based, software and IT organisations, manuals typically focus on:

Health & Safety Manuals are not just for high-risk industries.

DSE and workstation ergonomics

Fire safety and evacuation

Stress and psychosocial risk

First aid arrangements

Contractor and visitor management

Remote and hybrid working

Even low-risk environments require documented arrangements.

Who This Service Is For

This service is ideal for:

Organisations formalising their Health & Safety systems

Multi-site or international businesses

Companies preparing for audits, inspections, or tenders

Directors seeking assurance and consistency

Growing organisations scaling their workforce

How We Deliver Your Health & Safety Manual
1

Review & Gap Analysis

Understand your activities, risks, and current arrangements

2

Manual Design & Drafting

Create a structured, tailored manual aligned to your business

3

Review & Finalisation

Ensure accuracy, relevance, and legal compliance

4

Ongoing Support (Optional)

Keep the manual current as your organisation evolves

Start With a Free Manual Review

If you're unsure whether your current documentation is suitable and sufficient, the fastest way to find out is a professional review.

Book a Free Health & Safety Gap Analysis Call

Compliance review valued at £750+

Health & Safety Manual FAQs