Health and safety for new businesses - Print version

Setting up a new business? What health and safety should you consider?

All businesses must consider the health, safety and welfare of their staff and members of the public. New businesses may be visited by the department to carry out an inspection, intervention, following an accident report, or as a result of a complaint.

The Health and Safety Executive [https://www.hse.gov.uk/] provides detailed guidance on a range of health and safety topics, to help businesses comply with the law. Common things to consider:

• Asbestos [https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/]
• Computers/DSE assessments [https://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/]
• Electrical Safety [https://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/]
• Gas Safety [https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/index.htm]
• Manual handling [https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.PDF]
• Slips and trips [https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/]
• Workplace Transport [https://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/]
• Working at Height [https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm]
• Work Equipment [https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/]
• Young people at work [https://www.hse.gov.uk/young-workers/employer/index.htm]

Risk assessments

If you employ more than 5 people, you will also need to have written risk assessments. Further advice on writing risk assessments [https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm].

Do I need a health and safety licence?

For the majority of businesses in Coventry where health and safety is enforced by the Council, no registration or licence is required before you start to trade - you are however responsible for ensuring you are meeting all health and safety legal requirements relevant to your business. Take a look at our health and safety advice [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/health-safety-work/health-safety-new-businesses] to check what you need to do.

However, certain activities or businesses do need to be registered / licensed [/businesslicensing]. These include:

• acupuncture [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/licensing-regulation/skin-piercing-licence]
• tattooing [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/licensing-regulation/skin-piercing-licence]
• cosmetic piercing (the piercing of someone’s body) including: ear/nose piercing & body piercing [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/licensing-regulation/skin-piercing-licence]
• electrolysis [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/licensing-regulation/skin-piercing-licence]
• semi-permanent skin colouring (the insertion of semi-permanent colouring into a person’s skin) including: microblading & all types of semi-permanent tattooing [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/licensing-regulation/skin-piercing-licence]
• micro-needling [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/licensing-regulation/skin-piercing-licence]
• Premises with cooling towers / evaporative condensers [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/health-safety-work/cooling-towers-registration]