Health and safety
policies tailored to
your business

We visit your sites and get to know you. No more "behind the desk" compliance.

A health and safety policy should do more than tick a compliance box. It should reflect how your business actually operates, the risks your people face and the procedures they need to follow every day.

At AfterAthena, we create bespoke health and safety policies designed around your organisation. Unlike providers that rely on generic templates, we take the time to understand your business, your workforce and your operational environment before producing documentation that is practical, relevant and easy to implement.

Whether you need a core health and safety policy, a suite of supporting policies or help reviewing existing documentation, our consultants provide hands-on support to help you build a safer, more compliant workplace.

Why generic policies in health and safety create risk

Many health and safety policies look impressive on paper but fail when applied in practice.

Template documents often:

Contain procedures that do not reflect actual working practices
Fail to address site-specific hazards and operational risks
Leave managers and employees unsure of their responsibilities
Create compliance gaps that may be exposed following an incident or inspection

A policy should not simply describe what ought to happen. It should provide clear guidance that can be followed across your organisation.

That’s why our consultants start by getting to know your business before drafting a single document.

Our health and safety policy process

Health and safety consultant kenny scott in a client meeting

1. Commercial Discovery

Every engagement starts with a discussion about your business, operations, workforce and objectives.

We take time to understand:

Your industry and sector-specific risks
Existing procedures and documentation
Compliance requirements
Growth plans and operational challenges
Areas of concern identified by management

This ensures any policy we create is aligned with both legal requirements and commercial realities.

2. Site Visits and Workplace Assessment

We believe effective policies are built on real-world understanding.

Our consultants will visit your workplace, observe operations and speak with the people responsible for managing and carrying out day-to-day activities.

By understanding how work is actually undertaken, we can create documentation that reflects genuine working practices rather than assumptions.

We provide support across the UK, although additional travel costs may apply for locations outside the North West.

a businessperson shows antoher business person a document or policy across a desk.

3. Policy Development

Using the information gathered, we develop tailored policies that are specific to your organisation.

Policies are written in plain English and designed to be workable, practical and compliant.

4. Embedding and implementation

A policy only delivers value if it is understood and followed.

We can support the rollout of new documentation through:

Management guidance
Employee briefings
Health and safety inductions
Training programmes
Ongoing consultancy support

Health and safety policies we can help with

We can create and review a wide range of workplace policies, including:

Health and Safety Policy

Your overarching commitment to managing workplace health and safety, responsibilities and arrangements.

Lone Working Policies

Protect employees who work independently, remotely or without direct supervision.

Drug and Alcohol Policies

Create clear expectations around substance misuse, testing procedures and reporting requirements.

Workplace Stress and Wellbeing Policies

Support employee wellbeing while helping employers manage psychosocial and workplace stress risks.

Driving for Work Policies

Set standards for employees who drive on behalf of your organisation and reduce road-related risk.

Contractor and Visitor Safety Policies

Provide clear procedures for managing third-party health and safety responsibilities.

Industry-Specific Policies

Where required, we can develop specialist policies tailored to the risks and requirements of your sector.

Get a tailored quote

Ways of working with AfterAthena's health and safety

Retained service plan

An annual or multi-annual commitment to you with ongoing support and regular services delivered

Project-based

A wider project spanning a few services

One off ad-hoc

A single service based on a specific need

HR and health and safety expertise under one roof

Many workplace risks sit across both HR and health and safety.

Issues such as workplace stress, employee wellbeing, drug and alcohol concerns and behavioural standards often require a joined-up approach.

Because AfterAthena provides both HR consultancy and health and safety support, we can ensure policies are legally compliant, operationally practical and aligned with wider people management processes.

This integrated approach helps businesses avoid conflicting procedures and create clearer standards across the organisation.

Supporting documentation and registers

Effective health and safety management requires more than a standalone policy.

We can also develop supporting documentation, including:

COSHH assessments
COSHH registers
Risk assessments
Method statements
Safe systems of work
Training records
Inspection forms
Incident reporting documents
Monitoring and review procedures

Together, these documents provide the structure needed to support effective compliance.

Why choose AfterAthena?

Bespoke policies tailored to your business
On-site consultation and workplace assessment
Practical, commercially-focused advice
UK-wide support
Integrated HR and health & safety expertise
Ongoing implementation and training support
Assistance with supporting documentation and compliance frameworks

Our aim is not simply to create health and safety policies. We help businesses put practical systems in place that support compliance, reduce risk and protect people.

Get a tailored quote

Technology-enabled support through the AfterAthena Hub

AfterAthena Hub is available as a paid app or offered free of charge to all retainer clients. The app provides practical resources to help support effective workforce management.

The Hub includes:

Employment law resources
Policy guidance
Template libraries
Legal updates
Practical HR support materials
Automated legally sound policy generation
Access to specialist support

Combined with advice from our employment law specialists, these resources help employers manage documentation more efficiently and confidently.

What our clients say

"We have used AfterAthena for some time and would highly recommend them. Extremely thankful to [the team] supporting our Company with any HR or Health and Safety issues. Reacting quickly with their expert advice and guidance throughout the whole process. Definitely going above and behond!"

Jeanette Corner, Managing Director, Mike England Timber

Get in touch

FAQs

Do I need a written health and safety policy?

If your business employs five or more people, you are generally required to have a written health and safety policy. Even smaller organisations can benefit from documented procedures, responsibilities and risk management arrangements.

Can you review our existing health and safety policy?

Yes. We can review your current health and safety policies, identify gaps, assess whether they reflect your working practices and recommend improvements to help support compliance and reduce risk.

Do you visit our workplace before writing policies?

Where possible, yes. We prefer to understand your operation first-hand through site visits and discussions with key stakeholders. This helps ensure policies reflect real working practices rather than generic assumptions.

Can you create policies other than the main health and safety policy?

Yes. We regularly draft and review a wide range of workplace policies, including lone working, workplace stress, drug and alcohol, driving for work, contractor management and other specialist health and safety policies.

Can you help implement the policies after they are written?

Yes. We can support implementation through inductions, training, manager guidance and ongoing consultancy to help ensure policies are understood, embedded and followed across the organisation.

Do you provide COSHH assessments and other supporting documents?

Yes. Alongside policy creation, we can assist with COSHH assessments and registers, risk assessments, safe systems of work, method statements and other supporting documentation needed to manage workplace risk.

What makes your health and safety policies different from template policies?

Our policies are tailored to your organisation, workforce and operations. We take the time to understand how your business works so the documentation is practical, relevant and capable of being implemented in the real world.

Can you support businesses outside the North West?

Yes. We provide health and safety support across the UK. Additional travel costs may apply for certain locations outside the North West depending on the scope of the engagement.

Can you help with policies that overlap with HR issues?

Yes. Some areas, such as workplace stress, wellbeing and drug and alcohol management, have both health and safety and HR considerations. Our joined-up approach helps ensure policies are consistent, practical and compliant.

How often should health and safety policies be reviewed?

Health and safety policies should be reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to legislation, operations, staffing structures, premises or workplace risks. Many organisations choose to review policies annually.

Related Insights

In our line of work, things change constantly. From legislative developments to new legal precedents and more, we're here to keep you up to date on the latest news. Below you'll find our most recent news, in addition to advice on how to make your work life easier.