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Health & Safety

Safety Management Systems Policies, Procedures & Frameworks

Bespoke health and safety management systems that bring structure and consistency to your compliance. Written policies, procedures, risk management frameworks and documentation systems that satisfy HSE, clients and accreditation bodies — and actually work in practice.

ISO45001 aligned frameworks
HSG65Plan, Do, Check, Act
PolicyWritten H&S policy required at 5+
CultureSystems that build safety culture
Safety Management

What Is a Safety Management System?

A workplace risk assessment is a systematic examination of your work activities, premises and processes to identify what could cause harm to people — and whether you're doing enough to prevent it. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR), every employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees and anyone else who may be affected by their work activities.

If you have five or more employees, the significant findings of your risk assessment must be recorded in writing. But regardless of your size, risk assessment is the foundation of every health and safety management system — without it, you're managing safety blind.

RADCaT's qualified health and safety consultants carry out thorough, practical workplace risk assessments for businesses of every size and sector across the UK. We don't produce generic templates — we visit your premises, walk your processes, talk to your team and produce site-specific, task-specific assessments that genuinely reflect your operations and give you a clear, prioritised action plan for improvement.

Whether you need a general workplace risk assessment for your office, a task-specific assessment for high-risk activities in a factory, a site-wide review for a multi-building campus, or a pre-project risk assessment for a construction site — RADCaT delivers expert, HSE-compliant assessments tailored to your industry and your operations.

A safety management system is only as good as its implementation. RADCaT doesn't just write documents — we help you embed them into your organisation so they drive real safety improvement, not just fill a filing cabinet.

Safety Management Systems services from RADCaT
Types of Risk Assessment

Safety Management Services

From policy writing to full system implementation and audit.

H&S Policy

Written health and safety policy covering general policy statement, organisation (responsibilities) and arrangements (procedures). Tailored to your business, signed by senior management, communicated to all staff.

Management System Framework

Complete SMS covering policy, planning, implementation, monitoring, audit and review. Aligned to HSG65 or ISO 45001 depending on your needs and accreditation requirements.

Procedures & Safe Systems

Written procedures for all safety-critical activities — accident reporting, fire evacuation, permit-to-work, contractor management, risk assessment process, training management and equipment inspection.

Roles & Responsibilities

Clear definition of safety responsibilities at every level — directors, managers, supervisors, employees, contractors, safety representatives and competent persons.

Internal Audit Programme

Development of internal safety audit schedules, checklists, scoring systems and corrective action processes. Training for your team to conduct effective internal audits.

Annual Review & Updates

Scheduled review of your entire SMS — policy currency, procedure adequacy, legislative changes, incident trends and improvement opportunities. Annual management review report.

Our Process

How We Carry Out a Risk Assessment

1

Gap Analysis

We review your existing safety arrangements against HSG65, ISO 45001 or your specific industry standards. Identify what you have, what's missing and what needs improving.

2

System Design

We design a management system framework proportionate to your business — the right level of documentation for your size, risk profile and operational complexity.

3

Documentation

We write all required documents — policy, procedures, forms, checklists, registers and templates. Professional formatting with your branding, revision control and document numbering.

4

Implementation Support

We help you roll out the system — staff briefings, management training, responsibility allocation and integration into your existing operations.

5

Monitoring & Review

Ongoing support including internal audits, management reviews, legislative updates and continuous improvement. Retained clients receive scheduled visits throughout the year.

Common Questions

Safety Management Systems FAQ

Do I legally need a safety management system?

You legally need a written health and safety policy if you have 5 or more employees (HSWA 1974 Section 2(3)). While a formal management system beyond this is not specifically mandated, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations require systematic arrangements for managing safety — which effectively means a management system in all but name.

What is the difference between HSG65 and ISO 45001?

HSG65 is HSE's guidance framework based on Plan-Do-Check-Act. ISO 45001 is the international occupational health and safety management standard that replaced OHSAS 18001. HSG65 is suitable for most UK businesses. ISO 45001 is needed if you require formal third-party certification for client or supply chain requirements.

Do I need ISO 45001 certification?

Only if your clients, supply chain or industry require it. Many businesses operate excellent safety management systems aligned to ISO 45001 principles without formal certification. RADCaT can build systems to either standard depending on your requirements.

How long does it take to implement?

A basic policy-and-procedures pack for a small business can be delivered in 2-4 weeks. A comprehensive ISO 45001-aligned system for a multi-site operation typically takes 3-6 months for full implementation. We phase delivery to match your capacity to absorb change.

Can you audit our existing system?

Yes. We carry out gap analysis audits of existing safety management systems against HSG65, ISO 45001 or client-specific requirements. We identify strengths, weaknesses and produce a prioritised improvement plan.

Do you provide ongoing maintenance?

Yes. Retained packages include annual policy reviews, procedure updates, legislative change management, internal audit support, management review facilitation and continuous improvement planning.

How much does a safety management system cost?

Based on your business size, complexity, existing documentation and the level of system required. SME packages start from competitive rates. Multi-site operations are quoted individually. Free gap analysis consultation.

Need a Safety Management System?

Get in touch for a free gap analysis. We'll assess your current arrangements and recommend the right system.