Safety Basics Program Playbook for Small Business

Set up the basics of workplace safety without a safety specialist: who is responsible, what applies to you, hazards, emergencies, walkthroughs, reporting, safety talks, training records and a monthly review.

Who it is for

• People who run a small business and are responsible for keeping staff and customers safe.

• Managers and shift leads asked to "look after safety" on top of their main job.

• Supervisors in the field whose crews work at customers' sites or from vehicles.

• Office managers and HR generalists in small companies.

• Anyone setting up simple safety routines for a new location.

The problem it solves

Most small businesses have no safety specialist. Hazards are fixed when someone happens to notice them, near misses go unreported, nobody is sure which training is required, and records are scattered or missing. This playbook gives you nine steps to set up simple, regular routines: name who is responsible, find out what applies to you, take stock of hazards, set the emergency basics, run walkthroughs with a follow-up log, set up blame-free reporting, hold short weekly safety talks, train people and keep records, and review each month.

Important: check the safety and reporting rules that apply to your location and industry. This playbook covers general safety basics only and is not legal advice. Step 2 shows you how to find out which rules apply to you.

What is inside

• Copyright and License (page 2; 1 page)

• Part 1. What a safety basics program is (pages 3 to 4; 2 pages)

• Part 2. Step 1: Responsibility and commitment (pages 5 to 7; 3 pages)

• Part 3. Step 2: Find out what applies to you (pages 8 to 10; 3 pages)

• Part 4. Step 3: Take stock of hazards (pages 11 to 13; 3 pages)

• Part 5. Step 4: Emergency basics (pages 14 to 16; 3 pages)

• Part 6. Step 5: Walkthroughs and follow-up (pages 17 to 21; 5 pages)

• Part 7. Step 6: Reporting (pages 22 to 24; 3 pages)

• Part 8. Step 7: Safety talks (pages 25 to 29; 5 pages)

• Part 9. Step 8: Training and records (pages 30 to 34; 5 pages)

• Part 10. Step 9: Review and improve (pages 35 to 37; 3 pages)

• Part 11. Worked examples (pages 38 to 39; 2 pages)

• Part 12. Variations by setting (page 40; 1 page)

• Part 13. 30-day start plan (page 41; 1 page)

• Part 14. Mistakes and FAQ (pages 42 to 43; 2 pages)

• Editable Word version of everything above (44 pages)

Every template is filled in once for a bakery and café with a kitchen, a café counter and a delivery van. Worked examples follow a landscaping crew, a print and sign shop and a dental office, with variations for retail, restaurants, clinics, trades, offices, warehouses and remote staff.

How to use it

1. Read Part 1 for what a safety basics program is, the terms used and the nine steps.

2. Work through Steps 1 to 9. Each step explains what to do, why it matters and how to do it well, then gives you a template and a filled-in example.

3. Follow the 30-day start plan in Part 13, then the monthly rhythm.

4. Keep the completed templates together in one safety folder.

Formats and file types

• Printable PDF (43 pages), US Letter.

• Editable Word file (.docx, 44 pages) with all twelve templates and filled-in examples.

Frequently asked questions