A Safety Statement sets out how your organisation manages safety, health and welfare at work. Safety Statement service is a practical document based on the hazards and risks that exist in your workplace and the measures you have put in place to control them. At Cork Safety Services, we prepare clear, site-specific Safety Statement services for businesses in Cork and across Munster. We work with you to understand your workplace, activities, equipment and existing safety arrangements before preparing documentation that reflects how your organisation actually operates. Your Safety Statement should not simply be a document that sits on a shelf. It should form part of your day-to-day safety management process, helping employees and senior management understand responsibilities, workplace risks, control measures and the procedures that must be followed to work safely. We provide safety statement services Cork, Ireland, for businesses to understand safety in the workplace.
A Safety Statement is a written statement explaining how an employer will secure and manage the safety, health and welfare of employees at work. It also considers other people who may be affected by work activities, including contractors, visitors, customers and members of the public. Under Section 20 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, employers must prepare a written Safety Statement based on the identification of workplace hazards and the risk assessments carried out under Section 19 of the Act.
This means a Safety Statement and risk assessment are closely connected. The risk assessment identifies the hazards and risks associated with your work activities. The Safety Statement records how those risks will be controlled, who has responsibility for managing them and what resources and procedures are in place. A generic Safety Statement is not sufficient for most workplaces. The document needs to reflect the actual activities, hazards, equipment, employees and working conditions within your organisation.
A well-prepared Safety Statement service provides a clear framework for managing health and safety throughout your business. Safety Statement helps management establish how safety responsibilities are allocated and how risks are identified, assessed and controlled. For employees, it provides practical information on the hazards associated with their work and the precautions they are expected to follow. An effective Safety Statement service also helps reduce the likelihood of accidents and ill health by ensuring that hazards are considered before something goes wrong. Risk control measures can then be introduced, monitored and improved as part of normal business operations. The document demonstrates that health and safety is being actively managed rather than dealt with only after an incident occurs. It also provides important evidence of your safety management arrangements if your workplace is inspected by the Health and Safety Authority. For clients, contractors and other organisations, appropriate health and safety documentation can also demonstrate that your business takes its legal and operational responsibilities seriously.
Yes. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 places duties on employers to identify hazards, assess workplace risks and prepare a written Safety Statement. Section 20 of the 2005 Act requires the Safety Statement to be based on the hazard identification and risk assessment process carried out under Section 19. The employer remains responsible for ensuring that the document is appropriate for the organisation and that the measures described in it are implemented in practice. There is a limited provision for employers with three or fewer employees. Where an approved Health and Safety Authority Code of Practice applies to the particular sector or work activity, compliance with that Code may satisfy the Safety Statement requirement. The requirement to assess workplace risks still applies. If you are unsure which requirements apply to your organisation, Cork Safety Services can review your circumstances and advise on the appropriate documentation.
A Safety Statement service should clearly explain how safety, health and welfare are secured and managed within the organisation. It should describe the hazards identified and the risks assessed within the workplace. It should also explain the preventive and protective measures being used to eliminate or control those risks. The document should identify responsibilities within the organisation, including the names or positions of people assigned specific health and safety duties. This is particularly important for senior management, supervisors and other employees with responsibility for implementing safety procedures.
Emergency arrangements should be documented, together with the procedures to be followed in the event of serious or imminent danger. Employee responsibilities and the level of cooperation required on safety matters should also be explained. The Safety Statement should describe the resources available for managing workplace safety and the arrangements for consultation and communication with employees. Depending on the organisation, it may refer to supporting documents such as risk assessments, safe operating procedures, equipment instructions, emergency procedures, training records or relevant Health and Safety Authority guidance. The objective is to create a practical management document that reflects the workplace rather than a generic safety document that could apply to any business.
Risk assessment is a fundamental part of preparing a Safety Statement. The employer is required to identify hazards arising from work activities and assess the risks those hazards present. This includes considering who could be harmed, how harm could occur, the precautions already in place and whether additional control measures are required. The significant findings of the risk assessment then inform the Safety Statement. For example, a workplace may need to consider manual handling, machinery, workplace transport, slips and trips, chemicals, electricity, fire, work at height or other hazards specific to its operations. Different businesses therefore require different controls. A Safety Statement for an office will differ significantly from one prepared for a warehouse, manufacturing facility, construction business or workshop. At Cork Safety Services, our Safety Statement and risk assessment work is based on your actual activities and workplace conditions so the resulting documentation is relevant to the people who are expected to use it.
Preparing the document is only part of the employer's responsibility. Relevant information must be brought to the attention of employees so that they understand the hazards associated with their work, the controls that are in place and what is expected of them. New employees should be made aware of relevant Safety Statement information when they begin work. Relevant information should also be brought to employees' attention at least annually and when changes are made. Contractors, temporary workers, self-employed people and others who may be exposed to specific workplace risks may also need to receive relevant information. The information must be communicated in a form and language that the people concerned can understand. This communication process helps turn written health and safety documentation into practical workplace behaviour.
A Safety Statement needs to remain relevant to the workplace. It should be reviewed when significant changes occur, when there is reason to believe the existing information is no longer valid or when changes to risk assessments affect the way safety is managed. Changes that may require a review include new equipment, new work processes, changes to substances or materials, alterations to the workplace, organisational changes or the introduction of new activities. Accidents, incidents, near misses and findings from inspections can also identify areas where existing risk controls need to be reconsidered. Regular review allows the Safety Statement and risk assessment process to develop alongside the organisation rather than becoming outdated. Any significant changes to precautions, procedures or responsibilities should then be communicated to the employees and other people affected.
We prepare Safety Statements that are specific to your organisation rather than relying on generic documentation. Our process starts by understanding your business, workplace and work activities. We review the hazards and risks associated with those activities, consider your existing safety arrangements and identify the information that needs to be documented. We can then prepare a structured Safety Statement covering your health and safety policy, risk assessments, responsibilities, control measures, emergency arrangements, employee duties and other relevant procedures.
Where appropriate, we can also help identify gaps in existing documentation or areas where further risk assessment or safety controls may be required. Our aim is to provide documentation that is clear enough to use in practice while supporting your obligations under Irish health and safety legislation. We work with small and medium-sized businesses throughout Cork and Munster and can arrange site visits around operational requirements.
A Safety Statement works alongside other important health and safety documents. Our Risk Assessment service helps identify workplace hazards, assess risks, & determine suitable control measures. We also provide Employee Forms to help businesses maintain relevant employee safety records and support their health and safety procedures.
Your Safety Statement is developed around your workplace, work activities, equipment and identified hazards and risks. We do not rely on a generic Safety Statement that ignores the way your business operates.
We assess the risks associated with your workplace and document appropriate control measures so that your Safety Statement and risk management arrangements work together.
We help define health and safety responsibilities within the organisation so management, supervisors and employees understand their roles.
The finished document is designed to support day-to-day safety management and Cork Safety Services works with businesses throughout Cork and Munster, providing practical health and safety support.
Yes. Under Section 20 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, employers are generally required to prepare a written Safety Statement based on workplace hazard identification and risk assessments.
Safety statement services are required for those who want to prepare, review, or update workplace safety documentation.
Yes. Under HSA regulations, all employers are required to prepare a Safety Statement service for their workplace and the nature of their work or activities. Additionally, there are special provisions for employers with three or fewer employees to whom an HSA-approved Code of Practice applies for their specific sector or type of work.
Generally, employers must have a written Safety Statement based on workplace hazard identification and risk assessment.
A generic Safety Statement is not a good substitute for documentation that reflects your actual workplace. According to HSA guidance, the Safety Statement must be specifically tailored to the workplace in question and take into account the risks present there.
A Safety Statement should explain the hazards and risks identified, the preventive and protective measures in place, safety responsibilities, available resources, emergency arrangements and employee duties.
Safety statement should be reviewed whenever significant changes occur, when there is reason to believe it is no longer valid, or when changes to risk assessments affect safety arrangements. Regular management review is also good practice to ensure the document remains relevant.
Employees must have access to the Safety Statement, and relevant information must be brought to their attention. New employees should receive relevant information when they start work, and employees should be reminded of relevant contents at least annually and when changes are made.
The employer has overall responsibility for ensuring that an appropriate Safety Statement is prepared and implemented. Specific duties may be assigned to managers, supervisors, competent persons or other employees, but the employer retains responsibility for managing workplace safety.
Yes. Cork Safety Services can review your workplace and activities, carry out or review the required risk assessments and prepare a Safety Statement tailored to your organisation. We prepare safety statements for your business.
Safety Statement services can include reviewing your workplace and activities, identifying relevant hazards and risks, reviewing existing safety arrangements, and preparing documentation covering responsibilities, control measures, emergency arrangements, employee duties, and other relevant procedures.
A Risk Assessment identifies workplace hazards, assesses the risks they create and determines appropriate control measures. A Safety Statement explains how the organisation will manage safety, health and welfare, including the responsibilities, procedures and controls used to manage those risks.
