Understand health & safety

Managing health and safety effectively is important not only for the safety of you and your guests, but also to reduce your liability in event of an accident. This subject is a legal requirement for all types of accommodation providers, even if you do not employ any staff.

There is plenty of guidance available to help you comply, including our Fire Risk Assessment tool and practical Health & Safety Executive resources.

Fire Safety

It is the law for all businesses to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment of their premises, regardless of size or number of employees. This applies even if you run a bed & breakfast in your home. If you’re a self-catering provider, then specific legislation relating to furnishings may also apply to you.

Guest Safety

Do you have a health & safety policy? All accommodation providers have a duty of care for guests and other visitors, meaning you need to identify and control safety risks in your business.

This includes ensuring you provide safe products for guest use, getting gas appliances checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer and displaying a no smoking sign.

Employee Safety

If you employ staff, there are additional safety precautions you need to be aware of, such as managing the risk for staff who use computer screens or providing adequate staff facilities. It is also a legal requirement to have a written health & safety policy if you have five or more employees.