One health and safety poster is legally required in Great Britain: the HSE Health and Safety Law poster, under the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations 1989. The rest of the range covers specific workplace duties, from first aid to fire action to manual handling, and puts the right information where the reader needs it most.
The HSE Law poster
The current version is the 2009 design, which became the only compliant version once the transition period for the old 1999 poster ended in April 2014. Older versions are no longer compliant.
If displaying a poster doesn't suit your setup (a workforce spread across sites, or one that doesn't share a common workspace), the alternative is the pocket-sized leaflet given to each worker.
Beyond the Law poster
Other health and safety posters aren't universally mandatory, but they're often the fastest route to compliance with specific duties. First aid guidance sits at the first aid point. Fire action notices belong at every fire alarm call point and at final exit doors, per the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. Manual handling posters at the packing station or loading bay. Handwashing and food hygiene posters in the kitchen and washrooms.
The rule of thumb is put the poster where the reader is when they need the information. A poster in the staff room reminding people to wash their hands does nothing for the person already at the sink.
For advice on which health and safety posters your premises needs, call the team on 0808 175 4375.
