What is this document?
INDG417 "Leading Health and Safety at Work" is the HSE's guidance for senior leaders on their health and safety responsibilities. It sets out what directors, trustees, governors and equivalent officers need to do to lead health and safety effectively in their organisations.
The document uses the "Plan, Do, Check, Act" framework to help leaders understand their role in managing workplace health and safety at a strategic level.
Who needs to read this?
This guidance is for leaders and decision-makers across all sectors:
- Directors of private companies (including owner-directors of SMEs)
- Trustees of charities and third sector organisations
- Governors of schools, academies and educational institutions
- Board members and non-executive directors
- Officers with strategic responsibility in public sector organisations
- Senior managers with health and safety oversight
If you sit on a board or have strategic responsibility for an organisation, this document applies to you.
Key points covered
Leadership responsibilities
The document makes clear that health and safety leadership is not something that can be entirely delegated. Senior leaders must:
- Set the direction for health and safety in their organisation
- Ensure adequate resources are allocated
- Receive regular reports on health and safety performance
- Take decisions on significant risks
- Lead by example
The Plan, Do, Check, Act framework
Plan - Determine your policy, plan for implementation, and set objectives
Do - Profile your risks, organise for health and safety, implement your plan
Check - Measure performance, investigate accidents and incidents, audit systems
Act - Review performance, take action on lessons learned, improve systems
Board-level actions
The guidance includes a practical checklist for boards covering:
- Health and safety policy and communication
- Roles and responsibilities at board level
- Risk assessment and management systems
- Performance monitoring and reporting
- Competent advice and resources
How this applies to you
As a leader, you set the tone for health and safety in your organisation. Your employees and stakeholders look to you for direction.
This does not mean you need to be a health and safety expert. It means you need to:
- Take health and safety seriously at the highest level
- Ensure someone competent is managing day-to-day compliance
- Receive information on risks and performance
- Make decisions that prioritise the safety of your workforce
For SME owners who are also directors, this document helps you understand that you cannot delegate your way out of responsibility. For trustees and governors, it clarifies that voluntary roles still carry legal duties.
Directors and trustees can be held personally liable for health and safety failures. Ignorance is not a defence. You must satisfy yourself that proper systems are in place.
Consider reviewing this document alongside your organisation's health and safety policy. Does your board discuss health and safety regularly? Do you receive meaningful reports? Are resources adequate?
Related guidance
- Five steps to risk assessment (INDG163)
- Health and safety made simple (INDG449)
- Workplace safety requirements
Official HSE document: Download INDG417 from HSE