Business guide
Health and safety
in a small business unit
Health and safety law applies to small businesses too, but it is meant to be proportionate. For a one or two person unit, it mostly means thinking ahead, keeping things tidy and knowing what to do if something goes wrong.
Proportionate, not paperwork
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a section of its website called "health and safety made simple" for exactly this kind of business. Its message is reassuring: you need to manage the real risks of your work, not fill folders with forms.
That still applies if you are self-employed. Your duties cover you, anyone you employ, and anyone else affected by your work, such as customers, neighbouring tenants and delivery drivers.
A good way to start is to ask yourself one question at the end of each day: if someone else walked into my unit right now, could they get hurt? If the honest answer is yes, fix that first. Most improvements in a small unit cost very little, such as a hook for a cable, a shelf for a heavy box or a lid on a bin.
Your risk assessment
A risk assessment is just a structured look at what could cause harm in your work and what you do about it.
- Spot the hazardsWalk round your unit. Think about tools, trailing cables, heavy lifting, dust, chemicals and trip hazards.
- Decide who could be harmedYou, any staff, visitors and other tenants passing your door.
- Control the risksRemove the hazard if you can. If not, guard it, store it better or change how you work.
- Record what mattersHSE says that if you have fewer than five workers you do not have to write it down, though it is useful to do so.
- Review itLook again when you add new equipment, take on staff or change what you do.
Fire safety
Fire safety in workplaces is covered by its own law. GOV.UK explains that the "responsible person" for premises must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment, keep a written record of it, and plan for an emergency. In a shared building, more than one person can have responsibilities, and they need to work together.
In practice, for your own unit:
- Keep your exit route clear at all times, inside and outside the unit.
- Do not stack stock against doors or across walkways.
- Keep combustible waste such as cardboard and offcuts under control.
- Know where the nearest way out of the building is.
Some activities carry too much fire risk for our building. At The Rock Factory, we do not allow melting or heating combustibles such as waxes, plastics, resins or oils, bulk flammable liquids or gases unless agreed in writing, or cooking and hot food. Low-risk materials like wood, paper, card, fabric and dry goods are fine.
Electrical safety
Every Rock Factory unit has lighting and standard single-phase electricity already connected. There is no three-phase supply, so check your equipment's requirements before you buy.
The law requires electrical equipment that could cause injury to be kept in a safe condition. HSE is clear that this does not automatically mean a yearly portable appliance test. In a low-risk setting, regular user checks and visual inspections often do most of the work, with testing where the risk justifies it.
- Check plugs, leads and casings for damage before use.
- Avoid daisy-chaining extension leads or overloading sockets.
- Switch off and unplug heat-producing tools when you leave.
- Take damaged kit out of use straight away.
Working alone and late
With 24-hour access, many tenants work early mornings, evenings or weekends when nobody else is about. HSE's lone working guidance says employers must manage the risks before people work alone, and the same thinking is sensible if you are self-employed.
- Tell someone when you arrive and when you expect to leave.
- Keep your phone charged and with you, not in the van.
- Save the riskiest tasks, such as using power tools or heavy lifting, for times when someone else is around.
- Use the free CCTV app to check the entrance and outside area before arriving or leaving.
If you employ someone who will work alone, include that in your risk assessment and agree a simple check-in routine, such as a message at set times.
First aid, welfare and lifting
HSE expects every workplace to have suitable first aid arrangements. For a small, low-risk unit, that usually means a stocked first aid kit and knowing who will take charge if something happens. Keep the kit where you can reach it quickly.
Shared facilities at The Rock Factory include toilets, water and a tea and coffee room, so you have somewhere to take a proper break away from your bench.
Manual handling causes many workplace injuries. Use trolleys, split heavy loads and get help with awkward items. A roller-shutter unit makes it easier to bring large things in at ground level.
Chemicals and hazardous substances
Many small businesses use products that need a little care: cleaning chemicals, glues, water-based finishes, aerosol sprays and the dust from sanding or cutting. The law on hazardous substances, known as COSHH, expects you to understand what you use and control exposure.
- Read the safety data sheet or label before you use a new product.
- Choose the least hazardous product that does the job.
- Keep only the quantity you need in the unit, with lids firmly on.
- Use gloves, eye protection or a mask where the label says to.
- Store products away from heat and out of reach of visitors.
Bulk flammable liquids, such as fuel or solvent-based paints and chemicals, and gas cylinders are not allowed in our building unless agreed in writing. If your work needs them, raise it before you move in.
Visitors and clients
If customers come to your unit, think about them too. Keep the area by your door clear, put sharp tools away before they arrive, and do not let them wander into a working area while machines are running.
Before you act on this
This is general information, not legal or professional health and safety advice. Your duties depend on your activities, your staff and your premises. Use the HSE and GOV.UK guidance linked below, and get competent help if your work involves significant hazards such as machinery or hazardous substances.
Questions
Do I need a written risk assessment as a sole trader?
HSE says you do not have to write it down if you have fewer than five workers, but it is still useful. You do still need to think through the risks and control them.
Do I need my tools PAT tested every year?
HSE says the law does not require annual PAT testing. It requires equipment to be maintained safely, which for low-risk kit is often done through user checks and visual inspections, with testing where needed.
Who does the fire risk assessment in a shared building?
There can be more than one responsible person. The building owner handles shared areas, and you should think about fire risks in your own unit and how they fit the building's arrangements. Ask us if you are unsure.
Can I use a heater in my unit?
Ask us first. Heat-producing equipment needs care in any enclosed space, and some uses involving heat are not permitted in the building.
What should be in a first aid kit for a small unit?
HSE says the contents should reflect your own assessment of needs. For a low-risk unit, a standard workplace kit is a sensible start, with extras such as eye wash if you work with dust or liquids. Check it every few months and replace anything used or out of date.
Sources and official guidance
- Health and safety made simple (HSE)
- Managing risks and risk assessment at work (HSE)
- Fire safety in the workplace: who's responsible (GOV.UK)
- Fire safety in the workplace: fire risk assessments (GOV.UK)
- Portable appliance testing FAQs (HSE)
- Lone working: protect those working alone (HSE)
- COSHH frequently asked questions (HSE)
Prices are subject to availability. Minimum rental term: one month, then one month’s notice to leave. Electricity usage is charged separately at the supplier rate, with no markup. Business use needs prior approval. Car storage is not permitted.
