How we ensure that staff, users, visitors, and on-site service providers do not suffer an accident, injury, or ill health whilst on a Library site or undertaking Library business

Our health & safety management policy statement recognises the British Library's moral and legal obligation to safeguard, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of our employees, contractors, partners, users, visitors, and the general public. 

The fundamental aim of our health & safety management policy and associated procedures is to ensure that staff, Readers, members of the public, and on-site service providers do not suffer an accident, injury, or ill health whilst on a Library site or undertaking Library business.

Our health & safety management policy is in three parts:

• Part 1 is the statement of intent which outlines the Library's commitment to provide a successful health & safety management system, and is signed by the Chief Executive. Click here to view our policy statement
• Part 2 describes the organisation required to implement the policy, and includes an organisation chart and list of responsibilities. Click here to download and view our health & safety organisation.
• Part 3 includes the detailed arrangements made by the Library in order to manage health & safety. These include: 
  • descriptions of the operational procedures we employ for accidents, discovery of sharps, external areas, first aid, health & safety inspections, health & safety risk assessments, health & safety training, health surveillance, home working, near miss reporting, personal protective equipment, safe systems of work, and visitors' health & safety
  • statements covering the management of critical hazards including asbestos, building plant & equipment maintenance, construction design & management (CDM) projects, confined spaces, control of major infrastructure contractors & service providers, electrical installation & equipment, events, exhibitions, fire safety, gas safety, legionella & water hygiene, lift & escalator safety, LPG acetylene & oxygen cylinders, noise at work, occupational road risk, pressure systems, radiation, and working at height
  • statements on our approach to general hazards including alcohol & drugs, control of substances hazardous to health, disability, display screen equipment, fork lift trucks, management of occupational stress at work, manual handling, new & expectant mothers, office health & safety, security, smoking at work, workshop safety, work equipment, warehouse & storage areas, young persons.