The 5 Safety Policies Every Small Company Needs Before Hiring Workers

Starting a business is exciting—but nothing derails progress like a preventable injury or a surprise OSHA citation. If you're about to hire your first employee (or just did), now is the time to put a few key safety policies in place. You don’t need a full-blown safety manual—just the core essentials that protect your people and show regulators you’re serious about safety.

Here are the 5 foundational safety policies every small company should implement before the first paycheck goes out.

1. Injury & Illness Reporting Policy

Every business needs a basic system for employees to report injuries and near-misses—ideally one that encourages transparency rather than fear of retaliation. This is foundational to any safety culture and is required under OSHA's general duty clause and 29 CFR 1904 recordkeeping rules.

Key elements:

When and how to report an incident

Who to notify (e.g., supervisor or HR)

A “no blame” approach to encourage reporting

2. Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

Even in low-risk industries, emergencies happen. OSHA requires every employer with 10+ employees to have a written EAP, but having one sooner is just smart.

Include:

Evacuation routes and meeting points

Roles during emergencies

Contact info for fire, police, and medical

Bonus: even a basic floor plan with fire extinguisher and exit locations can go a long way.

3. Hazard Communication (HazCom) Program

If you use any chemicals—cleaners, oils, adhesives—you must comply with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200).

At minimum:

Maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

Label all containers

Train employees on chemical hazards

Even a small janitorial closet can trigger this requirement.

4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Policy

Before anyone steps into your warehouse, shop floor, or construction site, define what PPE is required. OSHA expects employers to assess hazards and provide appropriate PPE at no cost.

Examples:

Safety glasses in shop areas

Gloves when handling sharp or hot materials

Hearing protection in high-noise zones

A short PPE matrix with task-based recommendations works well for small teams.

5. Training & Documentation Policy

You need a repeatable way to train employees on hazards, and proof that it happened. If someone gets hurt and OSHA investigates, they’ll ask for training records first.

Suggestions:

A short onboarding checklist

Signed acknowledgment of training

Annual refreshers (even informal toolbox talks help)

Final Thoughts:

You don’t need a 60-page safety manual or a full-time safety pro to stay compliant and keep people safe. But you do need a starting point. These five policies can be implemented in under a week, and they set the tone for a safety culture that grows with your business.

Need help creating simple templates for these policies? Contact us at VanguardEHS.com or browse our free resources section.