Free Resources · Checked July 2026
Free Health & Safety Downloads
Free leaflets, guidance, templates and example policies you can download today — from the HSE and other trusted UK sources. All links checked, dead ones replaced.
There’s a lot of free health and safety material online, and a fair amount of it out of date or behind a sign-up. This page collects the download sources genuinely worth your time — official HSE guidance first, then a well-established community library — and we check the links so you don’t land on a dead page.
Free HSE Guidance and Leaflets
The HSE publishes hundreds of free leaflets and guidance documents as PDFs. There’s no longer a single master list — they’re organised by topic — so these are the most useful starting points:
- HSE publications hub — the top-level index; browse or search everything the HSE publishes
- Regulations and law publications — the free law leaflet, the RIDDOR guide, consulting employees, and directors’ responsibilities
- Risk assessment: a brief guide (INDG163) — the HSE’s plain-English starting point for risk assessment
- Health and safety made simple (INDG449) — what a small business needs to do, from scratch
- Reporting accidents (RIDDOR) brief guide (INDG453) — what to report and how
Free Example Health and Safety Policy
If you employ five or more people you must have a written health and safety policy. The HSE provides a free template you can tailor to your circumstances — you’ll add your managers’ names, your own responsibilities and arrangements, and adapt the wording to fit.
- Write a health and safety policy (HSE) — guidance plus a free downloadable example policy and blank template
If your organisation is more complex, or the free template doesn’t fit, our health and safety policy page explains the options and lets you make an enquiry.
Free Community Downloads Library
Health and Safety for Beginners (HSfB) is a long-running UK community whose members — trainers, lecturers, consultants and students — have donated hundreds of free documents, templates and revision aids. It’s a particularly useful resource if you’re studying towards NEBOSH, IOSH or an NVQ, with material shared specifically to help others through their courses. Free registration may be needed to access some files, and because content is community-donated, quality and currency vary — sense-check anything against current HSE guidance before you rely on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are HSE publications really free to download?
Yes — the HSE’s leaflets and guidance are free to download as PDFs from its website. Some are also sold as printed packs for those who’d rather not print their own, or only have a black-and-white printer, but the download itself costs nothing.
Do I legally need a written health and safety policy?
If you employ five or more people, yes — your policy must be written down. Fewer than five and you still need a policy, but it doesn’t have to be written. The HSE’s free example policy is a sound starting point either way.
Can I rely on a free template for compliance?
A free template is a starting point, not a finished answer. Official HSE documents are dependable, but any template must be tailored to your actual workplace, hazards and arrangements to be worth anything. For anything complex or higher-risk, it’s worth getting the policy and risk assessments reviewed properly.