From the day you take on an employee, you must hold employers' liability insurance of at least £5 million from an authorised insurer, unless you employ only family members. Display the certificate where your staff can see it. You can be fined £2,500 for every day you are not properly insured.
You must also assess the risks your staff face and control them. In shops this usually means working alone, abuse or violence from customers, and lifting and carrying stock in the stockroom.
Employers' liability insurance
Who needs it, the minimum cover and the exemptions.
Your duties as an employer under health and safety law
Risk assessment, a written policy once you have five employees, and training.
Health and safety for retail premises
Lone working, violence towards staff, manual handling and slips and trips in shops.