Everyone needs Competent Advice

It’s a legal requirement for every UK Company to have access to competent H&S Advice and support, but what does this mean?

Competent Health & Safety Advisor (UK Construction Context)

Under Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, every employer must appoint one or more competent persons to assist in complying with statutory duties.

In construction, competency is also reinforced by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.

What “Competent” Means

The HSE defines competence as:

Sufficient training, experience, knowledge and other qualities to enable proper assistance.

This is assessed against:

1️⃣ Knowledge

•Current UK health & safety legislation

•Construction risk profiles

•CDM duty-holder responsibilities

•Risk assessment methodology

•Incident investigation processes

2️⃣ Experience

•Practical site exposure

•Familiarity with high-risk activities (WAH, temporary works, lifting ops, excavations)

•Experience drafting and reviewing RAMS

•Interaction with Principal Contractors and HSE inspectors

3️⃣ Qualifications (Typical Benchmarks)

•NEBOSH Construction Certificate (minimum benchmark)

•NEBOSH Diploma / NVQ Level 6 (senior advisory level)

•TechIOSH / GradIOSH / CMIOSH membership of Institution of Occupational Safety and Health

•CSCS Professionally Qualified Person (PQP) card

4️⃣ Authority

A competent advisor must have:

•Direct access to directors

•Authority to stop unsafe works

•Independence from operational pressure.

When a Company Needs One:

•If employing 5+ people → documented arrangements required.

•If acting as Contractor under CDM.

•If acting as Principal Contractor.

•If undertaking notifiable high-risk works.

•If tendering for public or commercial projects.