Health and Safety Competent Person – Exeter, Devon and the Southwest

Health and Safety Competent Person

Who benefits from Competent Health and Safety advice?

Competent health and safety advice is essential for businesses operating. By seeking expert guidance and support from qualified health and safety professionals, businesses can achieve a range of benefits that can help to improve their operations, protect their employees, and avoid costly legal issues.

One of the key benefits of competent health and safety advice is the ability to reduce workplace accidents and injuries. A comprehensive health and safety program can identify potential hazards and implement effective controls to prevent accidents from occurring. This not only protects employees but also reduces the risk of legal claims and the associated costs.

Additionally, competent health and safety advice can help businesses to improve their productivity and efficiency. By implementing best practices and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, businesses can streamline their operations, reduce downtime, and increase output.

Is there a legal requirement to have Competent Advice?

Yes. By law, every business must have access to help from one or more competent persons to enable it to meet the requirements of health and safety law. This is an explicit requirement under Regulation 7 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

However, most business owners aren’t health and safety specialists, and neither do they have the resources available to directly employ a dedicated in-house specialist, which is why the law allows organisations to enlist support from an external service provider or person.

How do I know if my Safety Advisor is competent?

In general terms, the definition of a competent person is someone who has the necessary skills, experience and knowledge to manage health and safety.

A good way to check for Health and Safety competence is to visit the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) website https://www.oshcr.org/. OSHCR was established in 2012 by a network of professional bodies to raise and maintain standards in the occupational safety and health profession, and make it easier for businesses and qualified practitioners to connect. All Safety practitioners on this register will hold a professionally recognised health & safety qualification.

Does Amarisk provide Competent Advice?

Yes. We are generalist safety practitioners, registered with OSHCR.

We provide external health & safety advice to our valued clients, helping them to understand and interpret their legal obligations, together with implementing systems and procedures that as a minimum meet legal compliance, but better still exceed those obligations (best practice).

Our support can be provided either as a one-off intervention, or alternatively through our Retained Health and Safety Advisor Service.