Is a H&S Competent Person service suitable for small businesses?
Absolutely — in fact, the competent person service is arguably most valuable for small businesses, precisely because they are the least likely to have the internal resources to manage health and safety effectively on their own.
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Small businesses often operate under the misconception that health and safety is primarily a concern for large organisations. This is understandable — large businesses tend to have dedicated health and safety teams, visible safety management systems and high-profile incidents that make the news. But the legal obligations that apply to a large manufacturing company apply equally to a small building contractor, a ten-person engineering workshop or a sole trader taking on staff.
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The HSE does not have a minimum size threshold below which health and safety law stops applying. The duties are the same regardless of whether you have two employees or two hundred. What differs is the scale and complexity of what is required — a small low-risk business does not need the same elaborate systems as a large high-risk one, but it does need appropriate arrangements proportionate to its activities.
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For a small business, appointing an external competent person is often the most sensible and cost-effective approach. It means you have access to professional expertise without the overhead of a dedicated employee. It means your health and safety obligations are managed by someone who knows what they are doing, freeing you up to focus on running your business. And it means that if something goes wrong — an accident, an HSE visit, a client demanding to see your safety documentation — you have expert support immediately available.
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Many of our clients are small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. We tailor our service to fit the scale and risk profile of each business, so you will never be paying for support you do not need. If you are a small business owner wondering whether you need health and safety help, the honest answer is almost certainly yes — and a competent person service is very likely the right solution.
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