The Role of Health & Safety Competent Persons
It is almost 24 years since the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations was placed on the UK statute books and with it came the requirement for employers to appoint a ‘Competent Person’ to assist them in complying with their health and safety responsibilities.
I remember at the time (yes I’m really that old), that health and safety ‘officers’ as many professionals were known, thought that at last this would enable their profession to be given the management role to be able to get the improvements in health and safety standards they had been seeking for many years.
There are other safety regulations too that require competent or responsible persons in areas such as Fire Safety, Legionella Management and Electrical Safety, meaning that often there could be a number of personnel acting in a competent person role.
Competence in Health & Safety
Health and safety ‘Competent Person(s)’ are crucial in ensuring the safety, well-being, and compliance of the individuals within a workplace or any other environment.
As outlined in the Arinite Factsheet 0035, this person should possess the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to identify, assess, and manage potential health and safety risks, as well as to promote a culture of safety among employees, visitors, and stakeholders.
While competence can be partly demonstrated with academic qualifications such as NEBOSH or Degrees, it is a welcome development to see the introduction of NVQ Level 3 health and safety technician apprenticeships as these will help provide the underpinning skills and experience for academic qualifications.
Small low-risk organisations
While we often see health and safety professionals working in higher risk industries or in medium and large organisations, this does not mean that low risk industries or small businesses don’t need someone to support them with health and safety management. The HSE do offer some guidance to employers on their website, where they recognise that low risk or small businesses often appoint external consultants but still advocate that someone within the business is nominated as a designated person.
This designated person should oversee the implementation of health and safety management controls within the organisation and act as a link between the business and the health and safety consultant.
Creating a safety culture
Perhaps the most significant contribution of a health and safety competent person is their role in fostering a culture of safety.
By consistently emphasizing the importance of safety, leading by example, and encouraging open communication about potential hazards, they create an environment where every individual feels responsible for their own safety and the safety of others.
Summary
The role of a health and safety competent person is not just a job title; it's a commitment to the well-being of everyone involved in an organisation.
Their multifaceted responsibilities, ranging from risk assessment to emergency planning, play an instrumental role in preventing accidents, reducing liabilities, and maintaining a positive organisational reputation.
In a world where the significance of health and safety is increasing, the Competent Person stands as a vital cornerstone of any responsible and successful enterprise.
Looking back over the twenty-four years since the advent of the Management of Health and Safety Regulations, the role of a health and safety professional has indeed changed significantly with many now operating in management or consultancy roles with many large organisations appointing nominated Directors to oversee the management of health and safety in their organisation.
Whilst you can appoint an internal person(s) to act as your health and safety competent person you can also consider appointing a third party such as Arinite where we can act as one of your competent health and safety persons – we offer pragmatic advice.
Contact us
Arinite clients worldwide appreciate we provide practical, no-nonsense advice about what
you need to do to establish and maintain a safe and healthy working environment.
Our team of health and safety consultants take pride in keeping health and safety simple.
If you need to call upon our expert assistance, or just for an informal chat, please call our
office +44 207 947 9581, or type an enquiry to: https://www.arinite.com/contact-us/.
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