When does a contractor need competent health and safety advice?
Employers must appoint one or more competent people to help them meet health and safety duties. The right arrangement depends on the organisation, work and level of risk—not simply its headcount.
Reviewed 24 August 2026 · By Lloyd GodsallWhat does competent assistance mean?
A competent person needs sufficient skills, knowledge and experience to recognise the limits of their own capability and help the employer make suitable arrangements. Competence is contextual: advice for low-risk office work does not automatically demonstrate competence for construction, temporary works, lifting or high-voltage interfaces.
Can the competent person be external?
Yes. An employer can use external assistance where internal competence is not available or sufficient. The arrangement should give the adviser suitable access to information and people, allow advice to be obtained in time and reflect the actual risks of the business.
External support does not transfer the employer’s legal duties. Directors and managers still need to provide resources, make decisions, consult workers, implement controls and monitor whether arrangements work.
Signs that support may be needed
- Client or tender requirements repeatedly expose missing evidence
- RAMS and project plans are being rejected or copied without proper review
- No one has the time or confidence to track legal and client requirements
- Incidents occur but actions, trends and learning are not followed through
- Managers do not have a reliable person to challenge or clarify decisions
- Growth has outpaced policies, competence records and supply-chain controls
Where remote retained support fits
A remote desk can provide continuity for document review, questions, planned compliance work and management discussions. It works best when expectations, response times, escalation routes and the limits of remote assistance are agreed. Higher-risk activities and assurance may still need site-based observation or specialist support.
Start with the real gap
Do not buy a large library of documents before establishing who will use them, how they reflect the work and how they will be kept current.
HSE states that employers must appoint a competent person or people to help meet their legal duties. Read the official HSE competent-person guidance.
See how our remote construction safety support can be structured around a business or project.