Do I legally need a “competent person”, and can that be external?
Yes. UK law requires any business with five or more employees to appoint a competent person to oversee health and safety. For many SMEs, the workload and cost make a full-time internal role unrealistic. Hiring an external consultant meets the requirement while giving flexible access to expert support for audits, risk assessments, training and incident management—without the overhead of a permanent hire.
Why it matters: Directors are legally accountable for safety. Having an external advisor ensures you stay informed, compliant, and protected.
What does an external health and safety consultant actually do?
- Compliance oversight: scheduled audits, regulatory updates, and horizon scanning to keep you ahead of changes.
- Risk management: independent risk assessments, safe work procedures, and investigations that address root causes.
- Training and coaching: building competence in managers and supervisors through workshops and toolbox talks.
- System improvement: strengthening procedures, permits, contractor controls, and reporting frameworks.
- Advisory support: fast, expert guidance for queries and second opinions when leaders need reassurance.
Internal vs external: what advantages does external support offer?
Objectivity you can act on
Internal safety teams can be pressured by operational priorities or workplace politics. External consultants provide independent oversight, highlight gaps that may otherwise be overlooked, and help leaders confront cultural blockers—the real reasons incidents keep happening.
Depth and breadth of expertise
Consultants work across multiple industries, so they spot patterns, benchmark performance, and import best practice efficiently. That saves time and avoids re-inventing the wheel.
Cost control and flexibility
Instead of a fixed salary and employment costs, you buy targeted support—from a few advisory hours to a retainer or embedded project team. This is especially attractive to SMEs that need competence and assurance without adding headcount.
Acceleration of culture change
Safety performance ultimately depends on behaviours and leadership. External specialists can design programmes that engage supervisors and front-line staff, build psychological safety, reinforce good habits, and instil accountability—areas internal teams often struggle to influence.
Continuous improvement
Without fresh input, organisations plateau. Consultants bring new ideas and momentum, preventing drift and keeping improvement on track.
Risks of going it alone
- Missed legislative changes leading to non-compliance, disruption, and avoidable costs.
- Weak incident response and inadequate investigations that fail to address root causes.
- Reputational and legal exposure—and remember, “we didn’t know” is not a defence for directors.
- Stagnation of systems and culture when internal teams lack time, influence, or the latest methods.
