Competent Person Support

Employers must appoint one or more competent people to assist them in meeting their health and safety legal duties. The number of people and level of competence required depend on the organisation’s size, activities, risk profile and existing arrangements.

No. The competent person may be the employer, one or more suitably competent employees or someone from outside the business. Suitable internal competence should be used in preference to external assistance where it is available and appropriate.

Yes, where the organisation’s activities and risks fall within the adviser’s competence and a retained appointment is formally agreed in writing. The agreement must identify the named adviser, scope, exclusions, communication arrangements, availability and review period. Morgan Compliance Group does not become the appointed competent adviser automatically through an enquiry or one-off assignment.

Competence is based on a suitable combination of training, skills, knowledge, experience and the ability to apply them to the organisation’s actual risks. Formal qualifications and professional development may provide useful evidence, but qualifications alone do not establish competence for every activity or industry.

No. The competent person assists and advises. The employer and management remain responsible for decisions, resources, implementation, supervision and controlling health and safety risks.

Not necessarily. Competence must be relevant to the work and risks involved. Specialist assistance may be required for areas such as occupational health, occupational hygiene, fire engineering, structural matters, electrical safety, asbestos, noise, vibration or complex technical assessments.

The exact service is agreed in writing. It may include scheduled advice, document reviews, workplace visits, management meetings, action tracking, incident support and periodic reporting. Frequency, availability, response arrangements and exclusions are confirmed before the service begins.

Yes, some advice, document review and meetings can be provided remotely. Site visits are normally required where advice depends on observing the workplace, equipment, activities or working practices directly.

Yes, but a one-off audit, document review or project does not automatically amount to an ongoing Regulation 7 appointment. If a formal retained appointment is required, this must be agreed and recorded separately.

Employers must consult their workforce or relevant health and safety representatives about health and safety matters, including arrangements for competent assistance where applicable. The consultation method depends on the workforce and any recognised representatives.

No. Competent-person assistance supports the employer in managing health and safety legal duties. ISO 45001 is a voluntary occupational health and safety management-system standard that may be independently certified. One does not automatically replace the other.

Pricing depends on the organisation’s risks, locations, visit frequency, advisory scope, availability and response requirements. One-off and retained services are priced separately. Competent-person support can strengthen arrangements but cannot guarantee legal compliance, prevent every incident or remove the employer’s responsibilities.