Why employ a consultant?

You must meet your legal duties under Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Under this regulation you must have access to 'competent' health and safety advice, that is 'competent' to identify and understand the hazards arising from your work activities and put in place controls to reduce the risks from hazards to acceptable or tolerable levels.

Legal compliance is not the only reason for meeting duties. You will also want to control or reduce your potential costs from accidents or occupational ill health.

You may need to have access to specialist advice and services and it is clearly not always practicable or possible for in-house personnel to have the necessary qualifications and experience. You may therefore be considering engaging a consultant. Before contacting a consultant or entering into a contract, here are some questions that you should be considering.

What is the problem? What exactly do you want the consultants to do? How will you achieve the best solution?

Health and safety consultants will possibly be able to:

• Carry out an audit of compliance with current legislation;
• Advise on improving the effectiveness of management of health and safety;
• Undertake a sampling or other fact-finding exercise to identify if further controls are needed;
• Advise on a particular problem, such as guarding a machine, substitution of a substance, development or alteration of a procedure;
• Identify and put in place controls over hazards arising from work activities;
• Carry out or assist with accident investigation;
• Identify the need for and/or carry out training; and
• Prepare a written report of the results and recommendations

Do you need a consultant who will identify, analyse and solve a problem using enhanced skills and knowledge, or do you require a technically qualified specialist to carry out a task, such as measuring or sampling, perhaps under your effective direction?

Can you deal with it yourself?

Do you have anyone available in-house with sufficient competence to carry out work?

Should you be able to deal with it yourself?

Would it be more effective to give a member of staff the essential training to do the work or should you employ outside help? IOSH may be able to help you make the decision.

What type of help do you need?

• A broad-based health and safety practitioner?
• A specialist with the appropriate skills, qualifications and experience for the task in hand?
• An advisor/facilitator or a 'doer'? Should the consultant be advising on what should be done, or working under your direction?

Can the consultant/consultancy under consideration meet these needs?

• Do they have current professional indemnity and public liability insurance?
• Can they supply references for work on similar projects?
• Does the consultant who is to do the work have the qualifications and experience required?
• Do they have enough resources to undertake this work?
• Can they complete this task in an acceptable timescale?
• Will any of the work be sub-contracted? If so, how will this be controlled?

What should be established as part of the agreement or contract with the consultant?

• The detailed scope of the work;
• The basis for the fees;
• Any possible conflict of interest;
• Dates for completion of the work and report;
• Dates for payment; and
• Terms and conditions of the contract.

Following receipt of the recommendations or report, further questions need to be asked:

• Are results and recommendations fully understood?
• Are they feasible?
• Will they be possible to implement?
• Can the consultant provide continuing support?

How do you find a suitable consultant?

IOSH has a register of members who work as consultants. All those on the Register of Safety and Health Consultants are qualified, Chartered members of the Institution. Chartered membership of IOSH is awarded to those holding an appropriate qualification coupled with a minimum two years professional experience. Appropriate qualifications are:

• An accredited degree or diploma in occupational safety and health or a related discipline; or
• Level 4 of the Vocational Qualifications for Occupational Health and Safety Practice.

Chartered members are entitled to use the designatory letters 'CMIOSH'. Practitioners who have achieved a position of eminence within the profession may become Fellows of the Institution. Fellows use the designatory letters 'CFIOSH'.

Some consultants have special qualifications and most have experience in specific areas or topics. IOSH can offer a range of suitable Registered Consultants who may be able to help. Please complete the form provided on the website and return it to the Technical Affairs Department. We will endeavour to match your requirements to the skills and experience of appropriate consultants. We will then supply a list of registered providers of consultancy services for you to select from.