Support for Businesses - Health and Safety

Our inspectors will be pleased to offer you advice and information during routine inspections and other visits.

Our inspectors will be pleased to offer you advice and information during routine inspections and other visits.

From time to time we will conduct surveys and ask businesses to complete simple self-assessment questionnaires which will be designed to indicate how to comply with sensible risk management in the workplace.

The HSE’s website contains a wide range of information and advice for employers on hazards, the law, examples of simple risk assessments and other information.

Business Gateway provides support and advice for small businesses generally.

The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives provides a comprehensive, free service for businesses with fewer than 250 employees. Their website has comprehensive information on a wide range of health and safety issues. They have an advice line. They also offer a free consultancy service to assist employers in meeting their obligations for health and safety.

External consultants

Businesses wishing to use an external consultant can search the  Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR) to find a suitable and well-qualified professional. Before consultants can join the register they must prove they can meet strict eligibility criteria. Each must belong to a professional body, have a degree-level qualification, at least two years’ experience and have demonstrated a commitment to continuing their professional development.

Many employers do not need external consultants to help them comply with their legal obligations. However for those that do, using an OSHCR-registered consultant will give them confidence that they are receiving good quality, sensible and proportionate health and safety advice. Businesses will be able to search for a consultant by county, industry and topic.

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