- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (Regulation 7)
- HSE Guidance INDG420
The competence requirement
Under Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, every employer must appoint one or more competent persons to assist with health and safety compliance. The HSE guidance INDG420 explains how to select a competent consultancy.
The cost challenge
For many SMEs, housing providers and growing businesses, employing a full-time Chartered health and safety professional is cost-prohibitive. Outsourcing provides named access to competent expertise without the overhead.
What retained support includes
- Named consultant
- Policy and procedure development
- Risk-management support
- Audits and inspections
- Incident advice
- Management meetings and action tracking
- Board reporting
- Enforcement liaison
Who remains responsible
LRMS provides competent professional assistance; ultimate employer and management duties remain with the relevant duty holders. Outsourcing is about access to expertise — not transferring legal responsibility.
LRMS approach
Our retained packages scale from single-site competent-person cover to portfolio-wide programmes, following the HSG65 Plan, Do, Check, Act approach.
Cited Sources & Official References
Frequently Asked Questions
Why outsource health and safety management?
Outsourcing gives organisations named access to competent health and safety expertise without the cost of a full-time hire. It is particularly valuable for SMEs, housing providers and growing businesses that need professional support but cannot justify a full-time role.
Does outsourcing transfer legal responsibility?
No. Under Regulation 7 of the Management Regulations 1999, the employer must appoint a competent person, but ultimate legal responsibility remains with the employer. Outsourcing provides access to expertise, not a transfer of duty.
What does retained competent person support include?
Retained support typically includes a named consultant, policy and procedure development, risk-management support, audits, incident advice, management meetings, action tracking, board reporting and enforcement liaison.
About Louanne Lanahan
Founder & Director · CMIOSH · OSHCR
Chartered Safety Practitioner (CMIOSH), registered on OSHCR, MIFSM, AIFireE, and NFRAR. Founder and Director of Lanahan Risk Management Services Ltd.