There is now a large choice of health and safety consultants, much larger than when our business was establish some 40 years ago. Choosing the right health and safety consultants for your business can be difficult but there are certain things you would do well to consider if you want to end up with health and safety consultants and a health and safety policy which really suits your business.
Choose the right health & safety consultants
When choosing a health and safety consultant it's important to be clear about your business' needs - and check that the consultant understands them.
Make sure the consultant has the necessary expertise to provide all the services you require and to deal with specific issues you may have.
Consider whether you want a consultant who will simply assess your business and draw up an action plan for you to follow, or one who will go on to help you implement these actions.
Key questions to ask your health & safety consultant
- Do they have any professional qualifications?
- Can they provide references from previous clients?
- Is the consultant a member of any professional bodies such as the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)?
- Do they have direct experience of working in a similar business to your own?
- Can the consultant provide training for your staff? You'll need to check they have appropriate training qualifications, and ask if you can speak to previous clients who have received training services from the consultant.
- How will they communicate progress to you?
- Does the consultant have the appropriate level of professional indemnity insurance? Ask to see their policy documentation.
- Do they operate a quality management system?
- Does the consultant have enough resources to cope with your demands? Or will they need to subcontract some of the work? You may need to use a larger consultancy business or check how subcontracted work will be monitored.
- Who will you be dealing with on a day-to-day basis?
- What is staff turnover like in the consultant's business? It can be frustrating and costly to have to explain the nature of the project several times to different consultants and then wait for them to familiarise themselves with it.
