If you’re a sole trader plumber, electrician, builder, or any other trade, you’ve probably been asked for health and safety documents. The answer depends on one thing: do you employ anyone?
Sole Traders with No Employees
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 does not require a sole trader with no employees to have a written health and safety policy. The legal obligation applies to employers with five or more employees. However, you still have a duty of care, you still need to carry out risk assessments, and in practice working without written documents is a problem for three reasons.
First, clients and contractors require them — no documents, no work. Second, your insurance may require them — no documents, your claim could be refused. Third, if something goes wrong and the HSE investigates, “I did a mental risk assessment” is not convincing. HSE prosecutions carry unlimited fines.
What Documents Do You Need?
Health and safety policy statement, risk assessments for each type of work, COSHH assessments for hazardous substances, method statements for higher-risk activities, and an accident report form. A consultant charges £500–1,500. A trade-specific template pack costs a fraction of that.