Know what actually applies on this job. Before HSE does.
For sole traders, site workers and small firms who want to do it right without drowning in CDM, RIDDOR and RAMS paperwork.
Site safety rules are written for lawyers and HSE inspectors, not the people holding the tools. These guides translate the parts that apply to you, the paperwork you have to keep, and what happens if HSE turn up.
Your right to refuse unsafe work
Under Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, you can leave or refuse to return to a workplace where you reasonably believe there is serious and imminent danger. You cannot be dismissed or penalised for exercising this right. Know it, use it.
Working at height — the number one killer
Falls from height kill more construction workers than anything else. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require a risk assessment, the right equipment, and collective protection (guard rails, nets) before personal protection (harnesses). Every height job needs planning.
Asbestos — what to do if you hit it
Asbestos was used in thousands of building products until 1999. If you disturb it, stop work immediately, restrict access, don't try to clean up, and call a licensed removal contractor. A single significant exposure can cause mesothelioma decades later.
Dust and COSHH — protecting your lungs
Silica dust from cutting concrete, stone, and brick causes silicosis — an incurable lung disease. COSHH Regulations require dust suppression, extraction, RPE, and health surveillance. Check the hazard symbols on every product you use.
HSE inspections — what to expect
HSE inspectors can arrive without notice. They check scaffold inspections, RAMS, welfare facilities, PPE, fire safety, plant maintenance records, and whether workers have been briefed. They can issue Prohibition Notices (stop work immediately) or Improvement Notices (fix it by a deadline).
RIDDOR — when you must report
Under RIDDOR, you must report deaths, specified injuries (fractures, amputations, loss of consciousness), over-7-day incapacitation, and dangerous occurrences (scaffold collapse, service strike, asbestos release). Report online or call 0345 300 9923.
Scaffold inspections — the law
Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (Schedule 7), scaffolding must be inspected before first use, every 7 days, and after any event affecting stability. Records must be kept on site. Missing scaffold inspection records are one of HSE's most common enforcement actions.
RAMS and method statements
A method statement describes how you'll do the work safely. A risk assessment identifies the hazards and controls. Together they form your RAMS — required on virtually every commercial site and increasingly on larger domestic jobs.
PPE — what the law actually requires
PPE is the last resort, not the first. The hierarchy of controls requires elimination, substitution, engineering controls, and administrative controls before PPE. But when PPE is needed, employers must provide it free of charge and workers must use it.