Competent Assistance Service
Expert Competent Person Support for Your Business
Every employer must appoint someone competent to assist with health and safety duties under Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Many businesses don’t have a trained specialist in-house — that’s where we step in.
Our competent assistance for health and safety service provides the qualified knowledge, experience, and guidance your business needs to stay compliant and operate safely. Whether you’re a growing company or an established organisation, we deliver practical, professional support that fits your working environment.
The law requires all employers to appoint at least one competent person to help them meet their health and safety legal duties. Competent assistance can come from inside or outside of your business, but should have the skills, knowledge and experience to recognise the hazards present in your workplace and be able to help you put sensible control measures in place to protect workers and others from harm. As an employer, the use of external resources does not absolve you of your legal duties for health & safety.
It is preferable to utilise in-house resources where possible, in fact in a small company this may fall to the employer themself. However, it can take time for your designated person to gain the qualifications, experience and competence to deal with all of the issues that your company may encounter, so Ultra Services Group offer a Competent Assistance Service to support you in the interim.
Our collaborative approach to creating a safe workplace means that by working with you and your staff, we will ensure that your health and safety management arrangements mirror the way that you manage your business.
At Ultra Services Group, our consultants are qualified and experienced in a range of business sectors and will use their business acumen to apply this knowledge in a way that is bespoke to your company and the way that it operates, rather than adopting a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
What Is a Competent Person in Health and Safety?
A competent person for health and safety is someone with the skills, training, and understanding to help employers identify hazards and apply suitable controls. Their role is to prevent harm, protect staff, and support compliance with legislation.
Our external competent person service gives you direct access to health and safety consultants who act as your nominated competent adviser. This means you meet your legal duty without needing to hire a full-time health and safety manager.
Why Choose External Competent Assistance?
Businesses use our competent person service for many reasons:
You lack internal health and safety expertise
You need help meeting HSE requirements under the regulations
You want ongoing, qualified guidance at a predictable cost
You’re bidding for contracts and need proof of competent support
You want reassurance that your health and safety systems meet the law
Whether you operate in construction, manufacturing, logistics, or professional services, our competent assistance for health and safety ensures you stay compliant, avoid enforcement notices, and protect your team.
What Our Competent Person Service Includes
Initial Review and Gap Analysis
We assess your current systems, policies, and risk assessments to highlight areas that need improvement. This first step helps you understand exactly where your business stands.
Documentation and Compliance Support
We help you develop and maintain documents such as your health and safety policy, emergency procedures, and training records. You’ll also receive a Certificate of Engagement confirming that we act as your competent adviser — a document often requested by clients and auditors.
Ongoing Health and Safety Advice
You gain unlimited phone and email access to qualified competent health and safety consultants, plus scheduled visits to discuss incidents, risk assessments, and changes to your workplace.
Accident Investigation and Reporting
Our specialists provide health and safety accident reporting support, helping you investigate incidents, document findings, and implement corrective actions in line with RIDDOR.
Risk Assessment and Monitoring
We assist with all aspects of workplace risk assessment services — from identifying hazards to implementing practical controls. As experienced business risk assessment consultants, we make the process efficient and results-driven.
Straighforward Advice
No jargon, just clear guidance.
Proven experience
Supporting businesses across construction, logistics, healthcare, and offices.
Flexible support
From one-off risk assessments to full outsourced management.
Compliance confidence
Protect your people and your business reputation.
Who is a Competent Person Service for?
Our competent health and safety assistance supports businesses of all sizes — from small offices to large multi-site operations.
Typical clients include:
Construction companies needing safety expertise on projects
Warehouses managing complex logistics operations
Professional service firms with remote and hybrid teams
Manufacturing sites handling machinery and hazardous substances
Schools, charities, and local authorities seeking external assurance
If you’re asking, “Who can be a competent person under health and safety law?”, the answer is simple: you can appoint internal staff if they’re suitably trained — or use an external service like ours if you need broader experience and accredited support.
Competent Assistance FAQ's
- Review the health & safety requirements for your company, including industrial and contractual obligations.
- Assess the risks associated with your business and evaluate the control measures required to keep people safe.
- Review your existing systems, policies and procedures to ensure that they reflect the way you work and the risks associated with your operations.
- Develop or assist in the development of an effective Health and Safety Management System.
- Prepare a Health & Safety Plan to coordinate the management of health & safety on site.
- Carry out or assist in the completion of risk assessments.
- Identify health & safety training requirements.
- Support accident investigations.
- Proactively manage health & safety by use of audits, inspections and observations.
- Implement health & safety in line with the agreed Health & Safety Plan.
- Support effective health & safety communications within the company.
A competent person helps employers identify hazards, assess risks, and apply appropriate controls. They advise management on compliance and best practice.
Yes. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, every employer must appoint at least one competent person.
Absolutely. Our competent person service for SMEs is specifically designed for smaller businesses that don’t need a full-time health and safety manager.
You can either appoint a trained internal staff member or hire an external health and safety competent person like us to take on that responsibility.
A competent person should have recognised health and safety qualifications, relevant experience, and current knowledge of legislation. Our team meets all these standards and maintains ongoing professional development.
