Sole Trader Responsibilities for All Locations

• Risk Assessments: Always carry out a quick written or mental risk assessment before starting work. Identify any hazards and put suitable control measures in place.
• PPE: Wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) relevant to your trade, such as high-visibility vests, hard hats, safety gloves, eye protection or steel-toe-capped boots.
• Insurance: Maintain adequate Public Liability Insurance to cover potential damage or injuries to third parties.

Working in Private Residences

• Verification: Confirm the identity of the homeowner or tenant before entering, especially if this is your first visit to the property.
• Identification: Carry visible ID and clearly display your business name or logo on your vehicle and uniform so clients know exactly who you are.
• Communication: Inform someone of your schedule, location and expected finish time. Let them know once you have left safely.
• Vulnerable Clients: Be extra cautious when working alone in homes with children or vulnerable adults. Always maintain professional boundaries.
• Property Safety: Keep your workspace tidy to prevent trip hazards. Clearly cordon off areas where you are actively working or using hazardous tools.
• Hazards: If you discover asbestos or dangerous electrical or gas systems, stop work immediately and notify the homeowner.

Working on Business Premises

• Site Induction: Always check in with site management or reception. Complete any required site induction or health and safety briefing before entering the work area.
• Permits: Ensure you have obtained and signed any required Permit to Work documents, especially for high-risk jobs such as hot works or roof access.
• Shared Space: Coordinate with the business to understand their emergency evacuation routes, assembly points and first aid locations.
• Site Rules: Strictly follow the business’s specific safety rules, such as speed limits, restricted areas and mandatory PPE requirements.
• Reporting: Report any accidents, near misses or pre-existing hazards to the site manager immediately.

Working in Public Areas

• Work Zones: Use physical barriers, cones or warning tape to clearly mark your work zone and keep the public at a safe distance.
• Signage: Place clear warning signs, such as “Men at Work” or “Caution: Slippery Floor”, to alert pedestrians and drivers.
• Pedestrian Safety: Ensure any trailing cables, hoses or equipment are covered by cable ramps or elevated safely above head height to prevent trips.
• Traffic Management: If working on or near a roadway, comply with local traffic management guidelines and wear high-visibility clothing.
• Safe Storage: Secure your tools at all times. Public areas are more vulnerable to tool theft, so never leave equipment unattended.

For comprehensive health and safety guidance tailored to your specific trade and working location, consult the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.

General Responsibilities for Contractors

• Identification: Carry photographic identification and use branded uniforms or vehicles to demonstrate that you are an authorised contractor.
• Site Induction: Complete any required site-specific induction before work begins, ensuring you understand fire procedures, first aid arrangements and welfare facilities.
• Risk Management: Prepare suitable Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS) before starting work and, where required, produce a written Construction Phase Plan.
• Respect Privacy: Only enter designated work areas and never enter private property without permission from the owner or occupier.
• Safety and Housekeeping: Keep walkways clear of tools, materials and debris. Secure work areas, remove ladders at the end of the working day and safely store hazardous substances.

Working in Private Residences

• Communication: Introduce yourself upon arrival and clearly explain the work being carried out, including the expected timescale.
• Property Protection: Use dust sheets, shoe protectors and other suitable measures to protect carpets, furniture and household belongings.
• Professional Conduct: Respect the homeowner’s property and privacy at all times. Do not use telephones, toilets or equipment unless permission has been granted.
• Safe Storage of Tools and Materials: Ensure materials cannot damage the property and never leave tools where they may cause injury.
• Final Inspection: Before leaving, confirm the customer is satisfied with the work and ensure the property is left clean, tidy and safe.

Working in Commercial Buildings

• Permits to Work: Obtain any required permits before carrying out higher-risk activities such as hot works, roof access or electrical work.
• Work Area Segregation: Use suitable barriers, hoarding or other physical controls to separate work zones from staff, visitors and the public.
• Minimise Disruption: Control noise, vibration and dust wherever possible to reduce the impact on daily business operations.
• Access Control: Use designated entrances, corridors and lifts when transporting tools, equipment and materials throughout the building.
• Emergency Awareness: Familiarise yourself with the building’s evacuation procedures, fire arrangements and first aid provisions.

Working in Public Areas

• Barriers and Signage: Clearly fence off excavations, pits, work zones and other hazardous areas using appropriate barriers and warning signage.
• Secure Materials: Store building materials safely to prevent them from rolling, toppling or creating hazards for members of the public.
• Hazard Control: Secure plant machinery, tools and hazardous substances whenever they are not in use and remove ladders from scaffolding where appropriate.
• Emergency Access: Ensure fire exits, access routes and public footpaths remain clear and unobstructed at all times.
• Public Protection: Take additional precautions where children or vulnerable individuals may have access to the work area.

Legal and Compliance Responsibilities

• Building Safety Act: Ensure you possess the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to carry out work safely and comply with the Building Safety Act 2022.
• CDM Regulations: Cooperate with clients, principal contractors and other duty holders while following the requirements of the Construction Phase Plan.
• Future Homes Standards: Stay informed about current energy efficiency requirements, sustainable construction practices and evolving building regulations.
• Record Keeping: Maintain accurate records of product specifications, installations, inspections, risk assessments and key project decisions.
• Insurance: Ensure you have adequate insurance cover in place for all activities being undertaken, including any specialist or higher-risk work.

For comprehensive guidance relating to your trade, working environment and legal responsibilities, consult the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and ensure your procedures remain compliant with current legislation and industry best practice.

General Employer Responsibilities

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Provide suitable, compliant PPE for all employees, including hard hats, safety footwear, eye protection, gloves and other equipment relevant to the work being undertaken.
• Incident Reporting: Ensure all employees understand how to record and report accidents, near misses, hazards and unsafe conditions promptly and accurately.
• Method Statements: Prepare written Method Statements for higher-risk or more complex tasks, outlining safe working procedures and control measures step by step.
• Training and Supervision: Provide appropriate training, supervision and guidance to ensure employees can carry out their duties safely and competently.
• Risk Management: Regularly review workplace hazards and update risk assessments to reflect changing working environments, equipment or procedures.

Working in Private Residences

• Pre-Visit Assessments: Ask homeowners about any known hazards before attending the property, including aggressive pets, ongoing building works or restricted access areas.
• Lone Worker Procedures: Where employees work alone in customers’ homes, implement scheduled check-ins and agreed emergency contact procedures.
• Property Protection: Clearly define work areas, use dust sheets where appropriate and secure tools and equipment to prevent unauthorised access, particularly by children.
• Safe Working Environment: Keep walkways clear, maintain good housekeeping standards and minimise disruption to the household wherever possible.
• Professional Conduct: Ensure employees respect the customer’s property, privacy and personal belongings at all times.

Working on Commercial Premises

• Site Inductions: Ensure all employees complete the host company’s health and safety induction before commencing work.
• Coordination of Activities: Align your risk assessments and working procedures with those of the host business to avoid overlapping hazards and operational conflicts.
• Permit-to-Work Systems: Comply fully with any permit requirements for higher-risk activities, including hot works, roof access, confined spaces or electrical work.
• Communication: Maintain regular communication with site managers and responsible persons regarding ongoing work activities and site conditions.
• Emergency Awareness: Ensure employees understand evacuation procedures, assembly points, restricted areas and first aid arrangements.

Working in Public Areas

• Barriers and Signage: Clearly define work zones using high-visibility barriers, fencing, cones and appropriate warning signage.
• Pedestrian Safety: Ensure tools, cables, equipment and materials do not obstruct walkways or create trip hazards. Where cables cross pedestrian routes, use suitable cable protection ramps.
• Traffic Management: When working near roads, car parks or vehicle routes, implement suitable traffic management procedures and ensure employees wear high-visibility clothing.
• Public Protection: Take reasonable precautions to protect members of the public from work activities, equipment and site hazards.
• Site Security: Ensure tools, machinery and materials are secured whenever the work area is unattended.

For comprehensive guidance tailored to your industry and business activities, consult the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and use suitable risk assessment templates to identify and manage site-specific hazards.