What Is a Competent Person in Health and Safety – And Are They Truly Competent?

Every UK employer has a legal duty to appoint one or more competent persons to help meet their health and safety obligations. But while the term “competent person” is well-known, it’s also widely misunderstood.

At Spur Safety, we’re often asked:

👉 Can any employee be the competent person?

👉 Does it require formal training or qualifications?

👉 Can I outsource the role?

Let’s break it down — and explain how to get it right.

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What Does the Law Say?

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must:

“Appoint one or more competent persons to assist them in undertaking the measures they need to take to comply with legal requirements.”

In plain terms: if you’re running a business, someone needs to know what they’re doing when it comes to safety — and be able to help you act on it.

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So… What Makes Someone ‘Competent’?

According to the HSE, a competent person must have:

• Sufficient training

• Relevant experience

• Practical knowledge of the tasks and associated risks

It’s not just about having a NEBOSH certificate or ticking a box. It’s about understanding the specific hazards in your industry and being able to put practical controls in place.

Examples of competencies include:

• Construction site safety knowledge

• Understanding of working at height, asbestos, confined spaces

• Manual handling risk assessments

• Fire risk understanding in public buildings

• Reporting and investigation of near misses or incidents

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The Danger of “In-Name-Only” Competent Persons

Far too often, we see businesses assign the role of ‘competent person’ to:

• An office manager with no H&S training

• A site worker already overstretched with daily tasks

• A director who assumes it’s a paperwork exercise

The result? Gaps in compliance, missed hazards, rushed risk assessments, and poor incident response. This not only puts people at risk — it leaves you exposed to prosecution, fines, and reputational damage.

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How Spur Safety Supports Competent Person Duties

At Spur Safety, we offer:

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Full Competent Person Services

For businesses without internal capability, we act as your external competent person — providing proactive support, inspections, training, and documentation.

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Support for In-House Competent Persons

We mentor, guide, and supplement your internal team — giving them tools, templates, confidence, and backup from experienced consultants.

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Industry-Specific Expertise

Whether you work in construction, property management, fire safety, or education, we tailor our support to your risks, responsibilities, and team structure.

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Signs You May Need Help With Competent Person Duties

• You’ve had a recent near miss or HSE inspection

• You’re unsure who your competent person even is

• Safety paperwork is outdated or incomplete

• Risk assessments aren’t site-specific

• Fire, working at height, or COSHH procedures haven’t been reviewed in 12+ months

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It’s Not Just About Paperwork. It’s About People.

Being a competent person means making sure risks are identified, controlled, and communicated. It means ensuring staff are trained, equipment is maintained, and emergencies are planned for.

Ultimately, it’s about making sure everyone goes home safe — every single day.

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Need Support? Spur Safety Can Help.

We’ve supported dozens of businesses across the UK as their competent person — or by helping upskill their team to take on the role effectively. If you’re not 100% confident in your current setup, let’s talk.

🔗 Contact us today or email info@spursafety.co.uk

📍 Based in the UK – supporting clients nationwide

🛠️ Specialists in construction, property, fire risk, and drone safety audits

Drone Roof Inspections for Residential & Commercial Properties: A Smarter, Safer Way to Protect Your Building

When was the last time you had your roof properly inspected?

For most property owners—whether residential landlords, housing associations, commercial landlords, or homeowners—the roof is often a case of "out of sight, out of mind." Unfortunately, that can lead to serious consequences. A small fault, like a slipped tile or a blocked gutter, might seem minor, but over time it can result in structural water damage, internal damp, or even dangerous collapse.

That’s where drone roof inspections come in. At Spur Safety, we offer professional drone roof inspection services for both residential properties and commercial buildings across the UK. Our inspections provide high-resolution, close-up imagery—without the need to work at height or disrupt your day-to-day operations.

🏠 Why Roof Inspections Matter

The roof is your property’s first line of defence against the elements. Regular maintenance and inspections can prevent:

• Water ingress through cracked tiles or roof sheets

• Blocked gutters leading to damp or mold growth

• Damage hidden beneath solar panels or roof furniture

• Deterioration of flat roof membranes or flashing

• Health hazards from standing water or bird nesting

• Structural risks from storm damage or long-term wear

Unfortunately, many of these issues remain undetected until they cause visible internal damage—by which point, repair costs can be significantly higher.

⚠️ The Risks of Traditional Roof Inspections

Typical roof inspections often involve ladders, scaffolding, or mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs). These methods carry significant work-at-height risks, especially when:

• Roofs are fragile (e.g. asbestos cement sheets)

• There are no suitable anchor points for fall arrest systems

• The surface is slippery or unstable

• Multiple operatives are required to access different areas

In many cases, these limitations mean the inspection is visual only, carried out from ground level or a ladder—leaving large areas of the roof uninspected or assumptions made without evidence.

From a health and safety compliance perspective, this is a major concern. Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, duty holders must avoid working at height where possible and use safer alternatives. Drone inspections offer exactly that.

🚁 Drone Roof Surveys: The Safe, Modern Alternative

Our drone inspection service eliminates the risk of injury while delivering superior visual data for decision-making. Drones allow us to:

• Get close-up images and video from multiple angles

• Safely inspect roofs without scaffolding or lifts

• Capture areas behind chimneys, solar panels, or plant equipment

• Spot early signs of decay, water damage, or tile movement

• Document roof condition for insurance or maintenance records

Whether you're managing commercial buildings, warehouses, office blocks, or domestic properties, Spur Safety provides a safer, faster and more cost-effective solution.

🛠️ Smarter Planning, Safer Projects

Another benefit of drone inspections is the ability to plan roof repair works in advance. Knowing the exact height, extent of damage, and access requirements allows for better pricing from contractors and reduces time wasted on-site.

• Avoid hiring unnecessary equipment like MEWPs or towers

• Identify areas that require scaffolding or specialist access

• Plan materials and tools before anyone steps foot on the roof

• Reduce the risk to contractors or maintenance staff

Proper planning supports your CDM 2015 (Construction Design and Management) compliance obligations too—making drone roof inspections not just safer but smarter for your bottom line.

📉 Reducing Business Risk & Avoiding Fines

Health and safety fines for fall-from-height incidents can be catastrophic. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive)continues to publish regular cases of workers injured or killed due to inadequate roof assessments. One example can be found here, where a worker fell through a fragile roof sheet due to poor planning and lack of inspection.

By commissioning a drone roof inspection in the UK, you not only stay ahead of maintenance issues—you fulfil your duties under the law and potentially prevent life-altering incidents.

📍 Who Should Use Drone Roof Inspections?

Our services are ideal for:

• Residential landlords & housing associations

• Property managers & facilities teams

• Local authorities & schools

• Commercial building owners & developers

• Surveyors & insurance assessors

• Homeowners concerned about storm damage or leaks

Wherever your building is located—urban, rural, or industrial—we can operate safely and legally under CAA drone regulations.

💼 Why Choose Spur Safety?

We’re not just drone operators—we’re a professional health and safety consultancy. That means every inspection is carried out with a keen eye on compliance, access safety, and building maintenance requirements.

✅ Fully insured and CAA-authorised
✅ IOSH-certified safety professionals
✅ Detailed post-survey reports with imagery
✅ Trusted by commercial clients across sectors
✅ Tailored inspection packages for any site

📞 Book Your Roof Inspection Today

If you’re wondering what’s happening up on your roof—it’s time to stop guessing. Let Spur Safety deliver the insight you need to act quickly, safely, and cost-effectively.