Do You Have a Competent Person? Here’s Why It Matters and When You Might Need Support 

Appointing a Competent Person isn’t optional. It’s a legal duty and one many organisations unknowingly fall short of.  

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, all employers, regardless of size or sector must appoint one or more Competent Persons to help them meet their legal duties around health and safety. 

A Competent Person is someone with the training, knowledge and experience to spot hazards, offer sensible advice, and ensure safety is more than just a formality. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean employing a full-time Health and Safety Manager. However, it does mean you need access to reliable, qualified support and a clear plan for how compliance is maintained. 

Read more about your legal obligations on the HSE website.

When Organisations Need Help 

We often hear, “We’re fine, our Operations Manager keeps an eye on that.” But when responsibility is informal, systems tend to be too. That’s where risks creep in. 

Real-world triggers we see all the time:  

• A Health and Safety lead is off sick or has left 

• An Operations Manager has inherited responsibility but lacks training 

• The organisation is growing or restructuring and can’t keep pace 

• A tender requires named H&S accountability — but no one is in place 

• An incident or near miss prompts a sudden realisation that systems aren’t robust. 

In these moments, organisations don’t just need a quick fix. They need confidence in their health and safety systems and peace of mind that safety is under control. That’s where Competent Person support from Ligtas comes in.

Whether you need short-term support, an interim solution, or a longer-term partner, our service flexes around what your organisation actually needs to feel confident, covered, and in control. 

Foundational Support: We start by understanding where you are — and where the gaps might be. This core phase gives you clarity, legal assurance, and a plan you can stand behind. 

• A named Ligtas consultant for your documentation 

• Full gap analysis and compliance review 

• Tailored health and safety improvement plan 

• Creation or audit of key documents: policies, procedures, risk assessments 

• Support during audits, tenders or enforcement queries 

Ongoing Partnership: Once the foundation is in place, we provide flexible, expert support to help your internal team grow, improve, and stay ahead. 

• Mentoring and coaching for in-house leads or new appointees 

• Attendance at H&S meetings or boards to offer guidance and assurance 

• Responsive advice via phone, email or site visits 

• Optional monthly inspections for hands-on risk management 

• Rapid support following incidents or changes in circumstances 

Having a Competent Person on paper isn’t enough. You need someone who understands your risks, supports your team, and stands behind your systems when it matters most. 

“Our assigned Competent Person has helped us achieve great health and safety compliance across site and has supported us with implementing numerous safe systems of work. 

Ligtas offer tailored training courses that have been invaluable to us, providing bespoke content relevant for our objectives and hazards which staff can better relate to. We have always received positive feedback from our employees following these courses.” 

— Leading Biotechnology Manufacturer

This client approached Ligtas during a period of operational expansion. They needed support to maintain safety standards while building internal capacity.

We stepped in as their interim Competent Person, delivered a full audit, trained internal leads, built structured documentation, and ultimately helped them appoint their own Health and Safety Coordinator  with confidence and competence built in.

And when they were ready to take it in-house they knew exactly what good looked like.

Read the case study here.

If you’re not sure whether your setup is compliant — this quick checklist might help. If you say “yes” to any of these, it’s probably worth a conversation.

• Have there been any recent changes in staffing, structure or operations?

• Would your current setup stand up to an HSE inspection?

• Is health and safety just “part of someone’s job” — but not their core expertise?

• Are you about to bid for work that requires evidence of formal H&S management?
• Is a named Competent Person missing from your documentation?

 Why Ligtas? 

• Whether you're starting from scratch or enhancing existing systems, Ligtas is here to support you with confidence, clarity and care.
• Trusted by leading UK organisations and global brands

• Multi-accredited, with nationwide coverage

• Experts in health and safety law, audits, risk management and training
• Supportive, collaborative, and practical; no jargon

• Flexible packages to suit your needs and sector.

Not Sure If Your Current Setup Is Compliant?

If you’re not sure whether your setup would pass an HSE inspection or you’ve just never really looked into it, we’ve created a one-page guide to help. 

This simple guide includes: 

• A summary of your legal duty 

• 5 signs your current setup might not be enough 

• What a Competent Person is (and isn’t) 
• A quick overview of how Ligtas can help.