Due to the current economic situation, many countries have seen a rise the amount of people becoming self-employed in industry trades and construction. This increase has resulted in a workforce which is now solely in charge of ensuring that it complies with health and safety regulations by conducting risk assessments and understanding safe working methods.

However, there are individuals who consider health and safety to be something which does not need to take precedence above other business matters; especially when they are starting a business from scratch. However, setting yourself up in any industry without first considering the health and safety regulations in construction is something which can have a detrimental effect on your businesses success and could spell the end of your venture before it has even taken off.

Consider Safety First

Considering safety first when setting yourself up as self-employed makes total business sense as this will lay the foundations of your business to ensure that it complies with all legal proceedings. When working on your own or with others it is important that you consider the welfare and safety of everyone on site. It is a legal requirement to also consider the welfare and safety of the general public as you often will be working in close proximity to them.

It is imperative that you understand the legal requirements that your business must comply with before you begin trading. You must be able to constantly monitor and manage potential hazards and risks by creating safe working practices and risk assessments to ensure that your business does not cause risk to the health of yourself or others.

Another key requirement is to convene with clients and other trades to ensure that you can maintain health and safety levels on site. All parties must understand the sites health and safety regulations to make sure that these regulations are met by all. Construction site safety training should be offered and completed by all so that everyone understands how important health and safety is on a construction site.

Never Accept Work Which You Cannot Complete Safely

Any self-employed individual will be keen to accept any work when they initially start work, to get the cash flow started. However, it is important that you thoroughly research each job to understand its requirements and then check to see that you have the relevant skills and health and safety knowledge to complete the job safely and effectively. If you do not have the relevant skills or equipment to carry out the job then you must not accept it. The vast majority of accidents in the construction industry are caused by falls and the improper use of equipment. Therefore you should not create risk by accepting work which you are not trained to complete.

When setting yourself up as self-employed it is important that you ensure that you have the relevant skills and knowledge regarding health and safety. By completing a NEBOSH Construction Certificate you can be confident that you have the right training to support your business.

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