Safety Statement for a Small Building Contractor: A Practical Guide
A practical guide to preparing a Safety Statement for a small building contractor in Ireland.
# Safety Statement for a Small Building Contractor: A Practical Guide --- If you run a small building contracting business in Ireland, you are required by law to have a Safety Statement. This is not a requirement that applies only to large companies or complex projects. Under Section 20 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, every employer, regardless of size, must prepare and maintain a written Safety Statement. For many small contractors, the Safety Statement is a source of confusion and anxiety. What exactly does it need to contain? How long does it need to be? Does it need to be prepared by a safety consultant? This article answers those questions and provides a practical guide to preparing a Safety Statement that meets the legal requirements and is genuinely useful as a safety management tool. --- ## What Is a Safety Statement? A Safety Statement is a written document that sets out how you manage health and safety in your business. It is based on the risk assessment required under Section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, which requires every employer to identify the hazards in their workplace, assess the risks arising from those hazards, and implement appropriate control measures. The Safety Statement is not just a legal formality. It is a practical tool that helps you and your workers understand what the significant risks are in your business and what you are doing to manage them. A well-prepared Safety Statement can also help you win contracts, as many clients and principal contractors require subcontractors to provide a copy of their Safety Statement before allowing them on site. --- ## Who Needs a Safety Statement? Every employer in Ireland needs a Safety Statement, regardless of the size of the business. This includes: - Sole traders who employ other workers - Partnerships - Limited companies - Self-employed persons who employ others Self-employed persons who do not employ anyone are not required to have a Safety Statement under Section 20, but they are still required to carry out risk assessments under Section 19 and to comply with all other health and safety legislation. --- ## What Must a Safety Statement Contain? The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 sets out the minimum content requirements for a Safety Statement. The statement must specify: - The hazards identified and the risks assessed - The protective and preventive measures taken and the resources provided for safety, health, and welfare at work - The plans and procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency or serious and imminent danger - The duties of employees as regards safety, health, and welfare at work - The names and, where applicable, the job titles of the persons responsible for performing the tasks assigned to them by the statement - The arrangements made for the appointment of safety representatives For a small building contractor, the Safety Statement will typically be structured around the main activities carried out by the business and the hazards associated with each activity. --- ## A Practical Structure for a Small Contractor's Safety Statement The following structure is suitable for a small building contractor employing up to 20 workers. ### Section 1: Company Details and Policy Statement This section provides basic information about the business, including the company name, address, and the name of the person responsible for health and safety (typically the owner or managing director). It also includes a brief policy statement setting out the company's commitment to health and safety. The policy statement does not need to be lengthy. A short paragraph confirming that the company is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees and that it will comply with all relevant health and safety legislation is sufficient. ### Section 2: Responsibilities This section sets out who is responsible for health and safety in the business. For a small contractor, this will typically be: - **Owner/Director:** Overall responsibility for health and safety; ensuring the Safety Statement is prepared, implemented, and reviewed; ensuring adequate resources are provided for health and safety. - **Site Foreman/Supervisor:** Day-to-day responsibility for health and safety on site; carrying out site inductions; conducting toolbox talks; reporting accidents and near misses. - **All Workers:** Responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their colleagues; following the safe systems of work set out in the Safety Statement; reporting hazards and near misses. ### Section 3: Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment This is the core of the Safety Statement. It should contain task-specific risk assessments for each of the main activities carried out by the business. For a general building contractor, these might include: - Working at height (scaffolding, ladders, MEWPs) - Excavation work - Manual handling - Use of power tools - Working with cement and other hazardous substances - Working near live services (electricity, gas, water) - Working in or near traffic - Demolition work Each risk assessment should follow the five-step approach described in the HSA guidance: identify the hazards, decide who might be harmed and how, evaluate the risks and decide on precautions, record the findings, and review and update the assessment. ### Section 4: Safe Systems of Work This section sets out the safe systems of work (also known as method statements) for high-risk activities. A safe system of work describes how a task will be carried out safely, step by step. For a small contractor, safe systems of work might be needed for activities such as: - Erecting and dismantling scaffolding - Working in confined spaces - Carrying out hot works (welding, cutting, grinding) - Lifting operations using a crane or telehandler ### Section 5: Emergency Procedures This section describes the procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency. It should cover: - Fire: evacuation procedures, assembly points, fire extinguisher locations - Serious injury: first aid arrangements, emergency contacts, procedure for calling an ambulance - Dangerous occurrences: procedure for dealing with a structural collapse, gas leak, or other major incident The emergency procedures should be displayed prominently on site, not just filed in the Safety Statement. ### Section 6: Welfare Arrangements This section describes the welfare facilities that will be provided on site, including toilets, washing facilities, rest areas, and drinking water. It should also address first aid arrangements, including the location of first aid kits and the names of trained first aiders. ### Section 7: Training and Competence This section describes the training arrangements for workers, including: - Safe Pass: all workers on construction sites must hold a valid Safe Pass card - Manual handling training - Any task-specific training required (for example, MEWP operator training, scaffold erector training) - The arrangements for inducting new workers and subcontractors ### Section 8: Accident and Near Miss Reporting This section describes the procedures for reporting and investigating accidents and near misses. It should include: - The procedure for reporting an accident or near miss to the site foreman and the company owner - The procedure for investigating accidents and near misses to identify the root cause and prevent recurrence - The requirements for reporting accidents to the HSA under Schedule 3 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 ### Section 9: Review and Update This section describes when and how the Safety Statement will be reviewed and updated. The Safety Statement must be reviewed: - At least annually - Whenever there is reason to believe it is no longer valid - Following an accident, near miss, or dangerous occurrence - When new activities or hazards are introduced to the business --- ## Common Mistakes in Small Contractor Safety Statements The following are the most common mistakes seen in Safety Statements prepared by small building contractors. **Too generic.** The Safety Statement refers to "construction work" in general terms without identifying the specific activities carried out by the business or the specific hazards associated with them. A Safety Statement that could apply to any contractor in any industry is not specific enough. **Copied from a template without modification.** Many contractors use a template Safety Statement without adapting it to their own business. A template can be a useful starting point, but it must be reviewed and modified to reflect the actual activities, hazards, and control measures relevant to the specific business. **Not reviewed or updated.** The Safety Statement was prepared when the business was set up and has not been reviewed since, even though the business has grown, new activities have been introduced, or accidents have occurred. **Not communicated to workers.** The Safety Statement exists on paper but has never been discussed with workers. Workers must be made aware of the Safety Statement and of the arrangements that affect them. **No risk assessments.** The Safety Statement contains a policy statement and a list of responsibilities but no actual risk assessments. Without risk assessments, the Safety Statement does not meet the legal requirement. --- ## How Long Does a Safety Statement Need to Be? There is no minimum or maximum length for a Safety Statement. What matters is that it contains all the required information and that it is specific to the business. For a small building contractor carrying out a limited range of activities, a well-structured Safety Statement of 20 to 40 pages is typically sufficient. A Safety Statement does not need to be lengthy to be compliant; it needs to be specific, accurate, and practical. --- If you need help preparing or reviewing a Safety Statement for your building contracting business, Safety Check can assist. We prepare Safety Statements that are specific to your business, compliant with Irish law, and practical for use on site. [Contact us](/contact) to discuss your requirements.