Health and Safety Policies and risk assessments in the construction industry are very important to prevent accidents and deaths. There has been a significant reduction in the number of H&S incidents in recent years.
This is due in part to industry accreditation and other bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive promoting rigid policies and procedures for all companies.
Our Experience With Health and Safety Policies for the Construction Industry
At Policy Pros, we have a great deal of experience working with construction companies. We write Health, mainly for the following sectors:
- Construction (building, demolition).
- Electrical (Installation, testing).
- Gas (Fitting, Testing)
- Plumbing (Installation, Fixing, Testing).
- Painting (Interior and Exterior).
- Roofing Services (Installation, Maintenance).
Other Company Types
Also, Health and Safety policies are required for any company that:
- Has access to hazardous materials
- Needs to be asbestos aware
- Works at height
- Is working with power tools
- Works in environments where there are noise and vibration
- Uses plant equipment
- Performs Manual Handling tasks
Requirements for Health and Safety Policies
It is now common for commercial work to require a Construction Health and Safety Policy and Risk Assessment completing before work commences. Therefore, you will also find that it will become mandatory for insurance companies to check your Construction Health and Safety Policy.
It is required the conditions are being followed either before or after an incident is reported.
How Can We Help?
We produce bespoke Health and Safety Policies and procedures for your company and can also assist in passing CHAS accreditation. If you would like more information or a quote, please visit our contact page and make an enquiry.
From 6 April 2026, construction firms also face expanded HMRC powers under the Construction Industry Scheme, with directors potentially personally liable for fraud anywhere in the supply chain. See our CIS fraud liability April 2026 employer guide.
The Legal Framework
UK construction H&S sits across several regulatory layers. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is the parent statute.
Most operational duties come from the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM), with sector-specific overlays from the Work at Height Regulations 2005, the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, and the Building Safety Act 2022 for higher-risk buildings.
For pre-qualification, the dominant scheme is the Common Assessment Standard (CAS) operated through Constructionline, CHAS, Achilles and others. CAS replaced the older patchwork of separate schemes for most main contractors and frameworks.
Core H&S Policy Library
- Health and Safety Policy Statement (HSAWA s.2(3) duty for 5+ employees).
- CDM 2015 procedures: Pre-Construction Information, Construction Phase Plan, F10 notification.
- Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) framework.
- Work at Height, Lifting Operations, Plant and Equipment.
- Asbestos Management and Refurbishment/Demolition Survey procedure.
- COSHH and PPE.
- Welfare Facilities, Site Induction, and Daily Briefing procedures.
- Subcontractor and Visitor Management.
- Incident, Near-Miss and RIDDOR Reporting.
- Mental Health and Stress (HSE Working Minds, ISO 45003).
Common Compliance Pitfalls
- RAMS pulled from a generic library rather than written for the specific site.
- CDM Principal Designer and Principal Contractor roles assumed but not formally appointed in writing.
- Construction Phase Plan generic and not maintained.
- Asbestos surveys missing, out of date, or not the right type for the works.
- Subcontractor competence not verified or recorded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do small contractors need a CDM Construction Phase Plan?
Yes for any project that is more than just minor work. The complexity must be proportionate to the project, but the obligation applies regardless of project size.
What is "higher-risk" under the Building Safety Act 2022?
Buildings of at least 18 metres or 7 storeys with at least two residential units. These are subject to additional gateway approvals administered by the Building Safety Regulator.
What Policy Pros Delivers
Our Construction H&S package includes the H&S Policy, CDM procedures, a RAMS framework, sector-specific topical policies (working at height, asbestos, COSHH, plant and equipment), and the supporting documentation needed for CHAS, Constructionline, CAS and main-contractor PQQs.
