Managing contractors for premises work: health and safety guidance

Familiarise yourself with health and safety guidance on using contractors for premises works, and find a checklist from the Health and Safety Executive to help you keep track.

Last reviewed on 2 February 2023
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 13128
Contents
  1. Understand your school’s responsibilities
  2. Use the HSE checklist to keep track of key details
  3. Use your health and safety policy to manage and assess risk
  4. See an LA’s advice on contractor safety

Understand your school’s responsibilities

Both the contractor and your school have duties under health and safety law.

Contractors are not employed by your school, so you don’t have overall responsibility for health and safety in the same way you do for your staff. However, you do have a responsibility to:

  • Select a suitable contractor with the right knowledge and skills to carry out the work safely
  • Carry out your own risk assessment and let the contractor know your conclusions
  • Provide relevant information and instruction to your staff, and let the contractor know about any risks from your own activities (for example, events you’re holding that might affect their work)
  • Agree how you’re going to cooperate, communicate and coordinate with the contractor or their company 
  • Agree how you’ll manage and supervise the work 

Read more about selecting contractors in the DfE guidance on good estate management