Contractor Management: Selecting and looking after contractors and temporary workers

Introduction 

Bringing in contractors or temporary staff? It’s crucial you manage them properly to keep everyone safe and stay compliant with UK Health & Safety laws. This quick guide is designed to go over good practice when selecting, onboarding, and managing contractors and temporary staff. While the legal foundations are essential, this guide focuses on practical implementation on the ground. 

 

1. Why does this matter?

Contractors and temporary staff (temps) are part of the team while they’re on-site and they need to be treated with the same care as anyone else. It’s your duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, Management of Health and Safety Regulations and the Construction, Design and Management Regulations to do this, but there are other regulation that put a duty on you to make sure contractors are competent, properly inducted, supervised, and safe. 

This applies to all third-party workers on your sites, from regular contractors to agency staff, regardless of task, location, or duration of task being carried out on your behalf. 

 

2. Picking the right people

You have a responsibility to make sure that contractors and temporary workers are competent and can carry out their duties safely and without risk to themselves or others. That means doing your homework before they step on site. 

What to check: 

• Professional Qualifications and trade certificates (consider National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ), City & Guilds etc.) 

• Safety scheme memberships (e.g. Safety Management Advisory Services (SMAS Worksafe) 

• Relevant training (Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), Asbestos Awareness, International Powered Access Federation (IPAF). 

• Professional body memberships (e.g. Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) 

• Use a contractor/supplier questionnaire to vet them thoroughly 

• Check right-to-work status and ID 

• Ask for references and review past safety performance 

• Confirm they’ve got their own risk assessments and method statements tailored to the job and address any conflicts with your own, and other contractors working on site. 

• Make sure they’re insured (Employers’ & Public Liability) 

• Check for any special permits that may be required (e.g. waste carrier license) 

 

 

3. Induction and training

Before they start, everyone needs to have a site-specific induction. This means they understand how you do things and what’s expected of them. 

What to cover in the induction: 

• Emergency procedures, first aid, and muster points 

• Site layout, traffic management, pedestrian access routes, and welfare facilities 

• High-risk areas and restricted zones 

• Hazards, PPE requirements, and how to report issues 

• Who’s who on site and key contacts 

 

Keep a signed record of the induction for compliance. 

Additional training may be needed for: 

• Safe Systems of Work 

• Equipment use  

• COSHH awareness for hazardous substances 

• High-risk tasks (e.g. working at height, confined spaces) 

 

Under the Agency Workers Regulations 2010, temps must not be assigned tasks beyond their competence.  

 

4. RAMS – risk assessments & method statements

Any subcontractor has to submit RAMS before starting work. These documents should be specific to the job and reflect the actual site conditions. 

RAMS should include: 

• Identified hazards and control measures 

• Step-by-step work sequence 

• PPE requirements 

• Emergency procedures and contact details 

 

Remember to review and approve RAMS before work begins. Encourage dynamic risk assessments – if something doesn’t look right, stop work and report it. 

 

If you’ve got temporary workers, you need to brief them on your risk assessments and method statements relevant to the tasks they’re going to do and make sure that they sign these to demonstrate understanding. 

 

5. Supervision and oversight

When you’ve got contractors and temporary workers, you need to make sure you’ve got arrangements in place to supervise them; the level of supervision will vary depending on the tasks to be completed. For example, if you’re working on a construction project, you’ll need to appoint someone responsible for overseeing contractor activities. This person ensures compliance with site rules and risk assessments. 

Responsibilities include: 

• Monitoring safe working practices 

• Acting as liaison between contractors and internal teams 

• Checking PPE and equipment use 

• Conducting toolbox talks and safety briefings 

 

Regular checks and audits help spot issues early. Re-induct contractors if site conditions change. Include temporary staff in daily briefings and team communications. 

 

 

6. Reporting incidents

If something happens, report it. Incidents involving contractors or agency staff must be reported through standard channels and may fall under Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013 if reporting thresholds are met. Everyone should know how to report incidents or near misses. 

Steps to follow: 

• Immediate reporting to site manager or Health & Safety lead 

• Secure the area and provide first aid if needed 

• Begin investigation and involve contractors 

• Record findings and share lessons learned 

 

7. Keep good records

Accurate documentation is essential for compliance, accountability, and audits. 

Keep records of: 

• Contractor/supplier questionnaires and vetting documents 

• Insurance certificates and qualifications 

• RAMS and induction logs 

• Supervision notes and audit findings 

• Incident reports and investigation outcomes 

 

8. Keep improving

After the job’s done, review how it went. Use feedback to improve future contractor management. 

Review: 

• Safety performance and compliance 

• Professionalism and communication 

• Feedback from internal teams and the contractor 

• Update your approved contractor list based on performance. 

 

Final note:
Contractors and temporary staff are an extension of the workforce while on-site.  

Sticking to safety standards, training and proper oversight doesn’t just keep you compliant – it keeps everyone on your site safe, healthy and protects your reputation. 

 

If you’ve got any questions about anything in this guidance, get in touch with your free advice line on 0345 844 4848*.

 

 

*Applicable for all clients who’ve purchased Citation’s HR & Employment Law and/or Health & Safety core service, including H&S and HR Workplace Expert. Please note that our H&S and HR Virtual Assistance clients have access to our advice line Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.