Supporting work in Scotland
We already support clients whose projects take them to sites in Scotland. Contractors from England and Wales working north of the border are often caught out by the differences in fire and housing law, so we make sure your paperwork and site arrangements reflect the Scottish requirements.
What's different in Scotland
- Fire safety law: the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 doesn't apply. Instead, Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 require duty holders to carry out a fire safety risk assessment for relevant premises. They're enforced by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
- HMO licensing: under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, a property occupied by three or more unrelated adults from more than two families as their main home generally needs an HMO licence from the local council, a lower threshold than England's mandatory licensing.
- Fire alarms in homes: since February 2022, every home in Scotland must have interlinked smoke and heat alarms, with carbon monoxide detectors where there's a fuel-burning appliance or flue.
- Building standards: Scotland has its own building standards and building warrant system.
What stays the same
Much of workplace health and safety law applies across Great Britain, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management Regulations, CDM 2015, COSHH, RIDDOR and the HSE's legionella guidance. The HSE and local councils enforce workplace health and safety in Scotland, and SSIP accreditation works the same way.
Our services in Scotland
- CDM support, RAMS review and site inspections
- SSIP accreditation for contractors winning Scottish work
- Fire safety risk assessments under Scottish law
- Risk assessments and audits
- Retained competent person support