The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to appoint a competent person(s) to help them meet their legal duties for health and safety, taking into account the size of the undertaking and the risks involved. While a health professional is not always needed employers still need to call on an appropriately qualified doctor or nurse to deal with any work-related health problems. Large employers may employ a competent occupational health professional to manage their occupational
health programme, to advise and to help manage health risks.
HSE prosecuted 46 directors and managers in the year ending March 2016 with fines routinely hitting £1 million for non-fatal offences.
