Environment & Sustainability

Set up and run a safe remediation operation

Every remediation and decontamination business must protect its workers and others affected by the work. This guide covers the workplace health and safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection duties that apply before you get into the sector-specific environmental, waste and construction requirements.

UK-wide
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UK-wide

Related guides in Compliance & Legal

Remediation is high-hazard work. Contaminated ground, confined spaces, hazardous substances (solvents, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, asbestos), biological agents and unstable structures are routine site conditions. Your general duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of your employees and others affected by the work. The COSHH Regulations 2002, Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 and personal protective equipment duties bite heavily. Workplace health and safety is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain and by HSENI in Northern Ireland.

A. Health and safety at work

Risk-assess every site and every activity — ground contamination, confined-space entry, exposure to hazardous substances, biological agents, unstable structures and excavations. Put safe systems of work, training, supervision and health surveillance in place.

B. Employers' liability insurance

Hold at least £5 million of employers' liability insurance once you employ anyone. Display the certificate or make it available electronically.

C. Equality

Do not discriminate across the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. In Northern Ireland, separate equality law is enforced by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

D. Data protection

Comply with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. Register with the ICO and pay the data protection fee unless specifically exempt.

  1. 1

    1. Risk-assess every site and put safe systems of work in place

    Cover contaminated ground, confined spaces, hazardous substances, biological agents and unstable structures.

  2. 2

    2. Get employers' liability insurance

    Minimum £5 million cover once you employ anyone.

  3. 3

    3. Meet your equality and data protection duties

    Do not discriminate; register with the ICO.

What to do next

With the workplace foundations in place, work through your environmental, waste and construction duties in meet your environmental permits, waste and construction duties. Start from the router if you are not sure which guides apply to you.