2. When health and safety law applies
If you are self-employed, health and safety law applies to you if:
- you employ anyone – even temporarily, such as on a short-term contract
- your work activity poses a potential risk to the health and safety of others, for example using chemicals that could cause harm, creating noise, dust or fumes, or using equipment that could injure someone
- you do work involving 6 specific high-risk work activities covered by the law – this includes work:
- in construction
- in agriculture
- in operating a railway
- with gas
- involving asbestos
- with genetically modified organisms
When the law does not apply
If you are self-employed, health and safety law does not apply to you when:
- you do not employ anybody
- your work does not pose a risk to anyone else