The Health and Safety Service has issued the revised HS32 Managing Contractors Policy and its supporting HSG32 Managing Contractors Guidance, published February 2026. This update forms part of the wider Council policy review programme and reflects a clearer separation between policy and guidance to improve usability for managers and premises leads. The revised materials reinforce existing arrangements for ensuring contractors engaged by Somerset Council are suitably competent, financially viable, and able to deliver work safely.
Key additions
The policy explicitly requires commissioning managers to assess contractor competence using the refreshed F32 Contractors Questionnaire. This includes Sections on General Information, Task Specific controls, Health and Safety, Construction Design and Management (CDM) duties, and Building Safety Act requirements.
The Managing Contractors Guidance provides practical advice on selecting, appointing, monitoring, and reviewing contractors. It also includes strengthened expectations for construction related activities, so staff commissioning or managing contractors must have a sufficient understanding of CDM 2015 and engage with the Health and Safety Service for awareness training where required.
Who is this policy aimed at?
This update is relevant to the following groups:
• Managers and employees commissioning contractors across all Council Services
• Premises Managers, Facilities, and caretaking teams responsible for site-based works
• School leaders responsible for arranging maintenance, repairs, or capital works
• Service areas procuring goods and services or entering into works contracts
Why you should familiarise yourself with the revised policy
The Council has a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and CDM 2015 to ensure all appointed contractors have the skills, knowledge, qualifications, experience, and organisational capability to undertake work safely. Using the Contractors Questionnaire helps managers carry out a robust competency assessment and promotes consistency across services. It ensures that procurement decisions are defensible and aligned with legislative requirements and Council standards.
The guidance provides clear steps for planning work, choosing contractors, providing essential site information, checking progress safely, and reviewing the completed work. This supports better contract oversight and reduces the risk of accidents, incidents, or non-compliance. Understanding when to involve Procurement is critical to meeting threshold requirements and ensuring appropriate sourcing strategies are followed for both high value and low value contracts.
What you need to do
• Review the revised HS32 Managing Contractors and the accompanying HSG32 Managing Contractors Guidance.
• Use the F32 Contractors Questionnaire when commissioning new contractors or re appointing existing ones.
• Ensure any staff involved in commissioning or supervising contractors undertake relevant CDM awareness training.
• Contact the Health and Safety Service if you require advice on thresholds, competency checks, or contract management responsibilities.
