What insurance do I need?
The main insurance requirement is Public Liability Insurance to protect you if you accidently injure another person or damage another persons property such as a Clients mixing or lighting console. You would be mad not to have this and most companies that use frelancers now insist upon it being in place.
Please click here to see our guide to all the types of insurance you may require.
What exactly is "self employment" or "freelancing" ?
That is a very big question, we have produced a whole guide to the subject that you can download here.
What are my H&S responsibilities?
Self–employed contractors (often referred to as “freelancers) have certain duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HASAWA.) These duties include:
- If they are also an employer, to fulfil the duties of an employer.
- To conduct their undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that both themselves and other persons (not being their employees) who may be affected thereby are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
- Not intentionally or recklessly to interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions.
- To provide, or ensure that there is provided, such equipment, if any, as is adequate and appropriate in the circumstances to enable them to render first aid to themselves while at work. (This can not be made a contract condition with those who engage self-employed staff).
- To provide their own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and/or clothing.
- To provide their own Public Liability Insurance
It is a legal requirement under the HASWA and the Management of Health and Safety At Work Regulations 1999, to produce a written Health and Safety Policy Statement and Risk Assessments if you employ five or more people. However, under HASWA if a significant risk could be created to a large number of people, a risk assessment, written proof of a safe system of work and training would still be required from a self employed contractor (business) with fewer than five employees. An example of this would be a rigger.
A "self-employed" person has the responsibilities of both an employer and an employee, they employee themselves. It is unfortunate that many self-employed staff in our industry still consider themselves as temporary employees and those who use the services of self-employed also treat them as temporary employees. These practices must stop for the benefit of all.
You must obtain the training to enable you to do your job safely, it will depend on the work you do, training may include any of the following:
Basic Safety Awareness
Fire Safety
First Aid
Work at Height
Display Screen Equipment
Manual Handling
Noise at Work
Plant Operation
PPE
Rigging
Fireworks and Pyro
Electrician
Driver
Caterer
The Safety Passport scheme provides good basic safety awareness, noise, electricity and manual handling training, it is a basic level and is not designed for those who have responsibilities for safety management, they will need something like the IOSH Managing Safely, Supervising Safely or Directing Safely. Everyone needs fire safety awareness training and some staff to be trained as Fire Wardens or First Aiders. A list of training providers can be found by clicking here.
What is a Safety Passport? How much does it cost? Who is it aimed at? How do I make a booking?
A Safety Passport is designed to show that the holder is competent in basic health and safety awareness, they are particular useful for the self employed (freelancers) who go from job to job, it saves each client from providing them with the required information. The course is designed for Technical Production crew.
All the information you require is included in the Training Courses section of this web site, please click here for full information. Please look here first before calling us, only call us if you do not find the information you require here in the first instance.
What PPE do I need?
You must determine the type of PPE required by carrying out a risk assessment, it is dependant on the type of work being carried out, it can include:
Helmets
Safety Footwear
High Visibility Clothing
Eye of Face Protection
Gloves
Hearing Protection
Fall Arrest and Work Positioning
Resporatory Protection
You must provide your own PPE, it MUST NOT be shared or pooled (to prevent unnecessary wear and infection). Your PPE must be correctly fitting and must be compatable with any other PPE being used.
