In Bobsville, the answer is always a resounding “Yes We Can!” In England it’s possible to make a living as a builder through networking, working with personal contacts on existing construction sites, without any set qualifications or skills at all, but it’s hard and dangerous work so builders do have to be physically fit and willing to listen and learn. They work up ladders and on scaffolding, so it isn’t the best career option for people who experience vertigo. For those who find themselves at the helm of a complex operation like Bob’s, there are many more legal aspects to consider.
Bob the Builder does much more than build, he runs the business, so he’ll have registered it, plus he has employees and vehicles, so it’s a legal requirement to have employer’s liability insurance and commercial motor insurance. He’s smart, so he’ll have insured his property (those vehicles and tools don’t come cheap) and himself against liability and injury. The Association of British Insurers could have pointed him in the right direction. He will have made sure that his vehicles and machinery are well maintained and that his employees have adequate training, as directed by The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
Bob has to make sure that his work complies with regulations. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 set out the general health and safety requirements for the industry. In addition, certain types of work require inspection and approval, or to be carried out by a member of a ‘competent person scheme‘, to comply with The Building Regulations 2010. Work on gas appliances (for example fitting a cooker or heater) can only be done by people on the Gas Safe Register. This replaced CORGI in 2009, following the Health and Safety Executive’s 2006 Review of Domestic Gas Safety which raised significant concerns about the risk to public health.
So, Can We Fix It? Well, That Depends…!