Definition

Ensuring personal safety means the systematic steps an RICS member takes before, during, and after every professional engagement to identify and control risks to their own health, safety, and welfare — covering site visits, lone working, driving, and office-based hazards. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 7, requires every employee to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others affected by their acts or omissions. RICS Surveying Safely, 2nd edition (2018), translates this into practical guidance for the profession.

Why this matters for Health and Safety

  • Level 2 application: you must describe the measures you apply in practice, not just list them in the abstract.
  • Assessors frequently ask about lone working and site visit preparation — universal experiences regardless of pathway — and RICS Surveying Safely sets an explicit standard: failure to follow it is a competence issue and a potential Rules of Conduct breach.
  • A serious incident caused by inadequate risk assessment can result in criminal prosecution, civil liability, and RICS disciplinary action.

Key principles

Risk assessment before any site visit

Before visiting any premises, carry out a proportionate risk assessment. For a standard occupied building this may be brief; for a vacant property or active construction project it must be thorough. Key questions: Is the site structurally sound? Are there known hazards such as asbestos or fragile roofs? Is there mobile coverage? The outcome determines what PPE is required and whether a lone visit is appropriate.

Lone working controls

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess lone working risks. Effective controls include informing a colleague of the location, duration, and check-in time before every lone visit; using a lone worker safety app; and having a pre-agreed escalation procedure if the check-in is missed. Candidates should describe their firm's lone working policy and their own adherence to it.

Personal protective equipment and site protocols

On construction sites, the minimum PPE is a hard hat, high-visibility vest, and safety boots. All visitors must follow the principal contractor's site induction and permit-to-work systems. Refusing to enter an unsafe area is never wrong: RICS Surveying Safely confirms that members have the right and duty to withdraw from a situation that poses an unacceptable risk.

Driving and travel safety

Driving is a higher-risk activity for working professionals. Members should ensure their vehicle is roadworthy, avoid using a hand-held mobile phone, and plan journeys to avoid fatigue. Employers have a duty under the 1974 Act to manage work-related road risk, and members should know their firm's policy on vehicle standards.

Relevant RICS guidance and legislation

  • Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 7 — employee duty to take reasonable care for their own and others' health and safety.
  • Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 — requires employers to assess and control lone working risks.
  • RICS Surveying Safely, 2nd edition (2018) — covers risk assessment, lone working, site visits, and PPE for surveyors.
  • Work at Height Regulations 2005 — planning and supervision requirements for inspections involving work at height.
  • RICS Rules of Conduct (effective 2 February 2022) — Rule 5 (competence) and Rule 4 (responsibility) both engage personal safety behaviour.

Ethics and Rules of Conduct angle

Rule 4 of the RICS Rules of Conduct requires members to act in a way that promotes the wider public interest, which includes not endangering themselves or others. A member who ignores a known hazard, cuts corners on PPE, or works alone in an unsafe location breaches Section 7 of the 1974 Act and their professional obligations. Rule 5 reinforces this: competence includes knowing when to withdraw.

APC-style Q&As

Q (Level 1)What does RICS Surveying Safely say about a member's right to withdraw from an unsafe situation?

RICS Surveying Safely, 2nd edition (2018), confirms that members have the right and duty to withdraw from any situation that poses an unacceptable risk. No professional or contractual obligation overrides this: the member should inform the client or employer and document the decision.

Q (Level 1)What are the minimum PPE requirements for visiting an active construction site?

The minimum PPE is generally a hard hat, high-visibility vest, and safety boots. Additional PPE such as safety glasses or gloves may be required depending on hazards present. The principal contractor's site rules always take precedence.

Q (Level 2)Describe your personal procedure before visiting a vacant property alone.

(example) Before any lone visit to a vacant property I carry out a brief desk-based risk assessment: I review known hazards, check whether asbestos surveys exist, and confirm I have mobile coverage. I notify my line manager of the address, expected arrival and departure times, and the agreed check-in time. On arrival I complete a visual external check before entering. If the building appears structurally unsafe I do not enter and rearrange the visit with appropriate support.

Q (Level 2)What legislation places a duty on employees to take care of their own health and safety, and how does this apply to an RICS member?

Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 requires every employee to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others affected by their acts or omissions. For an RICS member this means identifying risks before and during site visits, following employer safety procedures, not taking shortcuts on PPE, and reporting hazards. Ignoring a known risk breaches this statutory duty.

Q (Level 3)You are instructed to inspect the roof of a multi-storey building. The proposed access crosses a section of fragile roofing without edge protection. The client's facilities manager insists the inspection must proceed today. What do you do?

I would decline to proceed. Crossing fragile roofing without edge protection creates an unacceptable risk of a fatal fall: the Work at Height Regulations 2005 require all work at height to be properly planned using appropriate equipment by competent persons. I would explain this to the facilities manager, document my refusal in writing, and advise the client that the inspection can proceed once safe access is in place. A client deadline does not override a life-safety obligation, and proceeding would expose both myself and the client to criminal liability under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.