How to Start a Health and Safety Consulting Business

Some companies hire consultants who identify workplace hazards that could harm employees. These experts have the ability to prevent serious injuries and medical conditions. They help businesses preserve their reputations, prevent lawsuits, minimize workers’ compensation premiums, and avoid fines. Consultants also assist employers when they need to address violations that have already been cited by government officials.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

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Start a health and safety consulting business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Health and Safety Consulting Business
  2. Form your Health and Safety Consulting Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Health and Safety Consulting Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Health and Safety Consulting Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Health and Safety Consulting Business
  7. Get Health and Safety Consulting Business Insurance
  8. Define your Health and Safety Consulting Business Brand
  9. Create your Health and Safety Consulting Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your health and safety consulting business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is very important. Read our detailed guide on how to name your business. We recommend checking if the business name you choose is available as a web domain and securing it early so no one else can take it.

What are the costs involved in opening a health and safety consulting business?

Application and examination fees for the CSP certification add up to about $500. You’ll have to obtain office equipment and testing gear. For instance, a sound-level meter can detect excessively loud environments. High-quality units fetch at least $50 and especially precise models cost over $250. You probably need a vehicle, but you could use taxis and public transit to reach businesses in an urban area. Don’t forget to consider your own safety; purchase items like goggles and N95 masks to wear while you conduct inspections. You can acquire both products for less than $20.

What are the ongoing expenses for a health and safety consulting business?

Consultants benefit from relatively low expenditures. Monthly phone, internet, and electric bills must be paid. They might total $60 to $110 per month. You’ll probably spend some cash on fuel or transit fares as well. Other expenses include ongoing education and marketing.

Don’t ignore the risk that an overlooked workplace hazard could trigger a lawsuit. Be sure to purchase professional liability insurance with errors and omissions coverage. Small firms with no employees normally pay around $550 to $1,050 each year for professional liability insurance.

Who is the target market?

Businesses with potentially hazardous workplaces hire these experts. Possible clients include manufacturers, construction companies, trucking firms, and warehouses. Large facilities tend to need more services and have the ability to pay higher amounts. Try to find clients who show genuine interest in improving safety throughout their organizations. It’s best if you have specialized knowledge or work experience pertaining to their industry.

How does a health and safety consulting business make money?

Different firms charge hourly, daily, or flat fees. A client can pay for one-time services or sign a contract that specifies a certain number of hours per month. Consultants may earn more when the government tightens regulations and/or promotes domestic manufacturing.

How much can you charge customers?

It’s not uncommon for businesses to pay $100/hour or $900 to $1,250 per day. When serving as expert witnesses, consultants receive around $175 per hour on average. These rates may or may not include travel expenses. Some entrepreneurs provide discounts when clients hire them for multiple days.

How much profit can a health and safety consulting business make?

In general, successful consultants achieve profit margins of at least 80%. There’s little data on the profits earned by independent health and safety professionals, but their fees and expenses resemble those of other business consultants.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Consider offering more services. For instance, you could write safety manuals, serve as an expert witness, or provide first-aid training. Try to work remotely when possible. If you use books and magazines to learn about health and safety, you can probably deduct their cost on your tax return. Keep the receipts and invoices you need to document these potential deductions:

  • A portion of certain utility bills
  • Website setup, hosting, and advertising
  • Equipment like safety gear and meters
  • Some types of training and education

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your health and safety consulting business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your health and safety consulting business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

Ready to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Reality?

Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a health and safety consulting business

You can spread the word through an informative website, business networking efforts, and social media posts about workplace safety news. Try mailing personalized letters to desirable clients or advertising in a business journal. You could save time by using a professional marketing firm, but this will cost substantially more.

How to keep customers coming back

Consider writing articles that demonstrate your in-depth knowledge of safety precautions and rules. Highlight the cost efficiency, potential tax deductions, and unbiased perspective offered by outside consultants. You could also mention overlooked benefits of greater safety, such as preventing downtime and reducing employee recruitment costs. Keep a list of references for prospective clients who request them. Send monthly or quarterly newsletters to anyone who has purchased or expressed interest in your services.

To keep existing customers, always stay up to date on the latest regulations and safety technology. Learn about the rules enforced at all levels of government. Try to suggest affordable yet effective solutions when you discover hazards.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

You might thrive in this profession if you care about keeping people safe and want to make a positive impact on society. Consultants should excel at understanding and memorizing complicated regulations. This line of work requires you to pay close attention to a wide range of details. You must be assertive and willing to deliver “bad news” when necessary.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a health and safety consulting business?

Consultants regularly visit facilities to perform inspections. You’ll examine buildings, equipment, and vehicles. It’s also crucial to listen to employees and evaluate their work practices. Clients may expect you to prepare detailed reports. They will discuss safety problems with you and let you recommend the best solutions. If a person suffers injuries in the workplace, you might study the incident and suggest precautions that could prevent it from happening again. Some consultants provide safety-oriented training as well.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful health and safety consulting business?

Some prosperous entrepreneurs have worked for regulatory agencies or served as safety directors at businesses in the past. Either way, it’s vital to communicate well. You ought to understand the jargon but know how to explain concepts in a way that anyone can comprehend. Writing abilities also prove valuable. Consider earning a relevant college degree before you enter this field. Although optional, a Certified Safety ProfessionalⓇ credential is helpful as well – it requires a bachelor’s degree and four years of relevant experience.

What is the growth potential for a health and safety consulting business?

Demand for this service has increased as more companies choose to outsource safety-related tasks. Experts forecast growth of around 6% in the years ahead. Some profitable consultancies expand by establishing several offices. For example, Antea Group provides expert advice on health, safety, and environmental issues. It has 25 locations in major cities across the United States.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a health and safety consulting business?

Think about specializing in a certain industry or type of facility, especially if many potential clients have nearby locations. A warehouse or transportation safety adviser may customize marketing campaigns for that sector and attract clients more easily.

Although people can study to become consultants on their own, most clients expect health and safety advisers to have four-year degrees and significant work experience. State law may not require consultants to have a degree, but you’ll face major obstacles if you lack these qualifications.

It’s sometimes necessary to reduce productivity or efficiency to ensure safety. However, you should try to find ways to uphold all three priorities. The best recommendations are those that genuinely protect workers because a business is willing to implement them. At the same time, always tell a client about any law violations.

Avoid blaming individuals for problems. When people make mistakes, figure out why it happens or what could reduce the risk. Perhaps employees find it difficult to perform a task while using the provided safety gear. Then again, maybe the company pressures its staff to work too quickly.

How and when to build a team

Although they might outsource certain office tasks to independent contractors, these professionals usually don’t need employees. You can refer potential customers to a fellow consultant when you don’t have enough time to serve them. On the other hand, you could hire a second health and safety adviser if this happens regularly. They earn $65 per hour on average, according to Salary.com.

Useful Links

Real World Examples

Further Reading