What Signs Show You Need External Safety Consultancy Support?

Managing safety in high-risk industries is complex. As processes evolve, regulations change, and operations scale, it can become increasingly difficult for internal teams to manage every aspect of safety effectively.

While many organisations have capable in-house engineers and safety professionals, there are clear situations where bringing in external expertise becomes not only beneficial, but necessary.

Recognising the signs you need independent safety engineering support can help prevent incidents, reduce risk, and strengthen both compliance and operational performance. 

This article is aimed at safety engineering rather than ‘hard hat’ safety. In our experience, the latter is usually well managed. 

In safety engineering we tend to look at more severe, low likelihood events that can be easily missed if the right expertise isn’t applied. 

Growing Complexity in Processes and Operations

One of the earliest indicators that external support may be needed is increasing process complexity. As plants expand, new equipment is installed, or operating conditions change, the risk profile of a site can shift significantly. A classic example is the tragic Flixborough disaster in 1974, which killed 28 people. 

When changes are introduced, safety systems that were once adequate for the risk may no longer offer sufficient protection.

When teams are stretched managing day-to-day operations, it can be difficult to step back and assess whether existing safeguards remain suitable and independent of the cause of the hazard. 

External safety engineering consultants bring fresh perspective and specialist experience across a wide range of facilities. This allows them to support your team to identify gaps or emerging risks that internal teams may not immediately see.

This is often a key point when organisations start asking when to hire a safety engineering consultant, particularly during periods of growth or change.

Limited Internal Resources or Specialist Knowledge

Safety engineering covers a wide range of subject areas, from hazard identification and risk assessment to functional safety, human factors, and regulatory compliance. Few organisations have deep expertise in every area. This can leave the business vulnerable to knowledge gaps, absence, or staff turnover. 

External safety engineering consultancy support can provide cost-effective access to specialist skills without the long-term commitment of expanding internal teams.

The benefits of using a safety engineering consultancy include flexibility and depth of knowledge. Consultants can support specific process safety studies, audits, or projects, allowing internal teams to focus on core responsibilities while still ensuring safety requirements are met.

Difficulty Keeping Up With Regulations and Standards

Safety legislation and industry standards continue to evolve. Keeping up with regulatory updates, guidance notes, and international standards can be challenging, particularly for organisations operating across multiple sectors or jurisdictions.

If compliance activities feel reactive rather than proactive, this can be a sign that additional support is required. 

External safety engineering consultants monitor regulatory developments as part of their core role and can help interpret how changes apply to your specific operations.

Independent safety engineering support also helps demonstrate due diligence. Having external assessments or reviews can provide reassurance to regulators, insurers, and stakeholders that risks are being managed appropriately.

Repeated Incidents, Near Misses, or Audit Findings

A clear warning sign is a pattern of repeated incidents, near misses, or similar audit findings. Even if individual events appear minor, recurring issues often indicate underlying weaknesses in systems, procedures, or safety culture.

Internal teams can become accustomed to certain risks over time, especially if no serious incident has occurred. An external safety engineering consultancy brings objectivity and independence, helping identify root causes rather than treating symptoms.

Addressing these issues early can help prevent escalation and reduce the likelihood of more serious events occurring in the future.

Major Projects, Modifications, or New Installations

Significant changes to processes or facilities often introduce new hazards. New plant installations, major modifications, or changes in operating philosophy require thorough risk assessment and validation of safety systems.

Typically, a HAZID (hazard identification) study is completed early on in the project, to help identify what major hazards might occur due to the nature of the process and the chemicals involved. As the design develops, the design would then be subjected to a HAZOP (hazard and operability) study. This would delve into the detail to try and find less obvious hazards.  It would also highlight where the major risks are so that further analysis can be undertaken.  These activities are typically led by an independent safety engineering consultant, to provide structure, consistency of approach, as well as specialist knowledge.  In our experience, knowledge of more detailed, quantitative studies, such as those required for functional safety, are skill sets possessed only by a few teams. 

It’s also worth pointing out that as the design progresses, the cost of design changes or rework increases rapidly.

Loss of Objectivity or Internal Bias

Internal teams often have deep knowledge of their systems, which is valuable, but familiarity can also create blind spots. Long-standing practices may be accepted without question, even if they no longer reflect best practice or current standards. ‘Marking your own homework’ might seem like a cost-effective methodology, but it is a risky move in our experience. 

External safety engineering consultants are not influenced by internal culture or established ways of working; albeit we may follow your internal hazard study procedures, for example. And although we try hard to get along with everyone, our independence allows us to challenge assumptions, ask difficult questions, and highlight risks that may have become normalised over time.

We are here to be your critical friend. 

This independent perspective is one of the most important benefits of using a safety engineering consultancy, particularly for mature or long-operating facilities.

Gaps in Safety Documentation or Management Systems

Outdated documentation, incomplete risk assessments, or inconsistencies between procedures and actual operations are common indicators that safety management systems need attention. These gaps can create confusion during abnormal situations and increase the likelihood of errors.

External safety engineering consultants can review and update documentation such as safety critical procedures, to align them with real operating conditions. This helps ensure safety management systems remain effective and usable. 

This support helps improve both compliance and day-to-day safety performance.

Pressure on Internal Teams

When safety responsibilities are added on top of already full workloads, important activities can be delayed or deprioritised. This may include overdue reviews, postponed testing, or incomplete follow-up on actions. In particular, proof testing of safety instrumented systems may be deferred, affecting the reliability of the safety function. 

External safety support can review the effects of delays and deferments and provide targeted assistance where it is most needed. This allows internal teams to maintain focus without compromising safety standards.

How External Safety Engineering Consultancy Adds Value

Engaging external safety engineering support demonstrates a proactive approach to risk management and continuous improvement.

Safety engineering consultants bring structured methodologies, cross-industry experience, and up-to-date knowledge of standards and best practice. They help organisations identify risks more clearly, implement effective controls, and build confidence in their safety systems.

Understanding when to hire a safety consultant allows businesses to act early, reducing the likelihood of incidents, delays, and unplanned costs.

How 6 Engineering Can Support You

At 6 Engineering, we provide independent safety engineering consultancy support tailored to your operations. Our engineers work across high-risk industries to deliver practical, evidence-based solutions that strengthen safety, compliance, and performance.

We support clients with hazard identification, risk assessments, HAZOP studies, functional safety, and safety management system reviews. Our approach focuses on understanding your processes and working alongside your team to deliver meaningful improvements.

If you are seeing signs that your organisation could benefit from independent safety engineering  support, get in touch with 6 Engineering today to discuss how we can help.