You may not like the idea of dealing with paperwork - but it is what it is. We’re here to help and as QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety and Environment) experts, we can get you registered and/or accredited.
As a small business owner, the major challenge is getting yourself in front of the guys that matter - those who are seeking contractors to work on long term site projects.
To get you on that path, we would recommend that you think about registering with various bodies such as:
Not only that, you may need help in these areas:
ISO 9001, 45001 and 14001
Health and Safety training
Risk assessments
Sorting out your policies
How can I get on public sector tender lists?
This is a question we get asked a lot. In order to get a company listed for tender opportunities in the public sector domain, you have to demonstrate compliance in a number of areas.
Health & Safety
As we all know, the construction industry is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive.
With exposure to risks and hazards and the protection of workers’ safety a priority, you are required to keep up to date with regulations and UK legislation concerning all aspects of health and safety including risk assessments.
You are also required to demonstrate operational compliance which means you adhere to quality processes and systems.
When bidding for public sector projects, you will be required (regardless of your company’s size) to demonstrate compliance.
In a nutshell: if you want to be on a preferred list of contractors to tender for work in health, education, law enforcement, highways, local and central government and more, you’ll need to meet certain standards.
What is SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement)?
We probably don’t need to dwell on the origins of SSIP right now, but fundamentally, SSIP is supported by the Health and Safety Executive and there are, in fact, over 30 schemes which fit under the umbrella of SSIP.
Don’t panic! You don’t need to register with all the schemes available. CHAS, Acclaim, Constructionline and SafeContractor are just a few examples of the schemes you’ve most probably heard of.
How to get CHAS accreditation (and others)
To be clear, demonstrating compliance in one of the schemes means you’re likely to tick the boxes for another. Be aware that any potential client may have a particular favourite scheme. In most cases though, registration to one means you can avoid the pain of further prequalification.
Let’s take CHAS, one of the UK’s main providers of risk mitigation services, as an example. On its website, CHAS states that it “is committed to simplifying the process of demonstrating health and safety compliance. Our health and safety assessments review your health and safety policy and all associated health and safety procedures, processes, arrangements and records.”
Paragon QHSE will advise you before you sign up for a scheme, check that it is recognised under the SSIP family - and as CHAS details ensure that when you do apply, no stone has been left unturned and you meet all the necessary requirements.
As a tradesman, what do I need to provide to get accredited?
It can’t be avoided; there’s a fair amount of paperwork to submit before you pass the required assessment.
It’s quite an onerous task.
Depending on the level of accreditation you are seeking (CHAS, for example has 3 levels), you may be asked to submit information on your:
Health and safety policies
Records of health and safety training
Arrangements for accident reporting
Records of inspections
Details of risk assessments
Fire risk assessment and precaution
Details of COSHH assessments
Management of PAT testing records
Manual handling, working at height protocols
Paperwork relating to insurance
Method statements
I haven’t got the time - the day job needs me!
From initial registration, to completing questionnaires and providing supporting evidence, Paragon QHSE can manage the construction application approval process on your behalf.
We’ll handle the entire process for you and manage any queries that inevitably come back at the initial stage of the application.
Leave the paperwork to us, we’ll get your submission in and get your business on an SSIP approved scheme.
You may need to resubmit your application on an annual basis - CHAS for one, requires annual renewal and we can help with that too.
To sum up - the key takeaways for QHSE accreditation
If you want your business to succeed and get your name on those prized public sector tender lists then talk to us.
If you’re looking to bid for public sector construction projects - be it housing, education, health, government, transport etc. - then you will need to demonstrate that you deliver your services according to protocols and that you take those protocols very seriously indeed.
* Protocols refers to Quality, Health & Safety and Environmental
Book a consultation with us (just £45 for half an hour of our expertise) and we’ll explain the process and how we can help get you accredited.
We can also assess your current accreditation. You don’t want to be in the position of submitting multiple accreditation requests on a regular basis. You’ll spend more time pen-pushing than being on site!
Renewal. Do you need to renew your accreditation? Are you looking to apply to another body and what to assess their suitability? We can do all of that.
