Close Navigation

Search

New Fast Track Safe Contractor Service

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

31 May 2016

Health and safety blog

New Fast Track Safe Contractor Service

Applying and renewing your Safe Contractor accreditation has never been easier. Safe Contractor have introduced a new fast track service to help to speed up the assessment of your application:

  • Standard turnaround – 4-6 weeks
  • Fast Track – 3-5 working days
  • Fast Track Premium – 2 working days

There are additional benefits to the new service as well as the response time, these are:

  • Dedicated support officer
  • Advice and Assistance
  • Priority audit and certificate
  • Partial Completion

What are the benefits?

The accreditation is a recognised in the industry and will save you time completing multiple pre-qualification questionnaires (PPQ’s) for your clients.

  • Compliance – The accreditation shows compliance with health & safety law.
  • More opportunities – More organisations will work with you.
  • Commercial benefits – Opens the door for bigger & better contracts.
  • Time and resources – Helps improve your business’ productivity.
  • Health & Safety Standards – Improve company health & safety practice.
  • Communication – A standardised process helps improve communication.

There are additional business benefits that can be found on their website.

Why apply for your Safe Contractor accreditation?

When you undertake your Safe Contractor registration, you will be demonstrating that you meet the recognised standards required by any organisation looking to employ you as a contractor. Having your Safe Contractor accreditation is almost certain to open more doors and lead to more opportunities – in turn generating more business and profit for you, ensuring your own workforce is protected by robust health and safety practices.

Ticking all the boxes to be Safe Contrctor approved

With over 20 years experience here at Seguro we can assist you from start to finish with the minimum amount of input from yourselves.

Our job is make sure that we provide you with the information and assistance to complete the submission and to ensure you can use the documents created moving forward.

The benefits of using Seguro for your Safe Contractor application

We have over 20 years experience in the industry and successfully complete over 500 applications every year.

  • Save time and money. We fill out all the forms for you.
  • Win more work. Many organisations require businesses to be registered.
  • Health & safety standards. Improve company health & safety practice.
  • Competitive edge. Stay ahead of your competitors.
  • Communication. A standardised process helps improve communication.
  • Freedom. Focus on your core business activities.

We can help you to complete all the paperwork needed as well as helping you to implement the process into your business moving forward.

There are associated costs involved, to find out the latest fees get in touch and we will give you all the insights you need to make a decision.

If you are unsure if Safe Contractor is what you need and would like some advice on which accreditation would be best for your company please get in touch and we will be happy to help.

SafeContractor Alcumus & SafeContractor Login

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

5 January 2016

Health and safety blog

SafeContractor Alcumus & SafeContractor Login: Complete Guide for Contractors

SafeContractor login – How to get accredited, manage your account, and stay compliant

What Is the SafeContractor Scheme?

The SafeContractor Scheme, operated by Alcumus, is one of the UK’s leading health & safety accreditation programmes. It provides independent verification that your business meets essential standards in:

  • Health & safety management

  • Competence and training

  • Insurance and risk control

  • Environmental and ethical practices (with SafePQQ)

For contractors, subcontractors, and service providers, SafeContractor is a powerful way to demonstrate compliance, meet client requirements, and win more work.

SafeContractor is widely used in sectors such as:

  • Construction

  • Facilities management

  • Engineering

  • Cleaning & maintenance

  • Manufacturing

  • Local authority and public sector

How can we help?

We can complete the application, gather all required documents and answers to questions, and compile all necessary evidence, allowing you to focus on your job. We are efficient, economical and have a 100% success rate.

Get your accreditation within a few days with zero pain!

Why SafeContractor Accreditation Matters

SafeContractor Alcumus accreditation benefits contractors in several ways:

1. Helps You Win More Work

Many principal contractors, FM companies, and large clients require SafeContractor as part of their onboarding and procurement process. Having it increases your chances during PQQs and tendering.

2. Reduces Repetitive Paperwork

SafeContractor acts as a verified pre-qualification, meaning you won’t need to complete lengthy safety questionnaires for each new contract.

3. Demonstrates Legal Compliance

The assessment aligns with key UK legislation including:

  • Health and Safety at Work Act

  • Management of Health & Safety Regulations

  • CDM Regulations

4. Builds Trust With Clients

Displaying the SafeContractor badge signals professionalism, competence, and strong safety culture.

5. Improves Your Safety Systems

The scheme encourages businesses to maintain up-to-date policies, RAMS, training records, and incident procedures.

What SafeContractor Assesses

To gain accreditation, companies must provide evidence of:

Health & Safety Documentation

  • H&S policy

  • Risk assessments (RAMS)

  • COSHH documents

  • Contractor control procedures

  • Workplace safety arrangements

Competence & Training

  • CSCS/CPCS proof

  • Certificates of training

  • Induction procedures

  • Toolbox talks

Insurance Requirements

  • Employer’s liability

  • Public liability

  • Professional indemnity (if required)

Environmental & Ethical Standards (SafePQQ)

  • Environmental policy

  • Equality & diversity

  • Anti-bribery

  • Modern slavery

How to Get SafeContractor Accreditation

Follow these steps to achieve approval:

Step 1 – Register Online

Visit the SafeContractor website and create an account.

Step 2 – Complete Your Company Profile

Provide details on:

  • Business activities

  • Trades and competencies

  • Employee numbers

  • Contact information

Step 3 – Upload Required Evidence

Submit your:

  • RAMS

  • Policies

  • Training records

  • Insurance certificates

  • Relevant compliance documents

Step 4 – Assessment Review

An Alcumus auditor reviews your documents and may request additional evidence (known as a “further information request”).

Step 5 – Approval & Certification

Once approved, you can access your:

  • SafeContractor certificate

  • Accreditation badge

  • Listing in the SafeContractor directory

Accreditation lasts for 12 months.

STOP THINK

There is a quick way to get your accreditation. We have a 100% success rate for completed accreditations and complete over 1,000 per year; we can do it for you. CALL 0800 031 5404 during office hours or complete the form on the link below:

Get your Accreditation within a few days with zero pain! From £300

How to Use the SafeContractor Login – Step-by-Step Guide

Once registered, you can manage everything from your SafeContractor portal.

1. Visit the SafeContractor Login Page

Go to the official SafeContractor Alcumus website and click “Login” at the top right.

2. Enter Your Email and Password

Use the credentials you created during registration.

3. Access Your Dashboard

From your dashboard, you can:

  • Upload documents

  • Respond to auditor requests

  • Renew your accreditation

  • Update insurance details

  • Download your certificate

  • Edit your business profile

4. Manage Accreditation Renewal

Renewals are handled through the same login area and typically require updated:

  • RAMS

  • Policies

  • Training certificates

  • Insurance documents

5. SafePQQ Login (Optional)

If you’re using SafePQQ for extended PQQ compliance, access it through the same portal.

Common Login Issues & How to Fix Them

Forgotten Password

Click “Forgot password?” to reset it via email.

Dashboard Locked

This may happen if documents are overdue—contact support or update your information.

Document Upload Errors

Ensure files are:

  • PDF or JPG

  • Under the allowed size

  • Clearly scanned

Accreditation Not Showing

This usually appears once the audit team completes their final review.

SafeContractor vs Other SSIP Schemes

Accreditation Focus Best For
SafeContractor Health & safety + PQQ Contractors wanting strong buyer recognition
CHAS Safety & compliance Construction sector
SMAS Health & safety Trades & subcontractors
Constructionline PAS91 compliance Larger contractors & supply chain

Many companies hold multiple SSIP accreditations for wider client acceptance.

Conclusion: Is SafeContractor Worth It?

Yes, it’s one of the most recognised and respected SafeContractor Alcumus accreditations in the UK. It helps businesses:

✔ Win more work
✔ Strengthen credibility
✔ Reduce paperwork
✔ Stay legally compliant
✔ Improve safety performance

If your business wants to grow in construction, facilities management, engineering, or the public sector, SafeContractor accreditation is a strategic investment.

Get your Accreditation within a few days with zero pain! from £300

How to make sure you are compliant in 2016

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

22 December 2015

Competent person

How to make sure you are compliant in 2016 – Health & Safety Legislation

Throughout the year the HSE release various updates to existing legislation in order to ensure that the legislation stay current and suitable for the changing workplaces we all work in.

There are various ways for you find this information out:

  • Periodically visit the HSE website to see if there are any changes posted.
  • Search online to see if you can find anything.
  • Become a member of a professional body
  • Sign up to various magazines.
  • Outsource your Competent Safety Advisor resource.

As part of our Competent Safety Advisor service we ensure that on a monthly basis you are provided with all changes should they affect you or not. That way you are fully informed and up to date on all changes and can make the business decision yourselves if you need to be aware.

There are additional benefits to our service that can ensure that going into 2016 Health & Safety isnt something yo need to worry about you can concentrate on your business.

  • A comprehensive Health and Safety Management System – complete with policies, procedures, forms, checklists, etc to ensure compliance with legislation
  • Development of your company Health and Safety Policy
  • Development of a company employee handbook
  • Development of an Environmental Policy
  • Assistance in Accident Reporting to Enforcing Authorities/Accident Investigation
  • Liaison with Enforcing Authorities on your behalf
  • Access to telephone advice on an unlimited number of occasions
  • Updates on any changes in Health and Safety legislation

Below is a copy of our latest legislation updates, if you think we may be able to help you on a monthly basis please get in touch.

Legislation/Consultation In Force/
Closes
Need to Know Applies In Resource
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 23rd Dec 15 Transitional period for projects started before April 2015 ends. Works with more than one contractor must have appointed a principal designer. GB hse.gov.uk
Transportation of Directive 2013/35/EU on exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) 3rd Dec 15 Proposed Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations will require duty holders to assess exposure to EMFs GB hse.gov.uk
Deregulation Act 2015 3rd Dec 15 Turban wearing Sikhs do not have to wear head protection in any industries. GB hse.gov.uk
The Health and safety at Work ect. Act 1974 (General Duties of Self-Employed Persons ) (Prescribed Undertakings) Regulations 2015 Oct-15 Changes the law to exempt self-employed people whose work activity poses no potential risk to other workers or the public. GB hse.gov.uk
Offshore Installations (Offshore Safety Directive) (Safety Case ect) Regulations 2015 Jul- 15 Applies to offshore oil and gas operators, interoperating additional requirements of directive 2013/30/EU GB External Waters hse.gov.uk
Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH) 2015 Jun-15 Main Duties unchanged from 1999 regs; lower tier operators must provide public information about their site and its hazards for the first time; both upper tier and lower tier operators must provide public information electronically. GB hse.gov.uk
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 May-15 Workers undertaking non-licensed work for the first time must have a medical examination before they start. England and Wales legislation.gov.uk
Construction (Design and Management) regulations 2015 Apr-15 CDM coordinator replaced with principal designer, prescriptive requirements for duty holders to check contractors’ competence removed, CDM duties extended to domestic clients. GB hse.gov.uk
Road Traffic Act 1988 Mar-15 Section 5 amended to include an offence of driving under the influence of a controlled drug – including some prescription medications. England and Wales lexisurl.com

CHAS accreditation cost

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

24 November 2015

CHAS

CHAS Accreditation Cost: Full Breakdown for UK Contractors

If you’re a contractor, builder, or maintenance company looking to get CHAS accredited, one of the first questions you’ll ask is:

“How much does CHAS accreditation cost?”

CHAS pricing varies depending on your business size, risk category, and which level of accreditation you choose (Standard, Advanced, or Elite). This guide breaks down all CHAS costs clearly, so you know exactly what to expect—no surprises.

Let’s get started.

Our CHAS accreditation cost article will give you all the information you need to make a decision, if CHAS is right for you.

The CHAS accreditation costs below are dated January 2025. Please get in touch with us for up-to-date costs if this article becomes out of date.

CHAS offers three membership packages with different levels of accreditation:

CHAS Standard

The entry-level package includes a health and safety assessment and SSIP accreditation. 

CHAS Advanced

The mid-range package includes all the Standard package benefits, plus helps you achieve SSIP and PAS 91 accreditation. 

CHAS Elite

The highest level of accreditation, which includes all the benefits of the other packages, plus access to the Common Assessment Standard 

The Common Assessment Standard covers 13 areas of risk management, including: 

  1. Identity
  2. Financial
  3. Insurance
  4. Corporate and professional standing
  5. Health and Safety
  6. Environmental management
  7. Quality management
  8. Equality
  9. Corporate and professional standing
  10. Information security
  11. Information management
  12. Anit-Bribery and corruption
  13. Modern Slavery

While CHAS accreditation isn’t legally required, some clients may specify that it’s needed to work on their sites. It’s a common requirement for public sector and commercial contracts.

CHAS accreditation cost

CHAS has developed a membership-type offering that gives you the benefits described below. The cost of each type depends on how many people you employ. Costs per annum: You must renew the certification each year.

CHAS membership benefits include: 

  • Free legal assistance
  • Business Shield support
  • A free 1-month CHAS RAMs trial
  • Access to a jobs board
  • Free resources
  • Exclusive discounts

CHAS Standard

  • 1 person £409 + VAT
  • 2 to 4 people £459 + VAT
  • 5 to 15 people £749 + VAT
  • 31 to 50 people £1189 + VAT
  • 102 to 200 people £2019 + VAT

CHAS Advanced

  • 1 person £639 + VAT
  • 2 to 4 people £739 + VAT
  • 5 to 15 people £1,139 + VAT
  • 31 to 50 people £1,859 + VAT
  • 102 to 200 people £3,00 + VAT

CHAS Elite

  • 1 person £879 + VAT
  • 2 to 4 people £919 + VAT
  • 5 to 15 people £1,339 + VAT
  • 31 to 50 people £2,329 + VAT
  • 102 to 200 people £3,679 + VAT

Let us help you save money CALL 0800 031 5404

We know how the system works and can help youy make the right decsions on your accreditation, saving you money.

How to Reduce CHAS Accreditation Costs

Here’s how contractors can save money:

★ 1. Let us help you

You may be paying too much, from a call we can easily give you some best value free advise.

★ 2. Prepare documents before applying

Avoid resubmission delays.

★ 3. Use a consultant to complete the application

Often cheaper than multiple failed attempts.

★ 4. Renew early

Late renewals sometimes incur admin costs.

★ 5. Keep training up to date

CHAS rejects expired certificates instantly.

★ 6. Choose the correct CHAS level

Many small contractors don’t need Advanced or Elite.

Get your CHAS or renewal within a few days with zero pain! from £300

Other CHAS accreditation Costs

Training

To comply with the standard, you may be required to train your personnel in the following courses if you have not already done so.

  • Asbestos The Control of Asbestos Regulations
  • Working at Height The Work at Height Regulations CHAS 2013 Ltd –
  • First Aid The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations
  • Fire precautions The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations
  • Noise and vibration The Control of Noise at Work Regulations (NAW Regs) and The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations
  • Personal Protective Equipment Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations (PPE Regs)
  • Substances hazardous to Health Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs (COSHH)
  • Electricity Electricity at Work Regs
  • Manual handling Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHO Regs)
  • Work Equipment Provision and Use of Work Equipment (PUWE) Regs

Competent person safety advisor

You must employ a competent safety advisor if you employ more than five people. If you are a large organisation, you may already have one. Employing a qualified safety advisor may be prohibitive if you are a small contractor.

We are the remote competent person safety advisor for over eight hundred companies. We can offer this service to you for a fraction of the cost.

Cost Savings

An alternative SSIP accreditation that saves you cost

The other popular SSIP accreditation suppliers are:

  • PQS
  • Construction line
  • Safe Contractor
  • SMAS
  • CQMA
  • Builders profile
  • Evetta

The costs for a PQS accreditation, for example, are:

  • Deem to satisfy £49 + VAT
  • 1 person £99 + VAT
  • 2 to 4 people £119 + VAT
  • over 5 people £149 + VAT

As you can see, the cost is a fraction of the cost of CHAS. Why, you may ask. CHAS was a government project; in recent years, several corporations have bought it out. Costs have risen each time it has been taken over.

CHAS and all the other accreditation suppliers operate under the SSIP umbrella and comply with the SSIP standard. This means the accreditation and applications are all the same.

You can obtain a CHAS certificate with PQS accreditation with the deemed to satisfy system. This can save you a lot of money.

Let us help you make the right selection and save you money CALL 0800 031 5404

Get your CHAS renewal within a few days with zero pain! from £300

CHAS or other SIPP cost calculation

The best way to calculate the full cost of your CHAS/SIPP accreditation is to tell us about your business, and we can give you a full breakdown of costs from the information you provide.

We carry out over five hundred CHAS and other SIPP accreditations annually. We have the skills, prepared documents, and know how to get you accredited with the minimum of fuss and fast. We can turn around an accreditation within five days, subject to having all the information from you.

Learn more about CHAS

We have a series of articles where you can learn more about CHAS. The list of articles is below:

CHAS Support

Completing the CHAS application takes time and resources, as well as completing lots of forms and health and safety documentation.

We can make it easy for you by doing all the leg work for you. We carry out over 500 applications a year with 100% success.

For a small fee, we can take the pain away for you.

Complete the form, or call us on 0800 031 5404 and we will tell you how it works and how much the whole process costs, including the CHAS fee for your circumstances.

    Cost of applying for Constructionline

    Insight by

    amanda

    Amanda Lambert

    Published on

    17 November 2015

    Constructionline

    Cost of applying for constructionline

    Cost of applying for Constructionline and the additional fees for enlisting the help of a consultant.

    Here at Seguro we have fixed costs with no hidden fees, this helps you to budget for your Constructionline application right from the start.

    We will need some information from you to make sure we give you the right quotation:

    • What level are you looking for?
    • How many employees have you got?
    • Do you already have an SSIP accreditation?
    • Is your training up to date?

    Our fees are available on the website in our shop section or by getting in touch.

    Constructionline fees

    Applying for Constructionline and working out if it is going to be cost effective for you as a business can sometimes prove difficult as unlike many qualifications there is no set fee it is based on turnover.

    The fee may seem daunting if you have a large turnover at the time you apply. We have included a sample of the costs (as of 17th March 2025) to give you a rough idea of how much you will need to pay for their assessment.

    Fees start from:

    Bronze £319

    Silver £519

    Gold £599

    Platinum £2549

    There is also a £99 one off joining fee

    Part of the membership benefits include being able to see the opportunities board which alerts you with the latest projects that are relevant to your companies experience.

    Which level do you need?

    There are three main levels for Constructionline and your client is normally the one who specifies what you need. If your unsure which level we recommend Silver to start with as you can always upgrade but not downgrade in the first 12 months.

    Bronze

    Included in plan:

    • Secure Data Storage
    • Searchable Profile
    • Verified Membership
    • Acclaim SSIP included
    • Marketplace access

    Silver

    Included in plan:

    • Secure Data Storage
    • Searchable Profile
    • Verified Membership
    • Acclaim SSIP included
    • Corporate & Professional Standing
    • Marketplace access

    Gold

    Included in plan:

    • Secure Data Storage
    • Searchable Profile
    • Verified Membership
    • Acclaim SSIP included
    • Meets the Common Assessment standard
    • NEW! Building Safety Act Assessments
    • Marketplace access

    Constructionline Support

    Completing the Constructionline application takes time and resources, as well as completing lots of forms and health and safety documentation.

    We can make it easy for you by doing all the leg work for you. We carry out over 500 applications a year.

    For a small fee, we can take the pain away for you.

    Complete the form, and we will tell you how it works and how much the whole process costs.

      Reasons to join the Safecontractor scheme

      Insight by

      amanda

      Amanda Lambert

      Published on

      21 October 2015

      Health and safety blog

      There are multiple reasons to join safe contractor:

      Have you been asked to get the Safecontractor accreditation by one of your clients? Do you know what it is? Safe Contractor is one of the largest expanding health and safety accreditation schemes in the UK, it currently has more than 270 clients and over 24,000 contractor members.

      Fully Qualified Assessor

      Safecontractor has a unique level of specialist knowledge unrivalled by competitors, built on 10 years’ experience of delivering market leading accreditation services. This is further reinforced by engaging only directly employed, experienced and qualified assessors to carry out audits.

      If you are a service supplier or contractor and want to show new and existing clients your health and safety competence, then you can register with the scheme as a contractor. Being a member of the Safecontractor scheme means you will not have to carry on filling in PPQ for every job you tender for as you can use the Safecontractor accreditation to show your compliance.

      As part of the SSIP, Safe contractor can help you to satisfy other accreditations your client may need such as:

      If you need any help with completing your application for Safecontractor or any of the SSIP accreditations we are on hand to provide quick professional support.

      Safe Contactor Enquiry Form

      Let us know how we can assist and we will be back to you within the hour.

        Top dangerous jobs in the UK

        Insight by

        amanda

        Amanda Lambert

        Published on

        15 September 2015

        Health and safety management

         

        Top dangerous jobs in the UK

        You thought you might know the top dangerous jobs in the UK, but the list below may surprise you. Some jobs are more dangerous than others but we weren’t expecting a few of these.

        The latest health and safety statisitcs can be studied at HSE Statistics.

        Builder

        The top most dangerous job comes as no surprise builders are putting themselves at risk everyday – 39 people died in the construction industry between 2012 and 2013, the majority of them by falling from a height.

        Refuse collector

        This isn’t the most pleasant job to have, but being a refuse collector should also carry a health warning. 10 people died collecting, treating and disposing of waste between 2012 and 2013. The industry had a fatality rate of 7.8 per 100,000 employees in 2012/2013

        Farmer

        Agriculture, forestry and fishing has the highest risk of all industrial sector, this sector accounts for an average of one in five fatal injuries. Out of the 29 workers fatally injured in 2012 / 2013 almost 50% were farmers, 17 % were hired hands in the industry. 5 of these were killed by animals, 5 more died by drowning or asphyxiation.

        Miner

        With only three deep pit coal mines left operational in the UK there is still a threat to miners on a daily basis. In 2012 / 2013 there were 2 fatalities and over 150 injuries in the mining and quarrying industry. As the industry has reduced in size, the fatality rate is now the highest in the country at 9.6 per 100,000 employees.

        Shopkeeper

        Although there was no fatal injuries in the retail industry between 2012 / 2013, there were 1619 “major injuries” in the sector with close to 7,000 injuries reported in total.

        Mechanic

        Mechanics and Car Salesmen are also at risk with 8 deaths recorded in 2012 / 2013 and close to 300 major injuries.

        Teacher

        Education is reportedly the most injury prone sector with 1,736 people reporting non-fatal major injuries in 2012 / 2013, although there were no reported fatalities.

        Estate agent

        It might seem like an unlikely career for you to be at risk,  but HSE statistics say that 4 people died in the rental and leasing activities industry in 2012 / 2013, with 70 people suffering from major, but non-fatal, injuries.

        Seguro health and Safety

        Learn more about what we do.

         

         

         

        Do you know the most common reasons for accidents in the workplace?

        Insight by

        amanda

        Amanda Lambert

        Published on

        9 September 2015

        Health and safety news

        Common reasons for accidents in the workplace

        Depending on which industry you work in there are a different variety of hazards you may come into contact with.

        One example is an office worker is much less at risk from being burnt than a chef as you would expect.

        There is however a range of common accidents and injuries which occur across all occupational sectors – and slips / trips and falls invariably top the table.

        In 2013/14

        • over half the fatal injuries to workers were of three kinds: falls from height; contact with moving machinery; and being struck by a vehicle (RIDDOR)
        • falls and slips & trips, combined, account for over a third (35%) of employee injuries. They made up more than half of all reported major/specified injuries and almost three in ten (29%) over-seven-day injuries to employees (RIDDOR)
        • handling was the most frequent cause of over-seven-day injury (RIDDOR)
        • an estimated 1.9 million working days were lost due to handling injuries and slips & trips (LFS).

        Up to date HSE statistics

        Overall, the three most common types of accident/injury were:

        • Trips/slips or falls
        • Machinery / Moving Objects
        • Manual handling/lifting

        Some of the most common injuries were:

        • Sprains and strains
        • Back injury
        • Head injury
        • Neck injury
        • Repetitive Strain Injury

        Most Common Risks 

        Overall, slips/trips and falls or damage caused by manual handling/lifting remain the main culprits of injury in the workplace.

        Some of these risks may have been able to be managed if a risk assessment and workforce training had been carried out. If you need an up to date risk assessment or tool box talks download our free documents below:

        RA1 – Working at Heights

        Slips, Trips and Falls Tool Box Talk

        Safety online training

        Training is the key to reduce the most common accidents in the workplace.

        Our online training is designed for your employees to be able to complete it when it is most convenient for them at work or home. The training is multiple choice and lasts for approx. 1 hour.

        Why our Online Training is different

        • Our course is priced for all businesses at £25 + vat per delegate
        • Mobile friendly
        • We have an online platform that businesses can create an account and allocate employees training purchased
        • Managers are able to see each employees progress
        • We allow up to two resets before the course is considered as a fail
        • Try our training for FREE 

         

        What is CHAS Accreditation?

        Insight by

        amanda

        Amanda Lambert

        Published on

        19 August 2015

        CHAS

        What is CHAS Accreditation

        CHAS Accreditation was a government-run (not-for-profit) scheme administered by the London Borough of Merton. CHAS was acquired by Veriforce LLC, a US-registered company with headquarters in Houston, Texas, USA, in 2022.

        CHAS cofounded and helped pioneer the Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) and the Common Assessment Standard.

        CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) has been developed and refined over a number of years by local government health and safety and procurement professionals, with the support of the Health and Safety Executive.

        Although government bodies have developed CHAS, it is available for use by any public and private sector organisation as an aid when short-listing contractors, suppliers and consultants who apply to work for them.

        CHAS provides information and assurances about the health and safety systems and competencies of the organisations that have been CHAS assessed or registered as CHAS accredited.

        Organisations must submit an application to CHAS to become registered with CHAS and then have a CHAS assessment carried out. By doing so, their potential clients know that they meet minimum acceptable health and safety compliance standards. Clients from both the public and private sectors use CHAS to make assessments of contractors in this way.

        Once the CHAS application has been approved for an organisation, their details are uploaded to the CHAS database, where client members of the Scheme can review an organisation’s details to check that they are, in fact, CHAS registered. One of the benefits to contractors is that by making a successful CHAS application, they can demonstrate to a wide number of potential clients that they achieve or exceed the minimum standards laid down by the assessment scheme.

        With the implementation of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM), there are stricter requirements on Clients and Principal Contractors to ensure that they only employ ‘Competent Contractors’. CHAS has been named in the CDM Regulations by the Health and Safety Executive as being one of the assessment schemes that can be used when demonstrating your competence as an organisation.

        Learn more about CHAS

        We have a series of articles where you can learn more about CHAS. The list of articles is below:

        If you have any questions on what is CHAS accreditation please get in touch.

        How do the CDM 2015 regulation changes affect you?

        Insight by

        amanda

        Amanda Lambert

        Published on

        12 August 2015

        CDM

        How do the CDM 2015 regulation changes affect you?

        Did you know there are CDM 2015 regulation changes that came into place from 6 April 2015. Here is our quick guide on how they might affect you.


        New legislation

        From 6 April 2015, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) came into force, replacing CDM 2007. The key changes of the new CDM regulations are listed below:

        • The revised Regulations apply to all projects including domestic client jobs
        • All projects must have a written construction phase plan
        • The role of CDM co-ordinator in the previous CDM Regs 2007 has been removed and replaced with a new role of principal designer
        • There is a duty to make sure all persons doing the job have the right skills, knowledge, training and experience
        • A Principal designer and principal contractor must be appointed on projects that will have more than one contractor

        CDM 2015 main changes

        CDM Coordinator role replaced by a ‘Principal Designer’. Clients are required to appoint a ‘Principal Designer’ for all projects involving more than one contractor (trade contractor) on site at one time

        Client’s duties strengthened. Several of the previous functions of the CDM Co-ordinator are now to be carried out by the Clients directly, and the wording for these duties is more onerous. Additionally the Client has a new duty to ensure that both the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor comply with their duties.

        Client’s “key project advisor” role removed. Previously the CDM Co-ordinator acted as the “key project advisor in respect of construction health and safety”, however under CDM2015 the Principal Designer only has to provide advice to the Client with respect to Pre-Construction Information. Accordingly, Clients that need help with their duties are advised in the HSE Guidance Document to seek competent specialist advice.

        Duties to be applicable to domestic projects. For domestic projects involving more than one contractor the Principal Contractor will normally assume the Client duties. The domestic Client can choose to appoint a Principal Designer for the project. However if they do not make this appointment, the first Designer appointed during the pre-construction phase becomes the Principal Designer for the project.

        Principal Designer and Principal Contractor required for all projects with more than one “trade” Contractor on site. Clients must appoint both a Principal Designer and Principal Contractor. Principal Designer’s duties include identifying and controlling risks, assisting the Client in the production of PreConstruction Information, and the preparation of the Health and Safety File. Principal Contractor duties include the planning, management and co-ordination of construction phase of the project.

        Construction Phase Plan is required for all projects. The Client is to ensure that a Construction Phase Plan, provided by the Contractor or Principal Contractor, is in place before any works commence.

        Threshold for notification. Notification to the HSE is required for any project exceeding 30 construction days with 20 or more workers, or if the project exceeds 500 person days.

        ‘Explicit competence’ requirements removed. The Client will need to ensure those that are to be appointed (i.e. Designer, Contractor or Principal Contractor and Principal Designer) can demonstrate appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision.


        Further information

        The CITB have produced guidance for all the roles covered under the new CDM 2015 regulations, which can be downloaded here. They have also developed a free CDM Wizard app for Android and IOS to help quickly produce construction phase plans, which can be downloaded via the links below.

        The HSE have also produced detailed guidance called “Managing health and safety in construction – Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015”, which covers the legal requirements for CDM 2015.

        Home Page

        Visit our home page and larn how we can support you.