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Which Accreditation is best for my business?

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

7 March 2024

Constructionline

Which Accreditation is best for my business?

The question which accreditation is best for my business is asked on a daily basis, as a consultant that is not a question we can answer for your business. There are a number of factors you should take into account when you are making the decision:

  • Have you been asked by a client to have a particular one?
  • Are you looking to get on a certain clients supplier list – they may have a preference?
  • What is the purpose of the accreditation?
  • Do you have a budget in mind?
  • Do you have all the necessary paperwork?

If you have an answer to any of the above then that accreditation is the best one for your business as there is already the promise of a return on your investment.

Our advice where a client has no preference and there is a possibility that they will need both in the future is to follow this process:

Which assessment company do you select?

CHAS
PQS
Construction line
Safe Contractor
SMAS
CQMA
Builders profile
Avetta

The most expensive is CHAS, and the least costly is PQS. Due to the Deem to Satisfy system by SSIP, a PQS accreditation is equivalent to a CHAS accreditation, and for a small fee, you can obtain certificates for both.

The driver for selection usually is your customer; if they insist on CHAS, you can get accredited with PQS and request a certificate for CHAS within the process.

Impartial advise

Feel free to call us, and we can advise you on the best selection for your needs. We have completed thousands of applications and understand the market inside out. We don’t mind which company you select; the assessment process is the same, thanks to SSIP.

Who is Seguro

Seguro Health and Safety Management employs qualified health and safety consultants who complete the application to obtain accreditation from all the assessment companies. Seguro removes the pain of completing all the documentation and ensuring you comply.

Stage one: Apply for your PQS accreditation as this can be used for the Health & Safety Section of CHAS or Constructionline as well as being able to be used for many deem to satisfy schemes under the SSIP umbrella scheme.

Stage Two: Once you have your certificate for PQS apply for your CHAS and Constructionline status.

Each business is individual so if you want to get bespoke advice, please give us a ring on 0800 031 5404

 

Health & Safety when you have 5 employees or more

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

27 February 2024

Competent person

Health & Safety when you have 5 employees or more

As soon as you have 5 employees or more, you have a legal requirement to comply with all work-related health and safety legislation.

Your obligations are outlined in the Safety at Work Regulations 1974.

How this changes from less than five employees is you now need to ensure you have:

  • Written Health and Safety Policy
  • Written Health and Safety Policy Statement
  • Written Risk Assessments
  • COSHH assessments
  • Toolbox talks
  • A competent person either within your business or a consultant.

We act as competent people for over 800 companies. When we act as your competent person, we will complete all the documents you need to comply and keep the documents up to date as legislation changes. You also have access to over 1,000 documents including risk and method statements, COSHH data, toolbox talks, and more. We charge a small monthly fee. 

If you are not sure exactly what your business will require, you can find details on it by visiting the HSE website. Every business is different, and a competent person will be able to cover all aspects for you.

If you wish to employ your own competent person, they should be fully qualified in all aspects of Health & Safety; this can prove to be an expensive requirement if you employ them full-time. 

There are a number of resources on the HSE website that will be able to help you with any changes that may affect you as you continue to grow.

We are a friendly and professional team of people working to help and support like-minded people to get on with their work as we work in the background.

Complete the form on this page and we will arrange a call so you can learn more, call 0800 031 5404

 

What are Toolbox Talks

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

19 February 2024

Health and safety blog

What are Toolbox Talks?

Toolbox Talks are a good way for employers and supervisors to ensure employees are all given key information and details of business processes in the simple structure. They are quick 15 minute sessions which can ensure your employees are up to date with important information  They are ideal for training of Health & Safety topics as well as good housekeeping.

Why are they called Toolbox Talks?

The term Toolbox talks originated as they were originally used for the Construction industry as a way to give employees quick precise training on Health & Safety topics such as Manual Handling and PPE.  These are now being used more industry wide as a way to communicate with employees topics that are important to the day to day running of the business.

How do I deliver a Toolbox Talk?

The best way to deliver a Toolbox talk is to have the information on screen as well as a handout for your employees to make notes as you are going through it.

Download 70 FREE toolbox talk now.

What’s included with the FREE toolbox talks download

The full list of all 70 toolbox talks are listed below.

TT1 – Abrasive Wheels
This talk will cover hazards and using portable and bench-mounted abrasive wheels.

TT2 – Accident Prevention & Control
Covers the cause, costs, and prevention of accidents.

TT3 – Accident Reporting & Investigation
Health and safety law requires that the following types of accidents be reported to the HSE:

  • Fatalities and major accidents
  • Injuries resulting in more than 7 days off work or inability to carry on with normal work
  • Dangerous occurrences

TT4 – Alcohol and Drugs
This talk will cover the effects of alcohol and drugs on your safety and others.

TT5 – Asbestos
This talk will cover where you will find asbestos, how it can affect you and hazardous work.

TT6 – Benefits of Safety
This talk will cover how everyone benefits from working on a safe site and the costs of not doing so.

TT7 – Buried Services
This talk will cover gas, water mains, sewers and colour coding for buried services.

TT8 – Cartridge-Operated Tools
This talk will cover before use, safe use, hazards and after use of tools.

TT9 – Chainsaws
This talk will cover preparation for use, refuelling and safe use of chainsaws.

TT10 – Control of Dust & Fumes
This talk will cover some sources and dangers of dust and fumes, as well as examples of precautions that can be taken.

TT11 – Control of Noise
This talk will cover hazards, controlling noise and ear protection.

TT11 – COSHH
This talk will cover risk assessment, hazards, control measures and safe use of substances.                                                                                                        

TT13 – Electricity on Site
This talk will cover underground cables and overhead power lines.

TT14 – Excavations
This talk will cover precautions and accidents.                                                                                       

TT15 – Fire Prevention & Control
This talk will cover fire prevention, precautions, types of extinguishers and actions on fire.

TT16 – First Aid
This talk will cover the following: before first aid, when first aid is required, and basic first aid.

TT17 – General Safety Legislation
This talk will cover details of legislation introduced to protect your health and safety whilst at work.

TT18 – General Site Health & Safety
This talk will cover responsibilities under health and safety legislation and on-site safety.

TT19 – Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
This talk will cover legal responsibilities and penalties under the Act.

TT20 – Health on Site
This talk will cover types of health issues affecting construction workers and the preventative measures.

TT21 – HFLs & Petroleum Based Adhesives
This talk will cover the hazards, storage and use of these products.

TT22 – Hoists and Hoist Towers
This talk will cover safe working practices when using hoists.

TT23 – Hydro Demolition
This talk will cover the dangers associated with hydro demolition and how they can be overcome.

TT24 – Ladders
This talk will cover before-use checks, use of ladders and hazards.

TT25 – Lead Hazards
This talk will cover the effects of lead on the body, the methods of controlling exposure and sources of exposure.

TT26 – Legal Duties of Employees
This talk will cover the legal duties of employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and regulations.

TT27 – Lifting Accessories
This talk will cover slings, chains, shackles, hooks and eyebolts.

TT28 – Lifting Equipment & Operations
This talk will cover the procedures to follow to ensure that lifting operations are carried out in a safe manner.

TT29 – LPG & Other Compressed Gases
This talk will cover hazards, use, storage and transport.

TT30 – Manual Handling
This talk will cover considerations and good techniques for manual handling.

TT31 – Mobile Elevating Work Platforms
This talk will cover the hazards and safe operating methods for MEWPs.

TT32 – Mobile Plant
This talk will cover the dangers associated with mobile plant and how they can be overcome.

TT33 – Mobile Scaffold Towers
This talk will cover erection, use, stability and hazards.

TT34 – Needle-stick Injuries
This talk will cover the actions you should take if you discover a needle and if you prick your skin with it.

TT35 – Personal Hygiene
This talk will cover the price that you may have to pay for poor standards of personal hygiene and what you can do to prevent it.

TT36 – Personal Protective Equipment
This talk will cover the measures necessary to ensure that the use of PPE is effective.

TT37 – Piling
This talk will cover The dangers and precautions to be taken.

TT38 – Plant & Equipment
This talk will cover safe operating procedures for plants and equipment; please note that lifting equipment, woodworking machines, MEWP and electrical hand tools are covered in other toolbox talks

TT39 – Pollution Control
This talk will cover sources of pollution and ways in which operatives can ensure that they don’t contribute to the pollution of the environment.

TT40 – Portable, Hand-held Tools
This talk will cover before-use checks, the use of electric tools and hazards.

TT41 – Powers of the HSE
This talk will cover what you should be aware of and what to do if an inspector visits your place of work.

TT42 – Protection of Eyes
This talk will cover hazards and wearing eye protection.

TT43 – Protection of Skin
This talk will cover hazards to the skin and precautions to protect the skin.

TT44 – Risk Assessment & Method Statements
This talk will cover what risk assessments and method statements mean to you.

TT45 – Road & Street Safety
This talk will cover the precautions necessary to protect operatives and road users.

TT46 – Safe Stacking of Materials
This talk will cover general points and stacking of bricks, timber, pipes and prefabricated panels.

TT47 – Safe Working at Height
The talk covers the hazards of working on roofs and safety when working at height.

TT48 – Safety in Demolition
This talk will cover before and during the demolition, as well as hazards on the demolition site

TT49 – Safety Inspections & Consultation
This talk will cover the benefits of safety inspections and consultation.

TT50 – Safety Nets & Suspension Equipment
This talk will cover items to be considered before, during and after using safety nets and suspension equipment.

TT51 – Safety with Steelwork
This talk will cover the hazards associated with the erection of steelwork and the precautions to be taken.

TT52 – Security on Site
This talk will cover the hazards to unauthorised visitors and ways of preventing unauthorised access.   

TT53 – Signallers and Slingers
This talk will cover lifting gear, before lifting, during lifting and potential hazards

TT54 – Site Transport
This talk will cover the dangers associated with site transport and how they can be overcome.

TT55 – Slips, Trips and Falls
This talk will cover the causes and prevention of slips, trips and falls.

TT56 – Sun Safety
This talk will cover the facts and statistics about skin cancer, who is at risk and how to protect yourself.

TT57 – System Scaffolds
This talk covers safety features, which are specific system scaffolds. In addition to other safety features that are common to all scaffolds,

TT58 – Trackside Safety
This talk will cover some hazards and precautions associated with working on railways.

TT59 – Trestles and Stepladders
This talk will cover folding adjustable trestles and stepladders.

TT60 – Tube & Fittings Scaffolding
This talk will cover access, loading, hazards, inspection and security.

TT61 – Vehicle Fuels
This talk will cover the hazards created by different fuels and the precautions necessary.

TT62 – Vibration
This talk will cover the sources, effects and methods of overcoming excessive vibration.

TT63 – Waste Management
This talk will cover the risks to health and safety resulting from poor housekeeping.

TT64 – Water Jetting
This talk will cover the dangers associated with water jetting and how they can be overcome.

TT65 – Weil’s Disease
This talk will cover the effects and symptoms of Weil’s disease, the measures you should take to avoid it, and who may be at risk.

TT66 – Welfare Arrangements
This talk will cover the factors determining whether site welfare facilities are adequate.

TT67 – Woodworking Machines
This talk will cover the safety precautions in the use of hand-held circular saws and floor-mounted woodworking machines.

TT68 – Working in Confined Spaces
This talk will cover hazards, such as before entry, work in confined spaces, and emergency procedures.

TT69 – Working over Water
This talk will cover the prevention of drowning and rescue from the water.

TT70 – Young People on Site
This talk will cover why young people are vulnerable and what we should all be doing to safeguard their health and safety on site.

Download the 70 FREE toolbox talk now.

How can i check if someone is SSIP registered?

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

3 January 2024

Accreditations

Introduction

If you are a construction client and are looking to check if the contractor you are looking to employ is SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) registered, look no further! We will show you how to determine if someone is SSIP registered, giving you the peace of mind you need before starting your project.

Contractor

If you are a contractor looking to become SSIP registered, you will need to select an accreditation company. The accreditation companies we work with are:

CHAS
PQS
ConstructionLine
Safe contractor
SMAS
CQMA
Builders profile
Evetta
Other

The most expensive is CHAS, and the least costly is PQS. Due to the Deem to Satisfy system by SSIP, a PQS accreditation is equivalent to a CHAS accreditation, and for a small fee, you can obtain certificates for both.

The driver for selection is normally your customer; if they insist on CHAS, you can get accredited with PQS and request a certificate for CHAS within the process.

Independent Advice

Feel free to call us, and we can advise you on the best selection for your needs. We have completed thousands of applications and understand the market inside out. We don’t mind which company you select; the assessment process is the same, thanks to SSIP.

Contact us

Checking if a contractor is SSIP registered is straightforward

Go to the SSIP website and click onto the SSIP Portal.

In the search section type in the contractor name and press enter. If they are registered, the SSIP website. portal will give you the registration and renewal date details.

In order to find out the details and check it is the correct company you will need:

  • Company full registered
  • Registered address

Contacting the company and requesting a copy of their SSIP certificate and any additional and relevant documentation is also advisable. They should be willing to provide you with this information if they are a reputable company.

If you are not happy with the work someone has done for you this would not fall under SSIP. You would need to go to trading standards if you cannot resolve the issue with the company. Trading standards website

Testimonial

Ash Electrics

We have now received our Gold award, with 100% thanks to yourselves.

I will share our feedback on your service but just to say a huge thank you, you have always been helpful and supportive and that has been very much appreciated.

With very best wishes

Jane

CHAS or Not?

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

12 December 2023

CHAS

CHAS or NO CHAS?

Are you thinking about getting your CHAS accreditation but not sure if it is the right one for you and your business?

Most of the requests we get to help people with their CHAS applications are from companies who have been asked to have CHAS by a client that they are working with for the first time or for a tender they are applying for.

CHAS is part of the SSIP umbrella group, so it is seen in the industry as a measure of a company’s ability to deliver its services while complying with Health & Safety. As CHAS measures the Health & Safety process within your company, looking at your risk assessments and method statements that you use on current projects to achieve the accreditation shows you meet the required standard.

The accreditation can help you gain more work and open doors for you to work with larger clients and public bodies. A membership fee is applicable, and if you choose to get help with completing the paperwork, there will also be a fee payable for that process. So, you need to make a business decision.

Is the initial cost worth it for the potential gain?

Learn more about SSIP

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

What is SSIP

SSIP accreditation

Remote Competent Safety Advisor Vs Onsite Visiting

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

5 July 2023

Competent person

Remote Competent Safety Advisor Vs Onsite Visiting

We often get asked the question about our Competent Safety Advisor Service to see what the benefits are compared to having someone employed onsite. The obvious one is cost, it is much more cost effective to have a remote competent person as a service, a service like ours starts from £50 per month compared to a full time salary.

Why use an outsourced service?

  • We supply a comprehensive Health and Safety Management System
  • We develop a bespoke company Health and Safety Policy for your business
  • We work with you to develop a company employee handbook
  • We develop an Environmental Policy specific to you
  • We provide assistance in Accident Reporting to Enforcing Authorities/Accident Investigation
  • We will liaison with Enforcing Authorities on your behalf

Ongoing support

  • Access to telephone advice on an unlimited number of occasions
  • Updates on any changes in Health and Safety legislation
  • Access to over 80 risk assessments and various supporting documentation held on our website
  • Yearly review of all documentation and revised documents issued
  • Monthly newsletters giving you latest Health & Safety News as well as legislation updates.

With over 200 clients we provide a comprehensive service that is affordable and reliable so SME’s can have peace of mind that they are compliant with their legal obligations.

There are no hidden fees and we pride ourselves with having an 95% retention record year on year. You can see testimonials on our website or on Trust pilot which is an independent review platform.

If you would like to speak to us or get more information please get in touch.

CHAS or Constructionline how do you decide?

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

4 May 2023

CHAS

CHAS or Constructionline how do you decide?

In terms of Health & Safety accreditation these seem to be the most popular ones we are finding people enquire about. They are different accreditions and can both be useful for your business.

CHAS

CHAS is a remote assessment of your Health & Safety Practices within your business, CHAS assess your competence for carrying out the work you detail you perform. CHAS are looking to make sure everything is in place and your company has the correct level of training and competence within your business. If you have more than 5 employees CHAS will also be looking to make sure you have all your legal responsibilities covered within your Health & Safety policy and you have the correct level of safety advice available to you.

Constructionline

Constructionline is a remote assessment of your company and will be looking for you to provide information about your company, directors, finances and areas of operation. As well as your Health & safety, equal opportunities and environmental management. Constructionline is an online portal where you are able to update your information and save progress over a period of time to enable to you get the documentation needed together. You can then submit your information and feedback will be provided.

If your still unsure which accreditation would be right for you,  get in touch with us and we can talk through the options available to you 0800 031 5404.

Risk Assessments & Method Statements

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

8 March 2023

Health and safety blog

Risk Assessments & Method Statements

Here at Seguro we know that Risk Assessments & Method Statements can seem a daunting task when you have to start them from scratch. We have developed a library of RAMS that can be used within your business on a day to day basis.

We constantly update our RAMS with the latest activity based ones we have created. Our RAMS can be purchased individually or in a pack depending on what you need. If you are unsure if we have the RAMS you need please visit our SHOP and see what you can find. There are some examples listed below:

Risk Assessment & Method Statement For Screeding
Plumbing Works Risk Assessment & Method Statement
External Painting Risk Assessment & Method Statement
Risk assessment & method statement for commercial electrical installation

We also offer a Health & Safety Risk Assessments Pack which contains 65 templates covering a range of subjects.

If you cant find what your looking for please get in touch and we can see if we can help.

Legislative Calendar

Insight by

Avatar photo

Matthew Weatherston

Published on

26 January 2023

Health and safety blog
Legislation/Consultation In force/Closes Need to know Applies In Resources
Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998 28/07/2016 Informal consultation on the effectiveness of the division of regulatory responsibility between the HSE and the local authorities GB hse.gov.uk
Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations 2016 01/07/2016 Implements the EU’s EMF directive. Introduces requiremnt to assess levels of EMF exposure against specific thresholds. GB hse.gov.uk
Explosives Regulations 2014 (amendment) Regulations 2016 20/04/2016 Implements the recast of the Explosives for Civil Uses Directive. Changes include new requirements for the civil use of explosives to be accompanied by instructions and safety information GB hse.gov.uk
Freight Containers (Safety Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 Feb-16 Amendments to the Freight Containers (Safety Convention) Regulations 1984. Proposals include major changes to the Safety Approval Plates and additional safety tests. GB hse.gov.uk
Definitive guideline for health and safety offences, corporate manslaughter and food safety and hygiene offences 01/02/2016 Gives judges a framework of tiered penalties based on the offending organisation’s turnover, the level of harm risked and culpability. England/Wales bit.ly
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 23/12/2015 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) 03/12/2015 Proposed Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations will require duty holders to assess exposure to EMFs GB hse.gov.uk
Deregulation Act 2015 03/12/2015 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 England/Wales 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/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/Wales lexisurl.com

The different between a small and a large CHAS application

Insight by

amanda

Amanda Lambert

Published on

18 October 2022

CHAS

The different between a small and a large CHAS application

We often get companies asking us what is the difference between having 4 employees or 5 when applying for CHAS. CHAS define an employee as someone who you pay through your PAYE system, there are different assessment fees due depending on the number of employees you declare.

In particular to CHAS there is an increased number of documents you need to provide as well as evidence of your safety arrangements including Health & Safety policy.

Once you have 5 employees or more you have legal requirements under the Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1974, you need to have formal arrangements in place for competent Safety advice as well as a full Heath & Safety Management system.

If you are not sure which bracket you fall under, or if you have enough documentation to satisfy the assessment get in touch and we will be able to provide you with advice.