7 Hurdles To CHAS Accreditation

Health and safety accreditation is a must for any contractor looking to get work. CHAS, which is short for the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme, is the most well-known accreditation scheme that proves a contractor meets industry health and safety standards. CHAS as an organisation is the authority on health and safety compliance, and is one of the founders of SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement). SSIP is the top-level organisation for assessment schemes, and is supported by the Health and Safety Executive.

What is CHAS Accreditation

Getting CHAS accreditation requires you to provide documents that show you follow health and safety standards. Qualified professionals will review these documents to see if your company is in compliance with the law regarding workplace health and safety. There is no site visitation required.

You have to choose between three accreditation packages that best suit your company’s needs and budget, with each one having specific requirements. It’s important to have all the documentation necessary to meet the requirements for the package you choose. You then have to fill out a CHAS Contractor Registration Form, which will ask for your Company Registration Number.

Why CHAS Accreditation is Worth it

There are three main benefits of going through the process of CHAS accreditation.

Compliance

The primary purpose of getting accredited is to have proof that your company complies with industry standards and the law regarding occupational health and safety. You have to show to CHAS that you have proper health and safety procedures, and that you have all the necessary documentation for these procedures. All this paperwork can then be used for legal purposes should the need ever arise.

Trustworthiness

CHAS as an accreditation scheme brings with it a reputation of trust and authority. It is the most established scheme when it comes to health and safety accreditation. It is a stamp of approval that your company can be relied on to carry out tasks safely and with as minimal risk as possible.

Work Opportunities

If you want to get work with local authorities such as schools, hospitals, and bigger construction companies, CHAS accreditation can help make that a reality. It is widely recognised by public and private organisations, providing access to sectors for better opportunities. CHAS can also let you skip having to undergo lengthy pre-qualification questionnaires when tendering multiple projects.

7 Hurdles to CHAS Accreditation

As useful as CHAS accreditation is, it is unfortunately not easy to get. There is approximately an 80% failure rate for contractors who are applying for the first time. Here are 7 common obstacles that make it hard for contractors to get accredited.

1. Costly and time-consuming

While there is no joining fee for CHAS accreditation, you still have to pay for the application package. Currently, the price for the most affordable option starts at £319 plus VAT, and it gets higher the more employees you have. It is not a one-time fee either. You have to pay annually if you want to keep your accreditation. It takes about 2 days from your purchase to get a response from your assigned assessor. The assessment itself can take about 10 working days on average.

2. Lack of health and safety policy

Before you should even consider getting CHAS accreditation, you need to make sure that you already have a comprehensive health and safety policy. It has to be formally written down for CHAS assessors to review, complete with the relevant director’s signature and date. For companies with less than 5 employees, it may not actually be legally required to have a written document, but the assessment is going to need it anyway.

3. Failure to conduct risk assessments

Activities at work always involve some measure of risk, especially in certain industries like construction and manufacturing. It’s key that your company has conducted risk assessments along with method statements. These procedures help paint a clear picture of how much your employees’ health and safety are exposed to workplace hazards. CHAS assessors will look for documentation showing risk assessments and method statements have been developed.

4. No documentation of workplace incidents

There is always a possibility of incidents taking place at work even with the most extensive health and safety policy. Your company should be prepared to record any event that results in harm to people or damage to property. Even near misses where nobody gets hurt should be recorded. The assessment process will take note of the presence or lack of such documentation.

5. No records of on-site inspections

Your CHAS assessor will want to know if you are being proactive about checking your health and safety management systems to see if they are up-to-date and are being enforced. Monitoring activities at work is then a crucial part to passing your CHAS assessment, as you can compile evidence of your policy being put to work. One practical way is to conduct on-site inspections of your workplace. Schedule inspections regularly and write down the results.

6. Zero involvement from staff regarding health and safety policy

One of the primary purposes of a workplace health and safety policy is to keep workers safe. Your employees should have a say in how their well-being is protected through their active involvement in the creation of your company’s health and safety policy. In fact, it is legally required to consult your staff throughout your policy’s development. For smaller companies, minutes taken during meetings, recorded toolbox talks, and the like may suffice. Bigger companies have health and safety committees that represent the employees in such matters, and evidence of their work can be included in your application.

7. Inadequate workforce training and certification

You are expected to provide proof that you have given your employees adequate health and safety training. It’s not enough that you did provide instruction and information that’s necessary for your staff to do their jobs safely. You need records that the training transpired. Course certificates, signatures on registers, and other such hard evidence is what you need to show during your assessment. Include all the training relevant to your company’s specific industry such as COSHH, fire safety, and working at height.

Prepare for Your CHAS Accreditation

With all the hurdles along the way to CHAS accreditation, it is easy to stumble during this demanding application process. You need to make sure you already have health and safety procedures in place, and that you have been keeping official documents detailing all the work you’ve done to maintain the health and safety of your company. Lacking in any of the requirements while applying will only lead to failure and frustration.

You can simplify this stressful procedure with the help of the Health & Safety Dept. We can help you improve your health and safety protocols to meet CHAS standards, and we can also take care of managing the necessary documentation. Contact us today to learn more about our CHAS accreditation service.