SSIP stands for Safety Schemes in Procurement. It’s an umbrella organization overseeing various health and safety certification schemes in the UK construction industry. Rather than contractors having to get certified by multiple different schemes, SSIP allows one certification to meet the requirements of many clients.
As stated by SSIP itself, “SSIP is committed to ensure reduction in health and safety assessment costs and bureaucracy in the supply chain, by making cross-recognition between member schemes as effective as possible.”
It was established in 2009 and was created to simplify demonstrating health and safety compliance for suppliers – a process that used to be costly and time-consuming.
The National Quality Assurance sums it up nicely: “It reduces duplication and demands on suppliers to have multiple certifications to different schemes saving them time and money and allowing them to focus on the job.“
So by getting certified under schemes recognized by SSIP, a company essentially qualifies to work for hundreds of big clients.
For example, the SafeContractor scheme states that “More than 450 major client organisations only use contractors and suppliers that have the SafeContractor SSIP.”
So you see, SSIP streamlines certification so one accreditation from a recognized member scheme is enough to prove your health and safety competence to multiple clients.
How SSIP Works
I’ll explain how the Safety Schemes in Procurement work.
- Member schemes
You can’t just “join” or become a member of SSIP as a supplier or contractor. Membership is for schemes that meet SSIP’s standards.
Some of the well-known SSIP member schemes include Contractors’ Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS), Exor, SafeContractor, SMAS, ConstructionLines, etc.
Something you will love to know is that all the other member schemes accept one SSIP certificate.
- Mutual recognition
When a supplier or contractor passes a health and safety assessment by any SSIP member scheme, their certification is recognized by all other SSIP member schemes.
This mutual recognition is central to SSIP’s purpose. As SafeContractor explains, “SSIP means no longer having to get accreditation from different schemes.”
Say a client asks you to join another member scheme and you already have an SSIP certificate, you can usually get a ‘Deem to Satisfy’ certificate without another full assessment, often at a lower fee. It streamlines the whole certification process and saves construction companies a ton of time, money, and headaches. Pretty neat, right?
- Assessment process
Contractors looking to prove their health and safety competence undergo an assessment by an SSIP member scheme. This assessment reviews their policies, procedures, and health and safety track record. If they meet the required standards, they receive an SSIP certificate.
- No redundant assessments or fees
An SSIP certificate is recognized by all member schemes, meaning contractors don’t need to go through multiple assessments or pay multiple fees. Instead, their SSIP certification shows their competence across various procurement activities.
The chairman of SSIP, Eleanor Eaton, highlighted the cost savings, stating: “Mutual recognition has enabled savings to suppliers in excess of £464m* in addition to the time savings by all parties involved.”
- SSIP Portal
To make the process even easier, SSIP has a centralized database called the SSIP Portal. This database lists details of over 30,000 contractors who have been assessed and approved by SSIP member schemes.
Clients can use this portal to verify a contractor’s accreditations and ensure compliance with SSIP standards.
The SSIP Core Criteria
For a certification scheme to be recognized under SSIP, suppliers/contractors must meet a set of core health and safety requirements established by SSIP.
These core criteria are aligned with UK legislation and industry best practices to maintain consistent standards.
By ensuring all member schemes are assessing against these core SSIP criteria, SIPP maintains a consistent level of standards across the board. Contractors know that an SSIP certification from any member scheme meets the same high health and safety benchmarks.
The key requirements include the following:
- You must produce risk assessments and method statements: Contractors must be able to demonstrate they can identify any dangers or risks in your workplace and take action to avoid them.
You should be able to regularly assess any potential risks, and come up with a plan (a.k.a. method statement) on how to safely do your job.
- Provide evidence of appropriate training and qualifications: Contractors have to show their staff has the necessary skills and certifications for the work they do. Evidence must be provided of relevant health and safety training as well as any required trade qualifications for the contractor’s employees.
- Have ready access to competent H&S advice: This means that your organisation and employees must have access to experts who can give you advice on health and safety matters, whether it’s general advice or specific to your industry.
- Assessment Process: There is a rigorous assessment process involving “a thorough review of a supplier’s or contractor’s health and safety policies, procedures, and performance.” This can include site visits, document reviews, and personnel interviews.
Benefits of SSIP Certification
The implementation of SSIP brings several benefits to both contractors and buyers in the procurement process:
For Suppliers and Contractor:
- Streamlined pre-qualification: With an SSIP certificate from one member scheme, you don’t need separate assessments for other schemes. It’s mutually recognized, saving huge amounts of time and resources.
- Cost savings: By avoiding redundant assessments, SSIP reduces duplication and helps suppliers save significantly on assessment fees.
- Helps you manage and avoid risks: Meeting SSIP’s requirements means implementing sound health and safety systems to identify and mitigate risks, creating a safer workplace.
- Enhanced marketability: SSIP certification distinguishes your company as committed to safety standards, giving you an edge when bidding for contracts.
- Mutual recognition: SSIP member schemes agree to accept each other’s certifications, enabling savings as there’s no need for suppliers to be re-assessed.
- Listing on SSIP portal: Your certification details get listed on SSIP’s centralized database that buyers can access.
For Clients/Main Contractor:
- Improved safety standards: By requiring SSIP certification, you ensure contractors meet rigorous health and safety criteria, reducing accident risks on sites.
- Simplified procurement: No need to vet every supplier’s safety credentials yourself – SSIP does that vetting for you.
- Compliance confidence: An SSIP certificate proves a contractor adheres to all relevant health and safety laws.
- Consistency in standards: SSIP promotes consistency in health and safety standards across the supply chain, contributing to safer working environments and better overall project outcomes.
SSIP-Accredited Schemes
Like I said above, several SSIP-Accredited Schemes out there cover many industries and sectors.
Some of the popular ones are:
- CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme): A well-known and trusted name in site safety since 1997.
- SafeContractor: A safety scheme that demonstrates compliance with the CDM 2015 Regulations. Includes registration in a pre-qualification database, providing potential new clients.
- SMAS (Safety Management Advisory Services): Offers a focus on health and safety advisory services.
- EXOR: Providing SSIP accreditation and procurement solutions.
- Achilles SSIP Core: Focusing on compliance with health and safety standards in the supply chain.
- Constructionline: A scheme that evaluates a wide range of pre-qualification criteria, including health and safety, for the construction industry.
Ready to join the ranks of the SSIP accredited?
I will have you know that over 80% of contractors who apply for accreditation get rejected due to missing evidence of training.
But we can help you solve this.
At TrainInHealthandSafety.com, we’ll help you with your CHAS and SafeContractor Accreditation. We are a training provider in Waltham Abbey, England. And we’ll do all the work for you.
Here’s how we’ll assist you:
- Complete your CHAS application form
- Gather all necessary evidence for your application
- Help you create and implement essential H&S systems
- Meet with you to discuss your unique situation
- Fill any gaps if you lack a competent H&S advisor
Email [email protected] or call Sam at +44 20 8059 3633—let’s talk!
Related: See how to apply for Chas accreditation.
WE CAN HELP YOU GET CHAS ACCREDITED!
