Gaining an SSIP accreditation and certificate like CHAS, Safecontractor or Constructionline can be important for your plastering business. It demonstrates to your commercial clients that H&S is an integral part of your organisation by having had a reputable third party independently review your procedures and performance but which is the cheapest SSIP accreditation?
Safety Place Ltd have done some looking around at what is the cheapest SSIP to give you a head start if your goal is gaining an accreditation without breaking the bank.
A brief history lesson in safety assessment procurement, there are many different assessment and certification companies who want your business and to help provide you with independent safety certification. These rival companies all share a common vision and so they undertake similar processes of requesting the same type of evidence from one another i.e Risk Assessments, Method Statement etc.
In realising that this issue would likely cause frustration, the major accreditation bodies gathered
under a collective umbrella organisation known as SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement). In doing so they agreed to mutually recognise each other’s work when approached by someone who already had accreditation with one of the other members. This would essentially eliminate the
repetition of supplying the same paperwork to multiple assessors.
This cross-recognition or “deem to satisfy” also allows buyers to see that all SSIP certifications
essentially meet the same standards. Therefore, on a lot of occasions, it’s worth asking your client
“Does it have to be that one or can it be any SSIP accreditation?”. This is because you may find a
cheaper alternative to the more established accreditation bodies just by shopping around.
It’s important to get confirmation from your client about which SSIP schemes they recognise before making any decision or investigating how to get your SSIP certificate, however, should you get the greenlight that any SSIP assessment is acceptable then explore your options.
WHAT ARE POTENTIALLY THE CHEAPEST SSIP ACCREDITATIONS?
What are potentially the cheapest SSIPs
Greenlight – Based in Plymouth, Greenlight offers SSIP certification through their “Safety Assessment Scheme”. This scheme not only meets the requirements of clients who require a form of SSIP assessment, but their fees are also very competitive. Charging only £150 +VAT for a full assessment, the body process over 300 applications each month. When we asked about turnaround times, the company gave us verbal confirmation that they work to an impressive 10 working day turnaround for all clients.
CQMS – CQMS Limited have been established for more than 25 years and offers an SSIP assessment scheme which is priced very competitively against some of its competitors. With the H&S module assessment prices starting from £120+ VAT for companies with less than five employees and £155 + VAT for companies with more than 5 members of employees, it’s clear to see why it would be popular. The service does also have additional add-ons for those wanting to have other compliance-related aspects of their business assessed, however, they are optional from the core H&S module. The company offers a 7-business day working turnaround for initial assessment, however, for those in a rush, there is a 24-hour service for an additional £75 + VAT fee. To get more information from CQMS on their safety scheme, just visit their website.
PQS – A Welsh-based alternative to the more commercially recognised certification bodies. Based in Swansea, PQS also offer an SSIP assessment which could save you money. The company’s “prequalification scheme” is competitively costed from £95 + VAT for businesses with less than five employees and just £135 + VAT for companies that have five or more employees. Like other companies, there is a 24-hour fast-track option available as an additional option. You can find out more information about PQS on their website.
THE ONE REQUESTED VERSUS THE CHEAPEST SSIP ACCREDITATION
So, when you are requested to obtain an SSIP accreditation like CHAS or Safecontractor, don’t forget to ask the question
“Can it be any SSIP accreditation?”.
If you are looking to get an SSIP accreditation for the first time, you may need a hand with some of your paperwork. The good news is that as a member of the plasterers forum, you can download a free plastering risk assessment and free plastering method statement. Just visit https://safetyplace.co.uk/product/plastering-risk-assessment/ and use the code plaster at checkout.