Identifying those companies that will provide building products or services to the highest levels is becoming more and more of a ‘must have’. With health and safety increasingly taking centre stage across the construction industry, the hope is growing that organisations will choose contractors capable of delivering on many levels, including construction product standards and product testing.
One organisation that has seized the initiative in driving this forward is Constructionline. It collects, assesses and monitors company information based upon a health and safety assessment standard from Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) and the PAS91 prequalification questionnaire. The data gathered is used to open up opportunities for Constructionline’s signed-up members to access a wide range of procurement contracts and projects – and for buyers to access a validated pool of high-quality suppliers.
KEY BENEFITS
What are the key benefits organisations get by using Constructiononline’s services? “We manage the prequalification process on behalf of buyers, validating all members against PAS91 criteria and beyond. All accreditations are easily visible and searchable on the platform, so you can quickly and confidently select construction partners that meet your needs. In using the Constructionline platform, you’ll simplify your search, validation and purchasing decision process, improving your efficiency, whilst remaining compliant.”
When it comes to health and safety vetting, Constructionline uses SSIP. Standards that SSIP lays down that must be achieved include having and implementing an appropriate policy that is regularly reviewed and signed off by the managing director or equivalent. The policy must be relevant to the nature and scale of work and set out the responsibilities for health and safety management at all levels within the organisation, including details of who is accountable for health and safety within the company (a director of the business). Those being vetted also need to set out how they will discharge their duties under current health and safety legislation, with clear indications of how these arrangements are communicated to the workforce.
SSIP chair Eleanor Eaton points out: “It is a legal requirement under H&S legislation to ensure any contractor [supplier] working for you is competent to do so, hence H&S is key within procurement. H&S is generally the primary check during the procurement process, followed by client/buyer specific requirements, and determined by the nature of works completed and the level of risk.”
Health and safety is also being driven by changing regulations, including the Building Safety Act and the Fire Safety Act.
While it is not the role of SSIP to identify contractors that operate to the highest standards, its assessments confirm compliance with the SSIP core criteria (see also www.is.gd/lusase). Adds Eaton: “The core criteria ensures compliance with UK H&S legislation. Therefore, if a supplier has successfully undergone an assessment, they are meeting legal requirements.”
All assessments are valid for 12 months, ensuring the supplier continually reviews and updates documentation to guarantee continued compliance.
“Documentation submitted [and assessed] must be from the previous 12-month period. If a supplier hasn’t reviewed their H&S policy, risk assessments or safe systems of work, they won’t be successful. In addition, the training for all workers is verified to ensure it reflects works undertaken, supported by ongoing CPD.”
By necessity, the SSIP portal details the duty-holder scope – if a CDM duty holder, in line with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 – and also the trade assessed against. “This ensures the buyer/client is able to see what works suppliers have been assessed against and what works they are able to complete,” she adds. “All buyers/clients should use the portal to verify valid certificates and also ensure that the works being undertaken are the works against which they have been assessed.”
CDM dictates three main roles: client, designer and contractor, as outlined by the HSE. It states that for projects involving more than one contractor, the additional roles of principal designer and principal contractor are required to plan, manage, monitor and coordinate the work. “These roles and their duties can be integrated into the overall safety management process for an event/production. Organisations and/or individuals may hold more than one role; for example, by being both a designer and a contractor.”
CDM 2015 is not about creating unnecessary and unhelpful processes and paperwork, HSE hastens to add. “It is about choosing the right team and helping them to work together to ensure health and safety.”
It is also worth noting there are a number of schemes that complete the health and safety assessment to the exact same standard (the core criteria) and that SSIP doesn’t promote any scheme in particular. All assessments are listed on the SSIP portal. Members include CHAS, SMAS, Acclaim or certification body members NQA, BSI and SGS.
All SSIP member schemes are audited annually. “The audit completed by SSIP of all members ensures all schemes are completing all assessments to the same standard and that all assessors hold the same minimum qualifications,” explains Eaton. “We promote mutual recognition of all member certificates via our Deem to Satisfy process, as all assessments are equal.”
BOX: PROMOTING SAFE AND HEALTHY WORKPLACES
The BSI’s ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management standard is designed to prevent work-related injury and ill-health, and to provide safe and healthy workplaces.
As an international standard, ISO 45001 crosses geographic, political, economic, commercial and social boundaries. This sets a single benchmark for the management of occupational health and safety. So, if an organisation operates or trades internationally, it can work to a single standard. “Or, if you are new to occupational health and safety management, it’s a great framework to put into your business to build organisational resilience,” says BSI.