What Is CHAS Accreditation, and Why Do You Need It?

If you work in the construction industry, then no doubt you’re used to being asked to demonstrate your health and safety credentials. One of the most efficient ways of doing this is to join an accreditation scheme that proves you are compliant. In this blog, we look specifically at CHAS accreditation, and ask, why do you need it?

What is CHAS accreditation?

CHAS is a nationally recognised membership scheme that proves you meet high standards of health and safety in the workplace. There are three levels of membership, and to become accredited you have to show that you are compliant in key areas.

It sends a message to the market that you know what you’re doing and gives clients the confidence to buy from you.

Do I need CHAS accreditation?

Some clients insist that their contractors demonstrate that they take health and safety seriously before they can apply for jobs/projects. For example, local authorities will look at your membership of CHAS when they’re assessing your competence to carry out work on their behalf.

CHAS also pre-qualifies you for opportunities posted on their online portal. According to the people behind the accreditation scheme for contractors, there are 2000 registered clients on their database, and when new projects come up, your business profile will be the first thing they see.

What’s more, they’ve streamlined the pre-qualification process to minimise repetition, saving you a lot of time and hassle in answering the same questions.

What are the benefits of being accredited?

There are lots of other benefits to being CHAS accredited. Just some of the things you can expect to get from your membership with the scheme include:

• 24/7 access to a legal helpline
• support with health and safety, environmental issues, HR and employment law
• downloadable templates, step-by-step guides, and model policies
• discounts on insurance, fuel, and other industry services
• access to discounted online training courses

CHAS is dedicated to ensuring you remain health and safety compliant, which takes away some of the pressure on your team. It gives you the tools and support you need to stay on top of ever-changing risk management standards.

How do you get CHAS accreditation?

There are three steps to achieving CHAS accreditation:

1. Register for CHAS membership on their website
2. Choose an accreditation level
3. Complete your assessment for CHAS accreditation

As part of the assessment, you’ll need to provide evidence that you are meeting the required standards for risk management. Supporting documentation might include things like policies, procedural documents, and training certificates.

How much detail you’ll be asked to supply depends on your area of work and the level of accreditation you want. You can also choose how you want to be assessed – full application (desktop-assessed), assured (on-site audit), or ‘deem to satisfy’.

‘Deem to satisfy’ is for contractors who have already met the standards through another recognised scheme and want to join CHAS without sitting another assessment.

The levels of accreditation – from standard to elite

There are three levels of accreditation open for you to join.

• Standard
• Advanced
• Elite

The standard level includes SSIP (Safety Schemes In Procurement) – a recognition scheme that demonstrates compliance in occupational health and safety in the construction industry.

The elite package encompasses the Common Assessment Standard. This is a set of pre-qualification questions developed by industry-leaders, like Build UK and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).

It aims to streamline the pre-qualification process – cutting down on costs and improving efficiency.

You can read more on the different levels of accreditation and what they include, in our e-book on ‘How to get your CHAS Accreditation‘.

How much does CHAS accreditation cost?

CHAS accreditation is priced dynamically, which means that what you pay is based on what you need. It takes into account the level of accreditation and the number of employees you have.

You can see a full list of prices on the CHAS website, where you can also compare the price points of the different packages.

Can I get help with the assessment?

It is possible to get help with your CHAS assessment from industry-experts in health and safety, like Majestic Site Management.

The key to obtaining accreditation is having the right documentation in place that proves you are meeting the required standards. We can work with you to find the gaps in what you already have, pull together what’s needed, and complete the assessment.

This saves you time so you can achieve your accreditation sooner – but more than that, it ensures you are compliant in all areas. If we find something that needs addressing, we can help you identify the right training and support to bring you up to standard.

Why choose Majestic Site Management?

Lee Marsden is the Managing Director of Majestic Site Management, with over 30 years’ experience in the industry. Qualified in construction management, Lee started as a general builder and now specialises in site compliance, and health and safety.

Crucially though, Lee has been through the process of accreditation himself. Majestic Site Management is proud to be accredited to CHAS elite standard and has achieved chartered status with the The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

If you’re looking for peace of mind that your application will be delivered in-full then you’re in good hands with Lee, who is passionate about meeting and exceeding customer expectations.

Taking the first steps towards accreditation

The road to accreditation starts with a phone call to Majestic Site Management.

We can help you decide what level of accreditation is right for your business, taking into account your area of work and what you want to get out of it. We’ll help you prepare for assessment, making sure you’ve got everything you need to back up your application.

With the right support, you could be accredited sooner than you think – opening the door to new opportunities. Contact us today, to discuss how we can help your business achieve CHAS accreditation.