Do you need CHAS accreditation?
All the same, before getting your CHAS accreditation, it's good to know as much as you can about the application process and what you can do to make sure you're successful. The first question is whether you need it at all.
CHAS isn't a legal requirement. But in practice, if a client or main contractor asks for it before you can tender or start work, you need it (or another accreditation they accept). Many clients ask for an SSIP accreditation. SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) is the group of recognised health and safety schemes, CHAS and SMAS among them, that accept each other's assessments. If you want public sector work, you'll need CHAS Elite.
CHAS expectations
Before diving into your CHAS application, you should make sure to understand what's expected of you.
A CHAS accreditation shows that your business is fully compliant with health and safety standards. Which level you go for depends on what your clients ask for:
- CHAS Standard: the entry level. It's an SSIP accreditation: the basic health and safety accreditation most main contractors ask for.
- CHAS Advanced: SSIP plus PAS 91. Everything in Standard, plus PAS 91, the standard set of pre-qualification questions many clients use. It shows you're compliant in other key areas beyond health and safety, like environmental, quality and equality.
- CHAS Elite: the top level. It meets CAS, the Common Assessment Standard: the standard public sector clients and many large main contractors ask for, covering 13 areas of risk management. You need it for public sector work. There's no site visit; it's all done from your documents.
To demonstrate this, you'll need to provide certain documentation and paperwork for review. Once that documentation has been assessed, you'll be provided with a certificate demonstrating compliance.
It's all perfectly simple, so long as you have the right paperwork.
Where CHAS can go wrong
Sorting out your CHAS application paperwork can be easier said than done, however, and that's where we come in.
Chasing down the right documents, making sure you've filled in all the correct forms, and making sure that everything gets sent to the right places might sound simple enough but it can be a very time-consuming and difficult process.
This is why so many companies opt for CHAS application help instead. For a fixed price (£395 to £1,095 +VAT, depending on your level and team size), we'll help you navigate the paperwork, asking for documents as and when we need them and making sure we have exactly what we need. Not only does this minimise the risk of mistakes, but it can also save a lot of time and money on your part.
Instead of spending your valuable time getting lost in the weeds, why not let us sort it all out for you?
Getting CHAS application help
At Workplace Safety Group, when we offer CHAS application help, we always make sure to deliver on our promises. Those promises include fast turnaround (we aim to submit within 2 to 3 working days of getting what we need), help from health and safety experts and, most importantly of all, a money-back guarantee if your application isn't successful (terms apply).
That said, we've got a 100% success rate on all applications, so there is nothing to worry about!
New to CHAS? As an authorised CHAS affiliate, we can give you a free fast-track. It means CHAS assesses your application in 2 working days instead of the usual 10. (New members only, not renewals.)
Do you need CHAS application help? At Workplace Safety Group, we'll go above and beyond to streamline the process and help you navigate the paperwork. Request a call back, or call us on 03333 208568.
FAQs
No. But if a client or main contractor asks for it before you can tender or start work, you'll need it (or another accreditation they accept) to win that job.
If you want public sector work, yes. CHAS Elite meets CAS, the Common Assessment Standard, which public sector clients ask for. There's no site visit.
There are two parts. Our CHAS application help costs £395 to £1,095 +VAT, depending on your level and team size (get your instant quote for your exact price). Your CHAS membership fee is separate: it's set by CHAS and you pay it to CHAS directly.
We've got a 100% success rate on all applications. If CHAS comes back with questions, we deal with them. And if your application doesn't get through, you get back the fee you paid us, as long as you've done your part (terms apply).
