Becoming SSIP Verified (Safety Schemes in Procurement)

If you have been advised to join a pre-qualification scheme or are thinking of being assessed to help ensure that you are meeting basic health and safety standards, then contacting an SSIP Forum member is a very sensible first step. It’s an extremely convenient, effective, and affordable way to manage your ISO transition.

While some clients still complete these stage 1 assessments in-house, many now simply ask contractors to supply to valid and up-to-date certificate issued by an SSIP Member Scheme. As such, and SSIP Member Scheme certificate will be recognised by many clients within the construction industry, councils, and government bodies. In addition, it will also be recognised by other SSIP Member Schemes offering two-way recognition, meaning that you would not have to complete full health and safety assessment questionnaires for such schemes.

How do Prosure360 and IMSM help contractors and consultants achieve SSIP?

If you hold an ISO 45001 certification through IMSM and require an SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) Member Scheme certificate, IMSM can support you to stage 1 without additional audits.

IMSM work closely with Prosure360, who can help you attain your SSIP certification, which extends to include Republic of Ireland Duty Holder Categories, including:

• SSIP Approved IE
• SSIP Approved IE Contractor
• SSIP Approved IE Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS)

This will allow clients who have operations in Ireland to have specific SSIP for that operational base, giving them clear visibility between UK and Ireland-based service providers.

It also means that businesses that are solely based in Ireland can use Prosure360; this will support clients in building their relationships with service providers as they can choose which SSIP certification is best suited to their organisation.

There are only a handful of SSIP-approved providers who can offer this, so Prosure360 is unique because it can deliver the SSIP, specific to the IE market.

We have found that the scheme offers a fast, efficient, and cost-effective way of demonstrating your health and safety competence and gaining a nationally recognised health and safety certificate from a SSIP Member Scheme.

With Prosure360, you can set bespoke questions with our pre-qualified assessment, set around the SSIP core criteria. This gives you the insight needed to make an informed choice about the suppliers and contractors you work with.

There are many industry pre-qualification schemes, which, despite being essential, often lead to substantial duplication and frustration; these schemes often impede a contractor’s ability to grow and expand their business. Prosure360 can significantly minimise the costs required by businesses working to improve health and safety.

Prosure360 is dedicated to minimising the time required for assessment progression, aiming to streamline the process so that you complete fewer health and safety assessments. This approach offers opportunities for greater exposure and acknowledgement afforded by an SSIP Member Scheme certificate.

Benefits of becoming Prosure360 verified

Once approved by Prosure360, your certificate should be recognised by other SSIP member schemes (who offer mutual recognition) as adequate proof of meeting the stage 1 core criteria, subject to completing their own verification process.

It allows you to demonstrate your health and safety competence to clients increasing your chances of getting onto their preferred supplier list for tenders. You can also proudly display the Prosure360 verified logo on your letterheads, publicity, and vehicles – showing your clients that you are committed to health and safety.

Why do I need to demonstrate my core stage 1 health and safety competence?

Clients with duties under CDM 2007 must satisfy themselves that the businesses they engage or appoint are competent. This means that they must make reasonable enquiries to check that the organisation or individual has an appropriate health and safety management system in place and is competent to do the relevant work.