View from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
An active supporter
HSE has been increasingly aware of the bureaucracy faced by organisations in assessing competence and being required to use various pre-qualification schemes. While use of these schemes is not a legal health and safety requirement, (ensuring competency is) we welcome this initiative in simplifying the process.
HSE actively supports the work of Safety Schemes in Procurement Forum (SSIP Forum), and the arrangements put in place by the member schemes of the Forum to achieve mutual recognition in relation to stage 1 of the Core Criteria established in the Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) for the Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations 2007.These arrangements are based on the Core Criteria in Appendix 4 of the ACoP. Mutual recognition by the schemes is closely based on proposals suggested by independent research funded by HSE.
Accreditation assessment
HSE recognises that an accreditation assessment carried out by any of the member schemes satisfies the requirements of the Core Criteria. Any client wishing to procure the services of a business which has achieved accreditation can be confident that a reasonable and robust judgement has been made that the standard for competency in CDM 2007 have been met, for the first stage of procurement.
HSE has a permanent non voting role as a co-opted member on the SSIP Forum, and uses this role to ensure that an annual independent audit of the processes employed by each of the member schemes is carried out. This means that HSE has confidence that the process of accreditation carried out by any member scheme will be consistent and fit for purpose.
HSE encourages Clients to accept a valid accreditation from any of the SSIP Forum member schemes as having met Stage 1 of the Core Criteria and should not then require any further evidence in relation to Stage 1.
Client responsibility
However possession of a SSIP Forum accreditation cannot be taken on its own as a sufficient assessment of competence for a business to commence construction work. All Clients must ensure that before engaging an accredited business to carry out construction work a further Stage 2 assessment of the Core Criteria will always be needed. This Stage 2 assessment is the responsibility of the Client.
HSE fully appreciates that clients may have a duty to determine a broader range of criteria than those established by CDM 2007, such as management of waste in the environment. It is important to recognise that arrangements for mutual recognition under SSIP Forum relate only to health and safety competence.
The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM 2007) came into force on 6 April 2007. Learn more about what the CDM Regulations mean for you, including; the business benefits, your roles and responsibilities and practical advice
