The Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme
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"As Safety Manager for an Estates Section that has a large number of contractors, I have always found the great attributes of the scheme are its reasonable costs and the efficient turnaround". University of Leeds, 2009.

How to apply for a CHAS assessment

1. If you are a contractor or consultant (supplier) download the application form relevant to your company:

If you are a group making an application to us or through another scheme please contact the CHAS administration team at chas.admin@merton.gov.uk.

2. Gather required supporting documents (listed in application forms) and contact CHAS at chas.admin@merton.gov.uk to say that your application is ready. Please remember to tell us your company name.

3. CHAS admin will contact you via email with assessor details.

4. Send all relevant information to assessor.

5. The assessor can take up to 10 working days to complete their initial assessment.

6. The assessor will contact you in writing to inform you of their findings. If you are unsuccessful, the assessor will explain the reason for this initial failure and you will have the opportunity to make the required improvements and submit additional evidence or documentation.

7. If successful, you will receive a confirmation letter (not a registration number or certificate) to say you have achieved CHAS compliance which is valid for 2 years.

8. You will then have the option of becoming CHAS accredited by completing an application form.

9. Once accredited, suppliers can display the CHAS logo in their promotional material. Accreditation is valid for 12 months (24 months for designers and CDM-Cs).

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The CHAS Assessment

  • The assessment is carried out as a desktop assessment, there are no visits to your office or site, so it is important that when you send your application you include all supporting documents and evidence.
  • If you apply to one of our buyers for placement on their approved list, the assessment may be free if undertaken by them. However this may take longer than a direct application to CHAS because of the buyers' limited professional resources to do the assessment.
  • CHAS assessment is a simple process. Our assessors will do all they can to advise you as to what is needed to achieve compliance.
  • It is not unusual for suppliers to receive an initial failure letter or a request for further information. You will be told what needs to be improved and have the opportunity to reapply within a mutually agreed time scale.
  • A fundamental principle of our scheme is to help any supplier improve their safety management should they fail.
  • Re-application may be subject to a fee (£60 +VAT) if the work involved lasts more than 30 minutes. To avoid this charge you should make sure you provide everything we have asked for. The assessor does not receive any of this fee.
  • In exceptional cases, if the policy or arrangements are poor, you may be directed to seek competent health and safety advice.
  • When tendering to one of our buyers, you should note you will not be short-listed if your status in CHAS is 'failed or 'failed to resubmit'.
  • If you fail the assessment and then reapply to another CHAS buyer and it is more than two months since the failure date, it is likely the buyer will have destroyed your documentation (they will keep the application and assessors findings). Therefore you will have to start again and pay another assessment fee.
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Areas to be Assessed

The table below shows the subject areas we assess. Not all areas of the assessment will apply to all suppliers, but it will depend on the kind of work the supplier does.

General Policy Statement Organisation for Health & Safety Work Equipment Health & Safety Training Consultation Arrangements First Aid
Fire and Emergency Procedures Display Screen Equipment Manual Handling of Loads COSHH Risk Assessment Asbestos
Health Surveillance Accident Reporting Work Equipment PPE Electrical Safety Contractor Management
Workplace and Inspections Fire Risk Assessment Monitoring, Audit and Review
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What is Accreditation?

A CHAS compliant supplier meets acceptable standards of health and safety. (the threshold standard or core criteria). Our buyers can view which suppliers are compliant.

Accreditation goes beyond compliance. Accreditation provides:

  • Licensed use of our logos on your stationery and livery;
  • Certificate of Accreditation;
  • Verification of CHAS registration and history to non-CHAS buyers, potential clients and insurers;
  • Exemption from completing the Constructionline and other scheme H&S Questionnaires;
  • Access to information about your company on the CHAS database including CHAS status, registration details and assessment history;
  • Facility to view which CHAS buyers have viewed your details;
  • The potential for discounted public liability insurances and other insurances (between ten and fifteen per-cent) through Trade Direct.
  • Accreditation can take between 7 to 10 working days to administer and is valid for 12 months from the date you last achieved CHAS compliance (24 months for designers and CDM-Cs). If you then wish to renew your accreditation, you will need to reapply for a full-assessment and an accreditation pack on a yearly basis. Download the application form.
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CHAS Costs

If you wish to apply directly to us for an assessment, the costs are:

  • £160 + VAT - for companies with five or more employees and completion of Appendix 2 or 2b
  • £85 + VAT - for companies with fewer than five employees and completion of Appendix 2a.
If you are applying as a designer, CDM-C, or group, refer to the fee structure on the application form. If you wish to apply directly to CHAS an accreditation costs:
  • £60 + VAT for companies with five or more employees
  • £55 + VAT for companies with fewer than five employees

Please note you have to be CHAS compliant within the past nine months to apply for accreditation.

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Acknowledging other schemes

We have a 'deem to satisfy' agreement with other SSIP audited schemes. For a list of these schemes, please visit the SSIP website.

If you have been Health and Safety assessed by one of the schemes, are registered with them, and you meet the CHAS standards, you may be able to register with us without assessment. Contact the administrator for an application form to register with CHAS. We will then verify your details with the relevant scheme. Registration cost: £50 + VAT.

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Summary Table

COMPLIANCE ACCREDITATION
Valid for: 2 years 1 year
Valid for: (Designers, groups, CDM-Cs) 2 years 2 years
Can I use the CHAS logo? No Yes
Can I get access to the CHAS database? No Yes - to view your own company details only
I'm a member of another relevant scheme: If you meet CHAS standards, through another member of the SSIP Forum, you can register as compliant. Registration fee: £50 +VAT

£60 +VAT companies with 5 or more employees.

£55 +VAT companies with less than 5 employees.

Costs:

£160 + VAT: companies 5 or more employees.

£85 + VAT: companies with less than 5 employees.

Groups, Designers and CDM-Cs refer to fee structure on application form

£60 + VAT: companies 5 or more employees.

£55 + VAT: companies with less than 5 employees.

Designers and CDM-Cs refer to fee structure on application form.

Renewal costs: Same as above Same as above
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