CHAS Scheme - Contractors faq

As part of a national pilot project, we would like you to complete this section of the questionnaire in addition to your CHAS Health & Safety application. Whilst it is voluntary at this stage it may become compulsory in September 2008. THIS SECTION WILL NOT BE ASSESSED but uploaded onto the website for our members (your clients) to view.

There is no additional cost to you for this service

Yes we do. If you have been assessed recently (or are about to be assessed) through the National House Building Council Safety Scheme, SAFEcontractor, SAFE-T-CERT, Achilles UVDB Verify, EXOR Managed Services (if the EXOR assessment was after 1st September 2008) contact the CHAS team via e-mail at (chas.admin@merton.gov.uk ) for details on whether you meet the criteria for registration this way.

Please note a £100 registration fee (+ VAT) will be payable.

No, we only assess health and safety.

The aim of the scheme is to avoid repeated applications by contractors and consultants in safety prequalification. This saves time and money for all involved. In addition, a CHAS assessment may cancel the need for a full assessment when tendering for work with our members.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (Section 2(3)) places a duty on employers who have five or more people to have a written statement of their health and safety policy. An employer who has fewer than five people must still be able to prove their commitment to health and safety. They must also prove they have sound understanding of health and safety legislation as it applies to their business.
CHAS uses a questionnaire designed to enable employers with fewer than five people to prove their commitment and management of health and safety. If you employ fewer than five person we commend you complete "An introduction to health and safety" (IND G 259), free, from HSE Books. While not a legal duty it provides evidence of your commitment and understanding of basic health and safety.

CHAS is Data Protection Act registered. However, No personal information is kept, therefore you do not normally have right of access to such information.
Under normal circumstances the CHAS scheme manager is willing to discuss details contained in an entry. We have introduced a facility where compliant companies and consultants can access their CHAS page so they can check their current status and see details held about them. (more details about this facility are available from the home page).

It is factual information only. We register companies and consultants under their registered (and trading address), number of employees. We also note contact information such as phone and e-mail numbers. Your current status and further information needed from you in the assessment. Sometimes notes will appear for a company suspended or removed from an approved list as will the outcome of term contract assessments and awards of work.

If you are a contractor or consultant you do not have access to the database, other then your own pages. As a large company using subcontractors, you may qualify for membership. Please contact the CHAS Administrator if you would like more information about this.

Assessment Through a Member Organization

Sometimes when applying to a member organization for their approved list, the assessment may be free.

Applying Directly to CHAS

If you wish to apply directly to CHAS the fees are
(Please do not send a cheque in with your application, we will invoice you for the assessment fee.)

£115 + VAT (£135.12) - if you employ 5 or more people and complete Appendix 2

£65 + VAT (£76.38) - if you employ fewer than 5 people and complete Appendix 2a

A company or consultant employing five or more people who fail the first assessment will receive a written summary of any weaknesses noted. The company will have time to amend or review and reapply. See "What happens if I fail an assessment?" below

Please note - Our fees will rise 1st April 08 to:

£160 + VAT (£188) - if you employ 5 or more people and complete Appendix 2

£90 + VAT (£105.75) - if you employ fewer than 5 people and complete Appendix 2a

An assessment submitted on or after 1st April 2008, will be liable for the higher fee.

Through a Member Organization

A CHAS member organization (local authority, NHS trust etc) may offer to put your company through a CHAS assessment and upload your details, when you apply to be on their approved or preferred list.

Many members now require contractors and consultants to apply direct to CHAS

Direct to CHAS

If you wish to apply direct to CHAS, or you have been told to do so you will need to

1) download and fill out an application form. Click here
2) gather your supporting documents (see notes on the application form)
3) contact CHAS via the website for assessor details. Click here

We will then e-mail you the address of the next available CHAS Assessor for you to send your documents to. When the Assessor receives the documents, we will invoice you for the assessment fee (This will not delay the assessment process). They will assess your application and contact you within 10 working days to let you know the outcome.

The assessor will tell you, in writing of the reasons for your failure. You will usually be able to apply again within an agreed timescale having made suitable changes or improvements to your policy. Please note this is subject to a reassessment fee if the work involved is likely to last more than 30 minutes.
In exceptional cases, if the policy or arrangements are poor, you may directed to seek "competent health and safety advice". You will not get a place on the members list if you are entered in the CHAS database with a failed status. If you do not respond to a failed assessment, it could count against you when applying to another member. Following failure, an application to another member for up to 18 months will need you to complete your application with the original assessing member. However, you should note that reassessment by them is not a right.

Compliance with our scheme is valid for two years from the date of compliance unless,

• You were registered without (CHAS) assessment through another scheme, or
• You are accredited with us which requires you to be assessed annually if you are to retain accreditation, (For information about what accreditation provides go to http://www.chas.gov.uk/Accreditation.asp

Where possible we will send you reminder letters at 18 and 21 months following compliance, however, we cannot guarantee these letters get to the right person therefore you should ensure you put your renewal date in your diary as a reminder

Yes. Administrative arrangements are now in place that enables a compliant company or consultant to register as an "accredited" company and achieve annual compliant status. CHAS accreditation will allow use of CHAS logos on stationery and livery and display a certificate of accreditation. CHAS will provide assessment information to non-CHAS members, potential clients and insurers about CHAS accredited company's.

If you would like to know more about this please register your interest with the CHAS scheme administrator by e-mail at chas.admin@merton.gov.uk

We do not give registration numbers. Our members can verify compliance by checking the database. Accredited companies or consultants can receive a certificate as explained above.

Yes it is. CHAS relies principally on the annual subscription fees paid by its members. The assessment fee paid by a contractor pays the assessors fees and a small administrative cost.

Yes - click here and select the relevant CHAS question set in Word 97 format. However, please note you should contact the CHAS administrator before sending the questionnaire to us for assessment.

Yes - you can get them from the web site. Click here.

Ask the CHAS Administrator. We will try to respond within 72 hours.

No. They cannot act as an adviser to your company. They may write to you about a failure to achieve the required compliance standard and in some circumstances they may discuss issues with you on the telephone. They will give written guidance about any concerns but this should not be mistaken as advice.
A CHAS assessor cannot act as adviser to a company as this would be a conflict of interest.

An applicant will be told in writing why they failed including detail. A course of action, including timescale for resubmission will be in the letter.
If you do not resubmit within the agreed timescale your status within the database will change to "failed to resubmit". This may adversely affect an applications to a CHAS member.

This depends on the circumstances and how long it is since you failed to complete your assessment. If it is more than two months since the failure date it is quite likely the assessor or assessing member will have destroyed your documentation (they will keep the application and assessors findings) therefore you will have to start again and pay an, or another, assessment fee. Please note that documents sent with an application kept for no longer than three months