Health Surveillance for Occupational Asthma: What You Need to Know (G402)

Why this matters

Occupational asthma (OA) remains a serious and preventable work-related disease. Exposure to sensitising agents in the workplace — even at low levels — may trigger asthma symptoms in susceptible individuals. Early detection and intervention are vital to prevent long-term harm. The HSE’s guidance sheet G402 provides clear, practical advice on setting up health surveillance for OA under COSHH.

For businesses across a wide spectrum — spray painters, woodworkers, lab staff, bakers, cleaners, and more — understanding G402 is a key part of meeting your legal obligations and protecting your workforce.

Key points from G402

1. What is occupational asthma and when is surveillance needed

• Occupational asthma (OA) is defined as asthma caused by exposure to substances in the work environment.
• Once sensitisation develops, even very low levels of exposure can provoke symptoms.
• Health surveillance is appropriate when:
    • Workers are exposed to known asthmogens (e.g. isocyanates, wood dust, flour dust, glues)
    • Substances carry a hazard label like H334 (“may cause allergy or asthma symptoms if inhaled”)
    • Control relies on respirators (i.e. PPE is the main barrier)
    • A confirmed OA case arises in the workforce

2. What a suitable health surveillance scheme should involve

• The scheme should be designed and overseen by a competent occupational health professional (doctor or nurse) familiar with respiratory risks.
• It must include:
    • A baseline assessment before or soon after exposure begins (ideally within six weeks)
    • Ongoing surveillance, typically annually (though more frequent for new or high-risk roles)
    • Use of a respiratory questionnaire plus spirometry testing (lung function)
    • Interpretation of results both at the individual and group (exposed workforce) level, to spot trends and triggers
• Employers should appoint a responsible person (trained, supported by the occupational health expert) to help administer questionnaires and manage records.

3. Raising awareness & capturing symptom reports

• Workers should be informed of typical symptoms (e.g. wheezing, recurring cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath, runny/blocked nose) and encouraged to report them promptly — ideally via a clear reporting protocol.
• Surveillance should never replace a risk assessment or control measures; it complements them.

4. Reviewing controls in light of findings

• If any case of OA is suspected or confirmed, your risk assessment must be revisited, and controls improved (or worker moved to lower exposure role) where necessary.
• Health surveillance outcomes are an important feedback loop into your overall risk management.

5. Record keeping

• A health record must be maintained for each worker under surveillance, containing:
    • Personal identifiers & exposure details
    • Dates, durations, and frequency of exposure
    • PPE used
    • Results of questionnaire and spirometry
    • Recommendations and any action taken
• Records must be stored securely for at least 40 years from the last entry.

What your business should do now

1. Check your processes: Do you use or handle substances known to cause OA (paints, wood dusts, enzyme cleaners, etc.)? Are you relying heavily on respirators?
2. Engage an occupational health professional: If you don’t already have one, bring on board someone qualified to set up the surveillance scheme.
3. Baseline your workforce: Establish a starting point for existing staff and set timelines for new starters.
4. Inform & train workers: Make sure they know the symptoms, the reporting route, and why health surveillance matters.
5. Review and improve controls: Use the surveillance data to feed back into risk assessments and control strategies.
6. Record rigorously: Ensure health records are complete, kept secure, and retained for the legally required period.

How Outsource Safety can help

At Outsource Safety, we understand that implementing health surveillance — especially for respiratory risk — can be complex and resource-intensive. We support organisations by:

• Advising on appropriate surveillance schemes tailored to your industry and risk profile
• Liaising with occupational health professionals to deliver questionnaire + spirometry packages
• Auditing existing surveillance records and recommending improvements
• Integrating surveillance data into your broader COSHH and risk management systems

If you’d like support to review or set up an occupational asthma surveillance programme in your business, get in touch — we’d be happy to guide you through the process.

A huge number of workers are exposed to respirable crystalline silica every day.  We have been working with clients and delivering training for many years to help our clients and the industry understand the risks.  The image to the right shows you the maximum you can be exposed to in a whole day and still remain below the Workplace Exposure Level (WEL) of 0.1 mg/m³

Silica is everywhere — in stone, concrete, bricks, clay, engineered stone, and more. But when materials containing crystalline silica are cut, ground, or disturbed, they can generate respirable crystalline silica (RCS): an extremely fine dust that can penetrate deep into the lungs.

What many don’t realise is that lung damage from RCS exposure often develops before symptoms appear. That’s why health surveillance is a vital tool — not instead of risk control, but to complement it. The HSE’s COSHH Essentials guidance G404 gives clear direction on how employers should plan, perform, record, and act on health surveillance for workers exposed to RCS.

The Health Risks from RCS

The G404 guidance highlights the key diseases linked to RCS exposure:

• Silicosis — irreversible scarring of lung tissue, in severe cases progressing even after exposure stops.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) — a long-term condition that gradually impairs breathing.
• Lung cancer and other diseases — RCS is classified as a carcinogen.

Typical early symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent cough (with or without phlegm), frequent chest infections, and wheezing. Because symptoms can be subtle or develop slowly, letting them go unreported or undetected may allow irreversible damage to advance.

When Should Health Surveillance Be Considered?

According to G404, health surveillance should be considered (and sometimes required) when:

1. Workers are regularly exposed to RCS dust and silicosis is a plausible outcome.
2. There have been prior cases of ill health in the workplace or industry.
3. Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is a relied-upon control measure.
4. Industry or process evidence indicates a risk.

High‐risk sectors include stone and concrete work, construction (cutting, drilling, breaking masonry), quarrying, foundries, ceramic and slate processing, and worktop installation.

Health surveillance must not replace risk assessment or control measures; rather, it is a safety net to detect ill health early and feed back into improving controls.

What Should a Proper Health Surveillance Scheme Include?

A robust scheme — designed in conjunction with a suitably competent occupational health professional — should contain:

• Baseline assessment as soon as possible after exposure begins (ideally within six weeks) to establish a “before exposure” reference.
• Ongoing periodic assessments at intervals advised by the occupational health professional.
• Questionnaires focused on respiratory symptoms and history.
• Lung function tests (spirometry) to measure breathing capacity.
• Chest X-rays or further imaging, when recommended (particularly in cases of suspected overexposure).
• Interpretation of results at both individual and group levels to spot trends or common issues.

If any signs of work-related lung disease are identified, the employer must act — review the risk assessment, revise controls, and possibly redeploy affected workers to less hazardous roles.

Record Keeping & Reporting

To ensure accountability and long-term traceability, G404 mandates that health records be kept for at least 40 years from the last entry.

Records should include:

• Worker identity (name, address, NI number)
• The processes/products the worker handles
• Date exposure began, frequency, and duration
• The PPE used, if any
• Results of health surveillance tests

Workers should also be encouraged to retain their own copies of their health results in case they change jobs.

Key Takeaways for Employers & Safety Practitioners

1. Don’t wait for symptoms — lung damage can progress before workers notice issues.
2. Implement health surveillance only alongside strong controls (like dust suppression, ventilation, proper PPE).
3. Work with competent occupational health professionals to design suitable surveillance schedules.
4. Regularly review and act on surveillance findings — they should inform your risk assessments and control measures.
5. Maintain detailed and long-lasting records, and allow worker access to their own data.

Recent inspections by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have uncovered alarming shortcomings in how businesses are protecting their workers from excessive noise. The findings reveal a widespread lack of understanding and implementation of basic hearing protection measures, putting a significant portion of the workforce at risk of permanent hearing damage.

Key Findings from HSE Inspections

The HSE’s inspections painted a concerning picture:

• Widespread High Noise Levels: A quarter of all workplaces inspected had noise levels high enough to necessitate mandatory hearing protection.
• Lack of Training: A staggering 80% of employees had not been properly instructed on how to wear their hearing protection correctly. This includes crucial details like ensuring a proper fit, avoiding interference from clothing or hair, and checking for compatibility with other personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Poor Maintenance Knowledge: 75% of employees in high-noise environments were unaware of the correct procedures for storing, checking, and reporting damage to their hearing protection.
• Inadequate Emphasis on Continuous Wear: Nearly two-thirds (63%) of workers had not been trained on the critical importance of wearing their hearing protection for the entire duration of their exposure to loud noise.
• Failure to Check for Audibility of Alarms: An overwhelming 95% of employers had not verified whether workers could still hear essential safety warnings, such as fire alarms or reversing vehicle alerts, while wearing their hearing protection.

Getting Personal Hearing Protection Right: The “CUFF” System

In response to these findings, the HSE is promoting a simple yet effective system called CUFF to help employers and employees ensure that hearing protection is being used correctly and effectively. CUFF is an acronym that stands for:

• C – Condition: Is the hearing protection in good condition and free from damage?
• U – Use: Is it being used correctly and at all times when required?
• F – Fit the ear: Is it being worn properly to provide a good seal and adequate protection?
• F – Fit for purpose: Is the hearing protection suitable for the level of noise in the workplace?

The HSE emphasizes that hearing protection is the last line of defense against noise-induced hearing loss and must be actively managed to be effective.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

The HSE’s press release also highlighted several common mistakes that can render hearing protection ineffective:

• Using damaged or old equipment: Hearing protection, like any other PPE, has a limited lifespan and should be replaced when it shows signs of wear and tear.
• Incorrect use: Removing hearing protection, even for a short time, in a noisy environment can significantly reduce its effectiveness.
• Improper fit: Earmuffs worn over hats or hoods, or earplugs that are not inserted correctly, will not provide the intended level of protection.
• Wrong performance: Selecting hearing protection based on factors like comfort or appearance, rather than its technical specifications (such as the Single Number Rating, or SNR), can lead to either under-protection or over-protection, both of which can be dangerous.

How We Can Help

At Outsource Safety, we can provide you with the expert advice and support you need to ensure that your business is fully compliant with the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Our Safety~net competent person service can help you with:

• Noise risk assessments to identify areas of concern in your workplace.
• Advice on the selection and use of appropriate hearing protection.
• Training for your employees on the importance of hearing protection and how to use it correctly.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact us today to find out how we can help you protect your workers from the life-altering effects of hearing loss.

We all expect other businesses to operate to the same high standards as we do.  You invest in your people and pride yourself on completing jobs on time and to exacting standards of quality and safety.  However, not all businesses, or people, are the same, and sadly, sometimes we can get caught out by a subcontractor who seems to talk the talk but doesn’t deliver on the standards which we should be able to expect.

We work with hundreds of businesses to get them through contractor approval schemes SSIP approval and other accreditations, including PQQ’s (pre qualification questionnaires).  From major bluechips to councils and the public sector, we continue to support scores of clients with SafetyContractor, Constructionline, SMAS, CHAS and other SSIP approval schemes.  Contact us today or request a call back and see how we can take away the burden of SSIP approval from you and your internal teams so you can get compliant and concentrate on winning new business.

Rogue Gas Fitter Jailed for Carrying Out Unsafe Work

Date: 16 July 2025
Case: Antony Clifton of CS Appliance Repairs Ltd – sentenced at Great Yarmouth Magistrates’ Court
Sentence: 46 weeks in prison + £1,000 costs
Incident date: January 2022
Location: Drayton, Norwich, Norfolk

Suspended engineer presses on — and homeowners suffer

Despite being suspended from the Gas Safe Register, 52-year-old Antony Clifton continued carrying out gas installations at domestic properties. In January 2022, he fitted a cooker in a residential home in Drayton, Norwich—but left the inlet pipe leaking gas. The fault was discovered shortly after his visit, prompting emergency repair work (HSE Media Centre).

Clifton had previously received a prohibition notice from HSE preventing him from performing gas work. Despite this, he falsely claimed registration, putting homeowners in significant danger (HSE Media Centre).

Probe reveals serious regulatory breaches

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the faulty installation created a gas escape risk. Proper checks and protections were not applied—a clear contravention of safety regulations and best practice. This was especially alarming given that Clifton was already known to be suspended from Gas Safe Register duties (HSE Media Centre).

Clifton pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulations 3(7) and 5(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. On 14 July 2025, he was sentenced to 46 weeks in prison and ordered to pay £1,000 in prosecution costs (HSE Media Centre).

Inspector’s strong warning

HSE inspector Martyn Webb emphasised:

“Antony Clifton knew that he was not registered and should not carry out any gas work. However, he showed a blatant disregard… his illegal actions meant the people living in that house could have been killed.” (HSE Media Centre)

He encouraged homeowners and tenants to always verify Gas Safe registration before allowing anyone to carry out gas-related servicing or installations.

Key lessons for stakeholders

Final thoughts

This case underscores the severity of unlicensed gas work and the serious consequences for professionals who flout regulations. Even routine installations become life-threatening when performed without valid registration and oversight.

Gas safety regulation exists for a reason—protecting lives. For anyone involved in domestic or commercial gas work, verifying credentials, adhering to regulations, and never cutting corners are essential. Likewise, homeowners and tenants should be empowered to check credentials before allowing anyone onto their property.

HSE visits remain at a level we have not seen since the 1990’s with clients operating in woodworking being particularly targeted by HSE Inspectors reviewing exposure to wood dust. If you have a joinery workshop or similar and aren’t sure if you have adequate precautions in place, take action now and contact us to speak about what the expectations of an HSE Inspector are.  We have enormous experience and are a small and friendly team of experts who can guide you through exactly what to do and where your money should be spent to avoid enforcement and be compliant.  Contact us now or ask us to call you back and discuss.

Joinery Firm Fined £10,000 for Failing to Protect Its Workers

Date: 17 July 2025
Case: Abbey Joinery and Manufacture Limited (Teesside Magistrates’ Court) fined £10,000 + £4,428 costs
Inspection date: Unannounced visit on 25 May 2023
Location: Middlesbrough, North‑East England

Multiple failings uncovered in HSE inspection

During an unannounced inspection at Abbey Joinery’s workshop on Whorlton Road, Middlesbrough, inspectors found serious breaches of health and safety. Specifically, the company failed to adequately control wood dust exposure and neglected maintenance of electrical installations—leaving employees exposed to unnecessary risks (HSE Media Centre).

Serious health hazards from wood dust exposure

Living and working amidst wood dust can pose irreversible risks. HSE emphasises that excessive exposure increases the chances of asthma and nasal cancer—carpenters and joiners are four times more likely than other UK employees to develop asthma from wood dust (HSE Media Centre). The business lacked adequate controls such as local exhaust ventilation (LEV), health surveillance, and proper respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

Electrical installation failures also present danger

Inspectors also identified faulty electrical systems—both fixed and portable. Exposed wires and unmaintained equipment posed significant safety risks, including electric shock or worse (The Installer, HSE Media Centre). Regular inspection and maintenance of electrical systems is a legal requirement and essential for worker safety.

Words from the HSE inspector

HSE inspector Darian Dundas warned:

“Wood dust can cause serious health problems… carpenters and joiners are four times more likely to get asthma compared with other UK workers.”
“It is vital that maintenance is carried out to ensure the safety of electrical systems… inspection and testing of equipment is also an essential part of any preventive maintenance programme.” (HSE Media Centre)

Legal outcome

Abbey Joinery and Manufacture Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Teesside Magistrates’ Court imposed a £10,000 fine plus £4,428 in prosecution costs (HSE Media Centre).

Safety leaders: lessons to take away

Final thoughts

This case highlights how failing to tackle even “invisible” hazards like wood dust can result in serious health risks—not only in terms of long‑term illness but also legal and reputational consequences. Employers must apply available guidance—including COSHH and electrical safety regulations—to protect workers proactively.

Workplace transport safety is a key safety hazard for any business and one of the specific items we review in detail for our Safety~net competent person support clients during any workplace audit.  Its can be an area which is missed by internal teams concentrating on key safety issues within the premises which they manage, but deserves attention and resources as much as any other hazard within your workplace. Find out more below, and please get in touch to discuss how we can help and support you on this and other safety management issues.

Grocery Wholesaler Fined £1 Million After Worker Crushed by Reversing HGV

Date: 24 July 2025
Case: Bestway Northern Limited (Manchester Magistrates’ Court) fined £1 million plus £11,950 in costs
Incident date: 19 February 2019
Victim: Lee Warburton, 53, from Stockport

Tragic accident claimed the life of an experienced banksman

Lee Warburton, a father of three, was acting as a banksman during a delivery in central Manchester when he was crushed between a reversing HGV and a wall, sustaining fatal crush injuries (HSE Media Centre). Despite years of experience, simple guidance failed catastrophically, with Lee’s partner describing the moment she informed their children: “their daddy was never coming home” (HSE Media Centre).

Investigation reveals systemic failures

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Bestway Northern Limited had no safe system of work in place for vehicle movements, lacked proper risk assessments, and had not provided banksman training (HSE Media Centre). Courts heard evidence that those shortcomings directly contributed to the fatal incident.

Legal outcome

Bestway Northern Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined a total of £1 million and ordered to pay prosecution costs amounting to £11,950.07 at a hearing on 18 July 2025 at Manchester Magistrates’ Court (HSE Media Centre).

HSE inspector issues warning

HSE Inspector Jane Carroll stated:

“The company had failed to implement a safe system of work … exposing employees and others to the risk of being struck or caught by workplace vehicles. Nearly a quarter of all deaths involving workplace transport occur during reversing, most of which can be avoided by taking simple precautions” (HSE Media Centre).

Impact on family

Lee’s partner, Hayley Tomlinson, spoke powerfully about the long‑lasting grief:

“It broke my children’s spirits; they lost the sparkle in their eyes… Lee was their hero.”
“Nothing compares to the moment I had to tell our children their daddy was never coming home.” (HSE Media Centre)

The emotional consequences—especially on his daughters—highlight the human cost behind a preventable workplace incident.

Key lessons for employers and safety professionals

Final thoughts

This tragic case serves as a powerful reminder: reversing HGVs present a high fatality risk. The impact of Lee Warburton’s death has resonated far beyond his workplace, touching the lives of his family forever. As HSE emphasises, many such incidents are avoidable with robust systems, proper training and simple precautions.

For every business with vehicle operations, now is the time to review your safety protocols—and ensure no one is put in harm’s way again.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently published new research into recirculating local exhaust ventilation (Recirculating LEV) systems – equipment designed to capture dusts, mists, fumes and other airborne contaminants before they can be breathed in.

While most LEV systems discharge filtered air outside the building, some clean and return (recirculate) the air back into the workplace. This approach can save on heating costs and avoid the need for building alterations, but it comes with a critical caveat: if the filtration isn’t working properly, harmful contaminants can be reintroduced straight into the breathing zone.

The HSE’s RR1224 report looked at the selection, use and maintenance of recirculating LEV fitted with particle filters. Using industry surveys, site inspections and a workshop of experts, the study uncovered some important findings:

• Not all systems are working effectively – Site inspections found examples where filters weren’t checked or replaced as recommended, even when a Thorough Examination and Test (TExT) had been completed.

• Confusion over filter performance standards – There are multiple national and international filter standards, and not all duty holders understand what “thoroughly cleaned” air actually means.

• Monitoring is key – The use of particle monitors and alarms can give early warning of filter failure, but not all systems have them fitted.

• Maintenance matters – A regular filter inspection and replacement schedule is essential, and must follow manufacturer recommendations.

The research also identified differences across industries in how recirculating LEV is applied. Woodworking, stone working and metal fabrication are priority areas for further study, given the hazardous nature of the dusts and fumes involved.

What this means for employers
If you operate recirculating LEV, you should:

1. Know your filter type and efficiency rating – and the standard it was tested to.

2. Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule – don’t wait for performance to drop before acting.

3. Incorporate TExT and routine visual/pressure checks – both are needed to confirm continued effectiveness.

4. Consider real-time particle monitoring – pressure gauges alone may not detect filter breakthrough.

5. Ensure staff understand the risks – provide training on why filter care is essential.

The bottom line? Recirculating LEV can be safe and effective, but only if designed, maintained and monitored correctly. Without this, you could be creating the very hazard you’re trying to remove.

You can read the full HSE research report here: RR1224 – The selection, use, and maintenance of recirculation LEV.

The latest HSE fatal injury statistics report reveals that while the long-term trend in fatal injuries to workers has shown a downward trend, the recent numbers have remained stubbornly consistent with pre-pandemic levels. This suggests a plateau in safety improvements that should be a cause for concern for employers and employees alike.

The data highlights that certain sectors bear a disproportionate burden of risk. The construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing, and manufacturing industries collectively accounted for approximately two-thirds of all worker fatalities in 2023/24. The construction sector alone saw 51 fatalities, while the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector, despite its smaller workforce, has a fatal injury rate that is a staggering 21 times higher than the all-industry average.

The most common causes of these tragic incidents remain depressingly familiar. Falls from height continue to be the leading cause of death, accounting for 50 fatalities. This is followed by being struck by a moving vehicle (25 deaths) and being struck by a moving object (20 deaths). Together, these top three causes were responsible for over half of all fatal injury statistics.

Working from ladders and working at height more generally have always been the number 1 cause of workplace fatalities in the UK.  Across all industries and sectors, and from heights ranging from several metres to less than 1 metre, the consequences of a fall from height are tragic and often fatal.  Seegraphic: HSE Ladders Step-by-step guide

For many years, a great deal of confusion has arisen about where ladders can and can’t be used when seeking to perform work at height safely.  There was a time not long ago where we had traded working from a ladder with carrying 55kg working platform for hundreds of metres across a worksite.  Thankfully, those days seem to be behind us, and most workplaces are now happy to seek a balance when it comes to the use of ladders versus podium steps and other solutions.

HSE have just issued new and updated guidance in the form of a simple step-by-step guide, which should help give further clarity on when ladders can be the most appropriate choice for work.  Read on to find out more about their decision-making process and resources.

SSIP stands for Safety Schemes in Procurement. It’s an umbrella organisation supported by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its main goal is to streamline the health and safety pre-qualification process for contractors and consultants (suppliers) who want to work for buyers (clients). It aims to reduce duplication, time, and cost associated with needing multiple health and safety certifications.

Importantly, SSIP itself does not carry out assessments or provide accreditation. Instead, it sets the standard through the SSIP Core Criteria, and various independent assessment bodies (Member Schemes) carry out the assessments against this standard.

What are the SSIP Core Criteria?

The SSIP Core Criteria are the fundamental health and safety standards that all SSIP Member Schemes assess against. They are based on the requirements of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) and represent the expected level of organisational capability needed to meet health and safety laws.

By meeting these criteria, a company demonstrates it has appropriate health and safety management systems and procedures in place. The key areas typically covered include:

1. Health & Safety Policy and Organisation: An up-to-date, signed policy outlining commitment and responsibilities.
2. Arrangements: Procedures for managing health and safety (e.g., risk assessment implementation, consultation, training, monitoring, accident reporting, occupational health).
3. Competent Advice: Access to qualified health and safety advice (internal or external).
4. Training and Information: Ensuring employees and subcontractors receive appropriate training and information.
5. Individual Qualifications and Experience: Verifying that personnel are suitably qualified and experienced for their roles (e.g., relevant trade qualifications, CSCS cards, management training).
6. Monitoring, Audit, and Review: Systems for checking procedures, conducting audits, and reviewing performance.
7. Workforce Involvement: Mechanisms for consulting with the workforce on health and safety matters.
8. Accident Reporting and Enforcement: Procedures for recording/investigating accidents and details of any enforcement actions taken against the company.
9. Subcontracting/Consulting Procedures: How the competency of subcontractors and consultants is assessed and managed.
10. Risk Assessment & Method Statements (RAMS): Procedures for identifying hazards, assessing risks, and developing safe systems of work.
11. Co-operation and Co-ordination: How work is coordinated with other contractors/parties on site.
12. Welfare Provision: Ensuring appropriate site welfare facilities are provided.

• Additional Criteria: There are also specific additional criteria for organisations acting as Designers, Principal Designers, and Principal Contractors under CDM regulations, focusing on things like hazard elimination, risk control during design, and specific duty holder responsibilities.

How to Get SSIP Accredited

Since you don’t apply directly to SSIP, the process involves getting assessed and certified by one of its recognized Member Schemes:

1. Choose an SSIP Member Scheme: Select an assessment body that fits your business needs. Popular schemes include CHAS, SafeContractor, SMAS, Acclaim Accreditation, Constructionline (which includes Acclaim), Achilles, Avetta, and many others. Consider cost, client requirements (some clients prefer specific schemes), and any additional benefits the scheme offers. You can find a list of members on the SSIP website.
2. Understand the Core Criteria: Familiarise yourself thoroughly with the SSIP Core Criteria requirements outlined above.
3. Conduct a Gap Analysis/Self-Assessment: Review your company’s existing health and safety policies, procedures, and documentation against the Core Criteria. Identify any areas where you don’t currently meet the standard.
4. Gather Your Evidence: Collect all the necessary documentation to prove your compliance. This will likely include:
   • Your signed Health & Safety Policy.
   • Examples of risk assessments and method statements.
   • Training records and certificates (e.g., CSCS, SMSTS, specific skills).
   • Proof of access to competent H&S advice (e.g., advisor’s CV/qualifications).
   • Insurance certificates (Employers’ Liability, Public Liability).
   • Records of equipment maintenance/inspection (e.g., PAT, LOLER).
   • Details of your consultation arrangements.
   • Accident/incident records.
   • Site inspection/audit reports.
   • Subcontractor assessment procedures (if applicable).
5. Apply to Your Chosen Scheme: Complete the application form for your chosen member scheme (often done online) and submit your supporting evidence.
6. Assessment: An assessor from the Member Scheme will review your documentation against the SSIP Core Criteria. They may ask for clarification or further information if needed.
7. Certification: If your assessment is successful, you will be awarded an SSIP certificate from that Member Scheme, usually valid for 12 months. Your company details should then appear on the SSIP Portal, which buyers can use to verify your status.
8. Maintain Certification: You need to renew your accreditation annually by undergoing reassessment to ensure continued compliance.
9. Deem to Satisfy (DtS): A key benefit of SSIP is mutual recognition. If you hold a valid certificate from one SSIP member scheme but need accreditation from another (perhaps due to a specific client request), you can often use the DtS route. This allows the second scheme to issue their certificate based on your existing valid one, usually for a reduced fee and without repeating the full assessment.

Achieving SSIP accreditation demonstrates to potential clients that your business takes health and safety seriously and meets a recognised industry standard, often being a mandatory requirement for tendering processes.