What is SSIP and why does it matter?

For contractors working in the UK construction and maintenance sectors, the term "SSIP" comes up constantly in procurement processes, pre-qualification questionnaires and principal contractor approval processes. But what exactly is SSIP, which schemes are included, and why does it matter for your business?

What is SSIP?

SSIP stands for Safety Schemes in Procurement. It is a UK government-backed forum that brings together health and safety assessment schemes to promote mutual recognition and reduce the duplication of effort for contractors undergoing multiple assessments.

Before SSIP, a contractor might need to complete separate, overlapping health and safety assessments for every client they worked with, or for every different accreditation scheme they needed to hold. SSIP introduced a system of mutual recognition between member schemes — meaning that if you pass one SSIP scheme, other SSIP members can recognise that assessment rather than requiring you to go through the entire process again.

Which schemes are part of SSIP?

SSIP has a number of member schemes, each of which operates independently but is recognised by other SSIP members. The most widely used SSIP schemes in UK procurement include:

• CHAS — the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme, one of the oldest and most widely recognised schemes in the UK
• SMAS Worksafe — the Safety Management Advisory Service scheme, widely used in the construction sector
• SafeContractor — operated by Alcumus, used by a large client network across multiple sectors
• Constructionline — a procurement and supply chain management service that incorporates SSIP health and safety assessment

BroadSteps provides advisory and preparation support for all of the above schemes. We do not award or grant SSIP accreditations — that is done by the schemes themselves.

What do SSIP schemes assess?

SSIP schemes assess contractors against a common core criteria set that covers key elements of health and safety management. This typically includes:

• The organisation's health and safety policy and its implementation
• The competence of the organisation and its workers to carry out the work safely
• Evidence of suitable risk assessments and method statements for work activities
• Arrangements for consulting with the workforce on health and safety matters
• Evidence of relevant training and qualifications held by the workforce
• Procedures for reporting and investigating accidents and near misses
• Subcontractor management arrangements where relevant

Why does SSIP accreditation matter?

For contractors working in the construction sector, facilities management, or any area where they are engaged by larger clients or local authorities, SSIP accreditation has become a de facto baseline requirement. Many procurement processes now automatically exclude contractors who cannot demonstrate SSIP membership at the first stage of a tender.

Beyond procurement, SSIP accreditation demonstrates to your clients, workforce and insurers that your organisation has a structured, assessed approach to health and safety management. It provides a framework for continuous improvement and gives management confidence that their legal duties are being actively managed.

How BroadSteps can help

BroadSteps Consultancy Ltd provides preparation and advisory support for businesses applying for SSIP accreditations. Our support includes an initial review of your current documentation and arrangements, a gap analysis against the specific scheme requirements, assistance with creating or improving the required documentation, and guidance through the submission and assessor response process.

If you are looking to apply for SSIP accreditation for the first time, or want to add an additional scheme to your existing portfolio, speak to BroadSteps for a straightforward conversation about your options.