If you tender for work with larger contractors, facilities managers or public sector buyers, sooner or later you will be asked for an SSIP accreditation. The request often arrives with a deadline, and with a confusing list of scheme names: SafeContractor, CHAS, SMAS Worksafe, Acclaim, Constructionline.
Choosing the wrong scheme can mean paying for an accreditation your clients do not recognise, or repeating the same health and safety assessment several times. This guide explains what SSIP is, how the main schemes compare, whether you need more than one and how to choose the right option for your business.
What Is SSIP?
SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) is an umbrella organisation that brings together health and safety pre-qualification schemes in the UK. It was set up in 2009 to tackle a long-standing problem: contractors were completing different health and safety questionnaires for every client, often answering the same questions again and again.
Each SSIP member scheme assesses contractors against a common set of core health and safety criteria. Because those criteria are shared, SSIP members recognise each other’s assessments through a deem-to-satisfy arrangement. In principle, a contractor who passes one SSIP member scheme should not need to be reassessed from scratch by another for the core health and safety element.
SSIP accreditation is about health and safety competence. It shows that your business has suitable policies, risk assessments, competent people and arrangements in place for the work you do. It is not the same as a quality or environmental certification such as ISO 9001 or ISO 14001.
The Main SSIP Schemes Compared
All of the schemes below are well known in UK procurement. The right choice usually depends less on the scheme itself and more on which one your target clients ask for.
| Scheme | Commonly Used By | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| SafeContractor | Facilities management, retail, property, utilities and larger corporate clients | Widely requested by FM companies and national clients. Assessment covers health and safety, with additional modules some clients require. |
| CHAS | Construction, maintenance, local authorities and housing providers | One of the best-known schemes, with tiered membership levels from core health and safety up to wider assessments. |
| SMAS Worksafe | Construction, engineering, maintenance and smaller contractors | Popular with smaller firms and sole traders, with a practical assessment approach. |
| Acclaim | Construction, maintenance and building services | A long-standing SSIP member scheme accepted by many main contractors. |
| Constructionline | Construction, public sector and main contractors | A pre-qualification platform used heavily by buyers to find suppliers. Higher membership levels include health and safety assessment and wider pre-qualification checks. |
Scheme products, levels and fees change over time, so always check the current details on the scheme’s own website before you apply.
SafeContractor
SafeContractor is often the first scheme contractors hear about when they start working with facilities management companies and national clients. Its assessment looks at your health and safety policy, risk assessments, method statements, insurance and competence evidence, tailored to the type of work you carry out.
Many businesses find the evidence requirements more demanding than expected. Generic risk assessments and incomplete training records are common reasons for queries. Read our SafeContractor guide for a full breakdown of requirements.
CHAS
CHAS is widely recognised across construction, maintenance and the public sector, and is frequently requested by local authorities and housing associations. It offers different membership levels, from a core health and safety assessment through to wider assessments that cover areas such as environmental management, quality and responsible business practices.
If your clients are mainly councils, schools or housing providers, CHAS is often the scheme they name. Find out more in CHAS Accreditation Explained or on our CHAS services page.
SMAS Worksafe
SMAS Worksafe is a popular choice for smaller contractors and sole traders in construction, engineering and maintenance. As an SSIP member scheme, it assesses the same core health and safety areas, and many businesses find its process straightforward. Read SMAS Worksafe: What It Is and How to Get Accredited or see our SMAS Worksafe services.
Acclaim
Acclaim is a long-established SSIP member scheme accepted by many main contractors, particularly in construction and building services. For contractors whose clients accept any SSIP scheme, it can be a practical route to demonstrating health and safety competence. See our Acclaim accreditation page for details.
Constructionline
Constructionline works slightly differently from the other schemes. It is best known as a pre-qualification platform that buyers use to search for and vet suppliers. Its higher membership levels add health and safety assessment and wider checks, and Constructionline Gold is aligned with the Common Assessment Standard used across much of the construction sector.
If your target clients use Constructionline to find suppliers, a profile there can bring tender opportunities as well as accreditation. Read our Constructionline Gold guide or visit our Constructionline services page.
SSIP vs the Common Assessment Standard
You may also be asked for the Common Assessment Standard (CAS), developed by Build UK for the construction sector. CAS goes beyond core health and safety and looks at wider areas such as environmental management, quality, financial standing and ethical practices.
SSIP and CAS are not the same thing. An SSIP accreditation shows health and safety competence. A CAS-level assessment is a broader pre-qualification. Some schemes, such as CHAS Elite and Constructionline Gold, offer assessments recognised under CAS. If a main contractor asks for CAS, a basic SSIP accreditation alone is unlikely to be enough.
Do You Need More Than One SSIP Scheme?
In theory, one SSIP accreditation should be enough, because member schemes recognise each other through deem to satisfy. In practice, many contractors still end up holding two or more, because:
- Some clients insist on their preferred scheme and use its platform to manage suppliers
- Deem to satisfy covers the core health and safety assessment, but not every scheme’s additional modules
- Some buyers do not apply mutual recognition consistently
- Contractors working across sectors, such as FM and construction, face different expectations
Before buying a second accreditation, ask the client whether they will accept your existing SSIP certificate through deem to satisfy. Many will, and it can save you both time and fees.
How Deem to Satisfy Works in Practice
Deem to satisfy lets a contractor who holds a valid assessment from one SSIP member scheme apply to another member scheme without repeating the full core health and safety assessment. Typically, you provide proof of your current accreditation and the second scheme recognises it, although it may still charge a membership fee and ask you to complete any scheme-specific elements.
Deem to satisfy does not usually extend to wider modules such as environmental, quality or CAS-level assessments. Check what the second scheme will and will not recognise before you apply.
How to Choose the Right Scheme
| Step | What to Do |
|---|---|
| 1. Ask your clients | Check tender documents and supplier portals, or ask buyers directly which scheme they require or prefer. |
| 2. Check your sector | FM and corporate clients often ask for SafeContractor. Councils and housing providers often ask for CHAS. Construction main contractors may ask for CAS-level assessment or Constructionline. |
| 3. Look at the level required | Decide whether you need core health and safety only, or wider assessment covering environmental, quality or CAS. |
| 4. Compare total cost | Consider the scheme fee, renewal fee and the internal time needed to prepare evidence. |
| 5. Use deem to satisfy | If you already hold one SSIP scheme, check whether a second can recognise it before you start again. |
What Every SSIP Scheme Will Expect
Whichever scheme you choose, the core evidence is broadly similar:
- A health and safety policy, signed and dated by senior management, with clear responsibilities and arrangements
- Site- or task-specific risk assessments and method statements for the work you actually do
- Access to competent health and safety advice
- Training and competence records for staff and supervisors
- Employers’ liability and public liability insurance
- Arrangements for accident reporting, consultation with workers and managing subcontractors
The most common reasons for rejection are generic documents that do not reflect your real work, missing or expired evidence and a lack of competent advice. Getting these right the first time is usually quicker and cheaper than responding to repeated assessor queries.
How ESC Support Can Help
ESC Support helps contractors choose the right scheme, prepare evidence that reflects how the business actually operates and respond to assessor queries. We support applications for SafeContractor, CHAS, SMAS Worksafe, Acclaim and Constructionline, as part of our wider health and safety services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SSIP stand for?
SSIP stands for Safety Schemes in Procurement. It is the umbrella organisation for UK health and safety pre-qualification schemes that recognise each other’s assessments.
Is an SSIP certificate a legal requirement?
No. SSIP accreditation is not required by law. It is a procurement requirement set by clients who want evidence that their contractors manage health and safety properly.
Which SSIP scheme is best?
There is no single best scheme. The right one is the scheme your clients ask for. If they accept any SSIP member, choose the scheme that best suits your sector, size and budget.
Will one SSIP scheme be accepted by all clients?
Not always. Deem to satisfy means member schemes recognise each other’s core assessment, but some clients still insist on a specific scheme. Always check with the client first.
How long does SSIP accreditation take?
It depends on the scheme and how ready your evidence is. Businesses with complete, tailored documents can often be assessed in a few weeks. Missing or generic documents are the most common cause of delays.
Does SSIP cover environmental and quality management?
Core SSIP assessment covers health and safety. Environmental, quality and wider checks are usually covered by additional modules, higher membership levels or CAS-level assessment.
Not Sure Which SSIP Scheme You Need?
We help contractors choose the right scheme, prepare evidence that passes first time and use deem to satisfy to avoid paying twice. Get a clear recommendation for your business.