Safecontractor accreditation - Help!

[Dave_L]

Anyone else here having to go through this accreditation scheme?

SafeContractor

We're only a small outfit, but have sub-contractors on with us and non-skilled staff on an as-and-when-required basis, so we fall into a business that has more than 5 employees.

How have you guys got on with your Health & Safety Policies, Method Statements etc? Have you enlisted the help of H&S Specialists at often great expense?

Then there are the blue excavator maintenence record booklets - anyone else have those to hand?

I'm up to my neck in it at the moment!

[Dave_L]

Well I'm glad to say it's nearly all complete, it's been a lot of work..........

It was all there, just needed 'sorting' out and bringing up to date.

[yourgardenworks.co.uk]

Glad to hear that Dave, im thinking of gaining some kind of accreditation to boost my chances of winning tenders etc, im not sure which way to go just yet though, either way there is probably lots of paperwork involved ?

[Dave_L]

Glad to hear that Dave, im thinking of gaining some kind of accreditation to boost my chances of winning tenders etc, im not sure which way to go just yet though, either way there is probably lots of paperwork involved ?

If all your training and H&S is up to date, then I would say No......

[yourgardenworks.co.uk]

Hmmm, im currently trying to get to that stage now Dave. Does it open many doors for your business.?

[yourgardenworks.co.uk]

Bump

Dave, have you picked up work through the scheme mate?

im seriously thinking of joining but my h & s records leave a lot to be desired, any help on offer from you guys would be repayed with a cyber pint of snakebite...

[Dave_L]

Nope, it hasn't allowed us to pick up any new work yet, but in the short term it has allowed us to remain as a contractor to a fairly big housing provider.

No accreditation = no work from xxx

It doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to work out who the housing provider is!

But my question is "Will it stop at SAFEContractor?" What other scheme round the corner is going to cost me £250 p/a to enrol on so that I can work for you??

[lutonlagerlout]

on larger jobs we have to get a method statement etc. we normally get a QS to do this for us for around £250
i have done HSE courses and on smaller stuff we put safety first,RCD waterproof sockets ,brick guards on scaffold,cones ,netting, etc
LLL

[seanandruby]

safety, its a way in with the bigger firms.

[Dave_L]

Indeed Sean - before we start some jobs we have to submit all the relevant COSHH data, method statements and risk assessments!

All before we set foot on site!

Only thing going for us is that some of our work in on the highway outside the jurisdiction of the site rules - which means induction and the site PPE isn't required.

Also, when we go to sites [to do the surfacing works] we are nearly almost the last trade there, so the danger of trades causing danger to other trades is greatly reduced, as there are very few there.

Not an excuse for lax H&S though.

[bobbi o]

how long did it take you to get accreditation?

[Dave_L]

Almost there now- 6 months Bobbi

[bobbi o]

i'm looking at this chas.gov.uk job. pure b'stard and i couldnt fill it out myself,o will have to employ a professional form filler to sort it on my behalf. you just cant escape these thing nowadays

[yourgardenworks.co.uk]

I've looked at the questionnaire from Safecontractor and tossed it too one side for now ubtil i can get my head round it all...:rock:

[Dave_L]

Well we are on our third "Please supply your information regarding....."

Fingers crossed all will be well this time!