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Want to win more contracts? SSIP accreditation is essential for credibility and compliance. We guide you through every step, ensuring you meet requirements quickly and efficiently.
Benefits of SSIP Accreditation:
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As a qualified health and safety consultant, I’ve supported numerous businesses in successfully obtaining SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) accreditation — a key requirement for demonstrating health and safety competence to clients and contractors.
For many small businesses, navigating the SSIP process can be challenging. The volume of documentation, the need for structured evidence, and understanding the criteria often feel overwhelming. That’s why I’ve created this guide: to break down the process into clear, manageable steps, and provide free downloadable templates to help you meet the requirements confidently
What SSIP accreditation is and why it’s important
How to meet the SSIP Core Criteria (1–10, 12)
Where to access free templates and resources
How to tailor your submission based on company size
When to seek professional support
Lets break it down in to small manageable Information points: –
SSIP accreditation is a recognised way for organisations to demonstrate competence in health and safety management through independent third-party assessment. Originally developed for the construction sector, SSIP schemes are now widely used across industries.
Clients often require SSIP accreditation to ensure contractors meet minimum health and safety standards. To streamline this, SSIP has helped standardise assessment criteria across multiple schemes
Click box below for more information Health and safety accreditation schemes – Competence in health and safety (hse.gov.uk)
SSIP stands for safety systems in procurement. It is an organisation that has helped standardise the assessment criteria, you can down load SSIP Core Criteria For the demonstration of organisational capability Assessment and we will look at each of Criteria elements 1-10, 12 which are applicable to all organisations who want to achieve a SSIP accreditation.
Click box below for more information Welcome to SSIP
The first two SSIP Core Criteria focus on the foundation of your health and safety management system: your Health & Safety Policy and the organisational structure that supports it.
If you’re a small contractor — particularly with fewer than five employees — many SSIP member schemes offer streamlined assessment pathways. These are designed to reduce the documentation burden while still demonstrating compliance with legal and industry standards.
To help you meet these criteria, we offer templates and links to industry guidance
If you have a requirement for construction phase plan for small projects please see box below Construction – CDM 2015 FAQ’s – Construction Phase Plan (CPP) (hse.gov.uk) there is also a link to CITB CDM wizard on HSE page
You can also engage bespoke Health and safety Ltd to help write a policy for your company that complies with the requirements of part 1/2
see our Consultancy page link below.
This criterion requires your organisation to demonstrate that it has access to competent health and safety advice, both at a corporate level and, where applicable, for construction-related activities.
Under UK health and safety law, every employer must appoint one or more competent persons to assist in meeting their legal duties. This person should have the necessary knowledge, experience, and qualifications to advise on health and safety matters relevant to your business.
You have two main options:
Internal Appointment
If someone within your organisation has the appropriate training and experience, they can be designated as the competent person. This is often suitable for small businesses with low-risk operations.
External Support
If you do not have the necessary expertise in-house, you can engage a qualified health and safety consultant or service provider. Many companies, including Bespoke Health & Safety Ltd, offer retained advisory services tailored to your industry and SSIP requirements.
See box below Consultancy UK coverage – Bespoke Health and Safety
To meet SSIP Criteria 4, your organisation must demonstrate that employees receive appropriate training and information relevant to their roles and responsibilities. This ensures that your workforce is competent, informed, and capable of working safely.
Training Matrix
A structured training matrix should outline:
Training Certificates
Copies of relevant training certificates must be included. These may cover:
Toolbox Talks
You must provide documented evidence of toolbox talks delivered over the past six months. This includes:
To help you compile this information, we recommend using:
If you need assistance creating or reviewing your training documentation, Bespoke Health & Safety Ltd offers tailored support to ensure your records meet SSIP standards.
See Training Matrix download box below.
To meet SSIP Criteria 5, your organisation must provide evidence that individuals involved in your operations possess the appropriate qualifications and experience for their roles — particularly those carrying out trade-specific or safety-critical tasks.
Trade-Specific Qualifications
Include copies of relevant certifications, such as:
Evidence of Experience
Document the professional experience of key personnel, including:
This information helps demonstrate that your workforce is competent, qualified, and capable of delivering work safely and to a high standard.
If your team requires additional training, Bespoke Health & Safety Ltd offers access to:
To meet SSIP Criteria 6, your organisation must demonstrate that it actively monitors, audits, and reviews its health and safety procedures. This ensures continuous improvement and accountability across all levels of the business.
Review Records
Evidence that health and safety procedures are regularly reviewed with both management and staff. This may include:
Committee Meeting Minutes
If applicable, provide minutes from Health & Safety Committee meetings, showing:
Management Response to Audits
Show how management has responded to internal or external audits, including:
Site Monitoring Inspections
Include records of site inspections, such as:
To help you compile this evidence, we recommend using:
If you need assistance developing or reviewing these documents, Bespoke Health & Safety Ltd offers tailored consultancy services to support your SSIP submission. Visit Our Consultancy Page
A strong health and safety culture depends on the active involvement of your workforce. SSIP Criteria 7 requires evidence that your organisation has a regular and structured system of consultation with employees on health and safety matters.
Consultation Records
Demonstrate how you engage with your workforce through:
Communication Evidence
Show how health and safety information is shared and discussed, including:
Policy Acknowledgement
Provide signed documentation confirming that staff have been consulted on and made aware of:
To support your submission, we recommend using:
For toolbox talk content, the CITB Toolbox Talk Book (GT700) is a valuable resource and can be purchased online.
Buy the CITB Toolbox Talk Book (GT700)
If you need help setting up a workforce consultation system or preparing documentation, Bespoke Health & Safety Ltd offers expert support tailored to your business needs.
Contact Our Consultancy Team
To meet SSIP Criteria 8, your organisation must demonstrate a proactive approach to incident reporting, investigation, and regulatory compliance. This includes maintaining accurate records and showing how lessons are learned and applied to prevent recurrence.
Accident Statistics (Minimum 3 Years)
Include a summary of all reported incidents over the past three years, covering:
🔗 RIDDOR Guidance – HSE
Incident Investigation Records
Provide documentation showing how incidents are investigated, including:
Regulatory Enforcement History (Last 5 Years)
If applicable, disclose any enforcement action taken by regulators, such as:
To support your submission, we recommend using:
These documents help demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement and regulatory compliance.
If you need assistance compiling or reviewing your incident records, Bespoke Health & Safety Ltd offers expert consultancy services tailored to SSIP requirements.
Contact Our Consultancy Team
To meet SSIP Criteria 10, your organisation must demonstrate that it has effective procedures in place to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement safe systems of work. This is a core element of any health and safety management system.
Documented Procedures
Your Health & Safety Policy should clearly outline how your organisation:
Recent RAMS (Risk Assessments & Method Statements)
You must provide examples of RAMS for at least three recent projects (within the last six months). These should include:
To support your submission, we recommend using:
If you need assistance preparing or reviewing your RAMS documentation, Bespoke Health & Safety Ltd offers expert support and can provide fully tailored documents to meet SSIP and project-specific requirements.
Need help? Contact us today for a no-obligation quote.
Explore Our RAMS Support Services
Effective coordination with other contractors is essential to maintaining a safe and well-managed site. SSIP Criteria 11 requires your organisation to demonstrate how it co-operates and communicates with others working on or around your site to ensure health, safety, and welfare are not compromised.
Pre-Start Coordination Evidence
Include documentation that shows how you plan and communicate with other contractors before work begins:
Ongoing Site Communication
Provide evidence of how you maintain coordination throughout the project:
Health & Safety Integration
Show how your work activities are integrated with others to avoid conflicts and ensure safe working conditions:
Recommended documents include:
If you need help preparing or reviewing coordination documentation, Bespoke Health & Safety Ltd offers tailored support to ensure your processes meet SSIP standards.
Contact Our Consultancy Team
SSIP Criteria 12 requires your organisation to demonstrate that adequate welfare facilities are provided for workers on site, in line with legal requirements and industry best practice.
Evidence of Welfare Facilities
You must show that suitable welfare arrangements are in place, including:
Working Under a Principal Contractor (PC)
If you are working under a Principal Contractor, you can provide:
Working Independently (Not Under a PC)
If your organisation is responsible for welfare provision, you must provide:
Recommended supporting documents include:
If you need help preparing or reviewing your welfare documentation, Bespoke Health & Safety Ltd offers expert consultancy services to ensure your submission meets SSIP standards.
Contact Our Consultancy Team
These criteria apply specifically to organisations acting in the role of Designer or Principal Designer under the CDM Regulations. As such, they are not typically relevant to small contractors who are not undertaking design responsibilities.
If you are unsure whether these criteria apply to your business, we’re happy to advise.
If you require support at any stage of your SSIP journey — from documentation to submission — our team is here to help.
Call us on 01536 239860
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