May 2009 saw the official launch of a body whose aim is to reduce the burden on construction firms created by health and safety pre-qualification questionnaires. Its website was unveiled which contains comprehensive information for clients, consultants and contractors.
The Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) Competence Forum was established in response to concerns from the construction industry and small firms about the over-abundance of pre-qualification (PQ) assessments and forms they were having to complete, which add significant costs and paperwork.
A recent report by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) found that in order to compensate for the cost of unnecessary PQ activity, the construction industry would have to generate more than £1 billion in turnover.
PQ assessment providers are encouraged to maximise mutual recognition between their schemes by the SSIP Forum so that tendering for business work will only require one set of PQ documents in order to meet the stage one requirements of a wide range of construction clients.
John Murphy, the Forum chair said: "A major benefit for SSIP Forum members is that by tackling the cost and uncertainty surrounding pre-qualification, we can encourage far more suppliers, including SMEs to take part. This will widen market opportunities for SMEs and give more choice to clients."
Stakeholders have welcomed the Forum's step in the right direction to cut bureaucracy in construction. John Lacey, chair of the IOSH Construction Group said that this initiative would help "small and medium-sized businesses demonstrate they are competent in health and safety". The fact that an independent annual audit of the processes employed by each member scheme will be carried out, he added, "means industry can have confidence that the process of accreditation or registration carried out by a member scheme will be consistent and fit for purpose".
RoSPA said that they hoped the initiative "will be of value to other stakeholders, including insurers, investors, enforcing authorities, trades unions, and industry associations".
Brian Berry, the director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders believes that the initiative should particularly help smaller firms as the time-consuming PQ process has squeezed many of them out: “Local authorities, in particular, make it very difficult for SMEs, in terms of the types of questions being asked – they are geared towards larger contractors. Making it difficult for smaller firms means losing out in terms of the creativity and innovation they can offer. We need the Government to recognise that PQs are a major burden on small firms, and that we need more of this kind of mutual recognition – not just in terms of health and safety but also environmental and diversity issues, particularly in the current economic climate."
There is also concern that the Forum's success depends largely on the various PQ schemes that will join up. Paul Reeve, Head of HS&E at the Electrical Contractors' Association said that it is vital that more schemes join up and recognise each other: "Some leading schemes are not involved, and we are disappointed to see that they have not joined up. If it turns out that they do not then receive the full support of the construction industry, so be it."
Visit the SSIP Forum website
The Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) Competence Forum was established in response to concerns from the construction industry and small firms about the over-abundance of pre-qualification (PQ) assessments and forms they were having to complete, which add significant costs and paperwork.
A recent report by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) found that in order to compensate for the cost of unnecessary PQ activity, the construction industry would have to generate more than £1 billion in turnover.
PQ assessment providers are encouraged to maximise mutual recognition between their schemes by the SSIP Forum so that tendering for business work will only require one set of PQ documents in order to meet the stage one requirements of a wide range of construction clients.
John Murphy, the Forum chair said: "A major benefit for SSIP Forum members is that by tackling the cost and uncertainty surrounding pre-qualification, we can encourage far more suppliers, including SMEs to take part. This will widen market opportunities for SMEs and give more choice to clients."
Stakeholders have welcomed the Forum's step in the right direction to cut bureaucracy in construction. John Lacey, chair of the IOSH Construction Group said that this initiative would help "small and medium-sized businesses demonstrate they are competent in health and safety". The fact that an independent annual audit of the processes employed by each member scheme will be carried out, he added, "means industry can have confidence that the process of accreditation or registration carried out by a member scheme will be consistent and fit for purpose".
RoSPA said that they hoped the initiative "will be of value to other stakeholders, including insurers, investors, enforcing authorities, trades unions, and industry associations".
Brian Berry, the director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders believes that the initiative should particularly help smaller firms as the time-consuming PQ process has squeezed many of them out: “Local authorities, in particular, make it very difficult for SMEs, in terms of the types of questions being asked – they are geared towards larger contractors. Making it difficult for smaller firms means losing out in terms of the creativity and innovation they can offer. We need the Government to recognise that PQs are a major burden on small firms, and that we need more of this kind of mutual recognition – not just in terms of health and safety but also environmental and diversity issues, particularly in the current economic climate."
There is also concern that the Forum's success depends largely on the various PQ schemes that will join up. Paul Reeve, Head of HS&E at the Electrical Contractors' Association said that it is vital that more schemes join up and recognise each other: "Some leading schemes are not involved, and we are disappointed to see that they have not joined up. If it turns out that they do not then receive the full support of the construction industry, so be it."
Visit the SSIP Forum website
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