The next step

The SSIP scheme

[Weblink]

Costly multiple SSIP assessments

Background. When the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 replaced the previous regulations, they included recognition of the Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) system (see The next step ). This sets a standard that a number of registered providers can assess contractors against. The theory is that as all assessments are the same, contractors only need to go through the process once. However, things have been over complicated as clients are still demanding that the contractors they use are signed up to the schemes they work with. It means a contractor may have to be signed up to Chas, SafeContractor, etc. It’s supposed to be a cheap and simple system, as the assessment body only needs to check the SSIP database to see that the contractor has already passed an assessment. This is known as a “deem to satisfy” assessment.

Costly. Although a deem to satisfy assessment should be a simple process, a number of our subscribers have found it to be anything but. Sometimes the assessment provider has done almost everything they can to convince them that they need to start from scratch. Others have been quoted hundreds of pounds and told that it could take six weeks for the deem to satisfy assessment to be made. Tip. If you’re a contractor and have a current SSIP certificate, you do not need to undertake another assessment. If a client asks you to join another scheme, stick to your guns and do so via the deem to satisfy route. Tip.  If you’re a client looking to appoint contractors, ignore any lines from the assessment providers that their SSIP assessment is more thorough/better than another etc. The whole point of the standard is that no matter who does the assessment, the questions asked and the supporting information required are the same. Keep it simple by accepting any valid SSIP certificate.

Warning. A deem to satisfy assessment costs hundreds of pounds and has little value for the contractor. If you insist that they sign up to a specific scheme, be prepared for them to pass the costs on to you.

For a link to the SSIP scheme, visit https://www.tips-and-advice.co.uk , Download Zone, year 19, issue 15.