Safety schemes in procurement (SSiP)

As members of the Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSiP) Forum, Alcumus SafeContractor is committed to reducing the bureaucracy and duplication of effort often associated with prequalification. Together with the other members of SSiP, we help both clients and contractors save millions of pounds each year.


What is SSiP?
SSiP was launched in May 2009 to facilitate the mutual recognition of assessments between member schemes, which means contractors do not need to repeat the full assessment process with multiple health and safety assessment schemes.

What are the requirements of SSiP members?
SSiP promotes a minimum standard of health and safety assessment. This standard - the Core Criteria - was adopted by SSiP when the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) came into force. SSiP member health and safety assessment schemes must incorporate the core criteria standard into their assessment of contractor organisational capability.

How can SafeContractor's SSiP membership help contractors?
SafeContractor accreditation is recognised by clients and other SSiP schemes, therefore removing the need for contractors to complete multiple prequalification assessments, saving both clients and contractors time and money.

Can we easily gain SafeContractor accreditation if we have been awarded accreditation by another SSiP member scheme? 

• Your existing accreditation (with another SSiP assessment scheme) must be relevant to the work category you select for your SafeContractor accreditation. For example, if you have been accredited as a handyman with another SSiP scheme, Alcumus SafeContractor can also accredit you as a handyman. However, if you want to become accredited for a different or additional work category, you may need to provide additional information - the amount dependent on the difference.

• SafeContractor assessment includes category-related activities that provide further insight into the risks associated with your work. So, depending on the work activities you select, you may need to provide additional evidence to supplement your original assessment.

• The SafeContractor assessment also includes details of your insurance cover, so that clients can see your level of cover and its expiry date. This is required in all circumstances.

• Your SafeContractor accreditation will be issued for a year, but it will be suspended when your original SSiP member accreditation expires. If this happens, you will need to renew your original SSiP member accreditation or complete the full SafeContractor assessment to remain accredited with SafeContractor.

• Although your SafeContractor accreditation will appear on our client portals it will not appear in the SSiP portal; only your original accreditation will be listed. This ensures only your original full assessment is recognised by other schemes.