Tackling the safety pre-qualification problem: the debate goes on

摘要

In response to those who corresponded about the 'Safety Schemes in Procurement' initiative (SSIP) in the August Mailshot, while it is healthy to look for any downsides, let's be reasonable and keep to the facts.rnFirstly, SSIP is not a 'new money-making scheme', it is an umbrella organisation of existing safety schemes that have had the courage - and, who knows, the commercial sense-to try to address the major problem of too many safety questionnaires. This problem is causing major concern in government, the HSE, and industry itself. SSIP members have won clear HSE support (which is not given lightly) by undergoing an independent annual audit of what they do, and how. The current auditor is John Lacey, chair of the IOSH Construction Group. SSIP now has four members - CHAS, Exor, NHBC and the Safety Management Advisory Service - and other assessment schemes are welcome to join, if they meet the third-party audit criteria.