You may have seen the CHAS logo on the back of vans and trucks, but do you understand what it means to be a CHAS approved contractor?
There are a wide variety of accreditation schemes for businesses and sole traders, so we thought we should explain why CHAS is so important for everyone here at Branching Out. We are proud to be part of CHAS as it shows that we operate to a high level, meaning our customers trust our tree surgery services.
What does CHAS stand for?
Created in 1997, the full name of CHAS is the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme. This workplace accreditation shows that a business (like ours) operates to a high standard of health and safety. The process involves some seriously qualified professionals assessing every area of a company’s polices and other documentation. While these inspectors don’t visit the business premises, they will not be happy unless all the legal requirements are met.
What are the aims of CHAS?
For contractors and trades people, CHAS is seen as the authority on health and safety, offering helpful advice to ensure full compliance. The scheme also has the power, and responsibility, for establishing industry guidelines, such as the new Common Assessment Standards. These aim to make health and safety assessments simpler for contractors and to provide tools for managing supply chains.
Who runs CHAS?
CHAS is a founding member of Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP), the umbrella organisation for several business assessment schemes. SSIP is supported in its work by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which makes sure that accrediting bodies promote industry best practice.
SSIP wants to lower the cost of health and safety assessments and to avoid unnecessary duplication, which can frustrate small businesses. Hopefully, contractors can be confident in SSIP’s standards and makes it easier for them to apply for accreditation from other SSIP members.
Why should businesses seek CHAS accreditation?
Here at Branching Out, we invested a lot of time in applying for CHAS accreditation as we believe it will benefit us and our customers. Firstly, it shows that we are a professional and respected company who strive to comply with the latest laws and industry best practice. Health and safety is at the heart of everything we do.
Many organisations, such as construction firms and local councils, require contractors to be CHAS approved to prove their safety credentials. When they use a CHAS member, they know the business meets the latest industry standards.
Whether you are a homeowner or represent a multi-national company, Branching Out is the name you can trust as we are one of the 900 organisations and 70,000 approved contractors registered on the CHAS database. We have been inspected by an independent body, and will be reassessed every 12 months to ensure we continue to operate to the highest health and safety standards.
Want to know more about being a CHAS approved contractor?
Branching Out Tree and Garden Services take training and health and safety seriously. Our NPTC and Lantra qualified local tree surgeons who cover the North Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire area. If you require professional help and advice, contact us today.