Our mission is to reduce occupational health and safety assessment duplication.

What is SSIP?

Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) is an umbrella organisation that facilitates mutual recognition between health and safety assessment schemes in the UK.

Through mutual recognition, SSIP aims to streamline health and safety assessment processes for suppliers by ensuring consistency across different schemes.

Over 84,000 suppliers are registered with an SSIP Member Scheme

When a contractor is SSIP certified, it means their health and safety management processes have been evaluated and meet the HSE backed, SSIP Core Criteria. This certification helps businesses avoid undergoing multiple assessments when they are bidding for work, reducing cost, saving time and simplifying procurement processes.

For clients (buyers), this means reduced risk by engaging contractors who are SSIP certified, simplified procurement processes as suppliers have already been assessed against the SSIP Core Criteria, allowing them to skip the initial health and safety vetting stage of the vetting process. Not having to evaluate each individual suppliers results in significant cost efficiency savings, all with the knowledge the supplier has demonstrated a commitment to maintaining high health and safety standards.

Our History

2007
In April 2007, the revised Construction (Design & Management) Regulations, came into force. This regulation introduced the Stage 1 Core Criteria for assessing health and safety competence of contractors and consultants working in the construction industry.
2009
In May 2009, with support from HSE, SSIP was founded, with the core aim to streamline prequalification and encourage straightforward mutual recognition between its Member Schemes.
2011
2011 saw the launch of the SSIP Portal, which became an essential tool for members to streamline their health and safety assessments. This year also marked the introduction PAS91, a standardised pre-qualification questionnaire, enhancing the efficiency and consistency of assessments.
2013
2013 was marked by the appointment of John Kinge as Chairman in May. Under his leadership, SSIP introduced new initiatives and strengthened its commitment to promoting high standards of health and safety within the construction industry.
2015
2015 saw SSIP adopting the Core Criteria from the HSE, ensuring that its members adhered to the highest standards of health and safety. This alignment with HSE guidelines further solidified SSIP's reputation as a leader in health and safety pre-qualification.
2017
2017 was a significant year for SSIP, with the transfer of the IRCA SSIP Assessor Register to SSIP, streamlining the assessor accreditation process. The organisation also enhanced its engagement with industry stakeholders through various presentations and collaborations.
2019
2019 saw SSIP's continued engagement with industry stakeholders through joint presentations with the HSE and BuildUK. These collaborations highlighted SSIP's commitment to enhancing safety standards and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the construction industry.
2021
2021 was marked by the launch of the online SSIP Assessor Training course, making training more accessible to members. The UKAS Pilot Assessment programme for Registered Members also issued accreditations, further enhancing SSIP's credibility and influence.
2023
2023 saw SSIP's ongoing efforts to promote high standards of health and safety. The organisation continued to engage with industry stakeholders through presentations and collaborations, reinforcing its commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in health and safety pre-qualification.
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2024
2008
Over the next two years, regular meetings took place and the founding members of the SSIP Forum agreed and signed up to an ethos that it should act as an umbrella organisation to facilitate mutual recognition between health and safety assessment schemes wherever it is practicable to do so.
2010
In 2010, SSIP expanded its influence with significant milestones. The SSIP Portal was launched, providing a centralised platform for managing pre-qualification processes.
2012
In May 2012, Paul Reeve was appointed Chairman of SSIP, bringing fresh leadership and strategic vision. This year continued to build on the foundations laid by previous initiatives, fostering greater collaboration among member schemes.
2014
In 2014, SSIP continued to grow its influence and membership. The year saw the publication of CDM 2015 and the adoption of the Core Criteria from the HSE, reinforcing SSIP’s role in streamlining pre-qualification processes and enhancing safety standards across the industry.
2016
In October 2016, Eleanor Eaton was appointed Chair, bringing new energy and perspectives to SSIP. This year also saw the introduction of the SSIP Assessor (refresher training) course, ensuring that assessors remained up-to-date with the latest standards and best practices.
2018
In 2018, SSIP launched the UKAS SSIP Sector Scheme Pilot, demonstrating its commitment to continuous improvement and international standards. The PAS91:2017 publication and the release of ISO 45001 further underscored SSIP's role in promoting comprehensive health and safety standards.
2020
In 2020, SSIP adapted to the challenges of the global pandemic by transitioning to virtual operations. The year also saw the launch of the SSIP logo Trade Mark and the introduction of the SSIP Refresher Training Course via Human Focus, ensuring that members remained compliant and up-to-date.
2022
In 2022, SSIP continued to expand its influence with significant milestones such as the UKAS Pilot Assessment programme for Registered Members. This year also saw the organisation enhancing its engagement with industry stakeholders through various initiatives and presentations.
2024
In 2024, SSIP remains at the forefront of promoting health and safety standards within the construction industry. The organisation continues to introduce new initiatives and foster collaborations that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the prequalification process.