From today (5 October 2020) the National Association of Shopfitters (NAS) is offering its members FREE SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement)* assessment through its scheme partner, PQS (Pre-Qualification-Scheme). The scheme is free for all shopfitting, fit out and interior contracting NAS members to access and is part of the NAS’ mission to promote, support, and develop its members. It is sponsored by our preferred insurance broker, Darwin Clayton.
NAS members who complete the process will demonstrate competence in health and safety practices, simplifying future tendering process, fulfil minimum customer requirements, and save both time and money. The mutual recognition between all SSIP members means the PQS certificate will allow NAS members to also benefit from savings when applying for any other SSIP-based accreditations they wish to hold (e.g. CHAS, SafeContractor, Altius, etc.) through the Deem to Satisfy scheme.
To start the assessment process, NAS members should sign into the Member’s Area and select the relevant benefit tile for details on how to register. All members who complete the scheme via PQS will be visible to potential buyers on the PQS and SSIP Portals, as well as having their accredited status shown on the NAS Members Directory. Resources will be available to assist with the PQS registration and assessment process, and template letters you can share with customers and the supply chain.
While this scheme is primarily focused on our shopfitting, fit out and interior contracting members, Associates of the NAS can still benefit from a 10% discount on the PQS assessment.
James Filus, NAS Director, said:
“I am absolutely delighted to be able to announce this additional benefit to our members. This is truly an initiative that gives all of our shopfitting, fit out and interior contracting members the chance to benefit and further demonstrates our commitment that the value of membership will be greater than the cost.
NAS members without an SSIP-based accreditation will be able to demonstrate the same commitment to health and safety to their clients as they did to the NAS, as part of their application to join the Association. They will also save time and money when tendering for work in the future, making their businesses more efficient – at no additional cost.
For those members who already hold an SSIP-based accreditation, we are aiming for our scheme to be your primary accreditation. All SSIP assessments are based on the same core criteria and therefore are of equal value – that is the very essence of SSIP. However, we recognise that other accreditations provide additional products and services that your businesses rely on. With an SSIP accreditation through the NAS, your additional accreditations will be significantly cheaper through the Deem to Satisfy scheme, as well as being quicker to apply for.”
A Edmonds & Co. Ltd, a founder member of the NAS back in 1919, were the first member company to receive the accreditation under the scheme. Speaking of the process, Mark Woof, Health & Safety Manager, said:
“The PQS platform is straightforward to navigate your way around and the process of gaining accreditation was simple and hassle-free. We found it very similar to other audit/assessment questionnaires that we have completed. There was also a very good communication throughout, as well as an impressive turnaround from submission to receiving the certificate.”
Notes:
*SSIP was founded in 2009 with the aim of reducing the cost of health and safety assessments and bureaucracy in the supply chain. This is achieved through core criteria, endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and used by all SSIP scheme members when completing assessments. There are over 56,000 unique suppliers registered with SSIP member schemes, who have collectively saved over more than £150m. For more information, please visit www.ssip.org.uk.
For further information on this member benefit, including opportunities to sponsor the scheme, please contact info@shopfitters.org.
