The point of SMAS: one language of assurance for UK supply chains

SMAS Worksafe is one of the UK’s SSIP member schemes. SSIP — Safety Schemes in Procurement — is the national umbrella that created mutual recognition between third-party health & safety assessments so buyers wouldn’t demand the same evidence repeatedly in different formats.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) explicitly supports SSIP’s mission to simplify pre-qualification and encourages clients to accept a valid certificate from any SSIP member as meeting the HSE-backed “Core Criteria” at the PQQ stage.

That mutual recognition, together with publication of assessed suppliers on the central SSIP Portal, is designed to reduce duplication and cost in the supply chain.

SMAS joined SSIP as a Registered Member in July 2009 and assesses suppliers against those same Core Criteria. Holding a SMAS Worksafe certificate gives two-way mutual recognition with other SSIP schemes, so a contractor doesn’t need to repeat full assessments for different buyers.

The history and purpose: from CDM “core criteria” to SSIP mutual recognition

The roots go back to the UK’s CDM regime. When the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations were revised in 2007, HSE’s Approved Code of Practice set out Stage-1 “core criteria” for assessing health & safety competence of contractors and consultants.

In May 2009, with HSE’s support, SSIP was founded to make pre-qualification simpler and to embed straightforward mutual recognition across member schemes. As the regime evolved through CDM 2015, SSIP formally adopted the HSE Core Criteria into its rules and by-laws so all member assessments would be judged on a common, HSE-aligned threshold standard.

For buyers, that means a contractor listed on the SSIP Portal has already been evaluated against the HSE-backed baseline. For suppliers, it means one recognised assessment can satisfy multiple client PQQs.

HSE retains a permanent non-voting seat on the SSIP Forum and requires an annual independent audit of every member scheme’s processes to keep the bar consistent.

What the SSIP Core Criteria actually cover (and why they matter)

The Core Criteria are the common denominator that every SSIP member, including SMAS, works towards. They align explicitly with CDM 2015 (and the parallel NI/ROI regulations) and define what it means to demonstrate organisational capability in health & safety at pre-qualification.

The assessment is applied proportionately to the size and risk profile of the organisation — there’s specific guidance on the lighter evidence expected for firms with fewer than five personnel — but the threshold is the same: evidence that legal duties are understood and operationally controlled.

The SSIP rules also confirm that a valid SSIP assessment exempts suppliers from the health & safety section of the Construction “Common Assessment Standard” and of PAS 91 where those still apply.

The SMAS Worksafe assessment, step by step

The process begins with scoping and registration. The supplier applies to SMAS Worksafe and defines who they are, what they do and which SSIP category they fall under.

SMAS then assesses them against the SSIP Core Criteria using a streamlined question set that condenses the criteria into around ten core questions covering policy, organisation and arrangements, risk assessment and method statements, competence and training, incident reporting, subcontractor control and related evidence.

Evidence is documentary and practical. Assessors look for a signed H&S policy and arrangements suited to the business; recent risk assessments and method statements for representative activities; proof of competence and training such as CSCS/skills cards and certificates; examples of site inspections, safety briefings and equipment checks; incident and RIDDOR records with learning captured; procedures for appointing and managing subcontractors; and records demonstrating electrical safety, plant inspection, fire risk assessment and similar controls where applicable.

SMAS describes this evidence based on its site and supplier guides, and typical document lists published by implementation advisers mirror the same themes.

Assessment is carried out by in-house SMAS assessors. They validate the evidence against the Core Criteria and may request clarification or further documents. Proportionality applies: smaller, lower-risk businesses can satisfy criteria with simpler documentation, but all applicants must show genuine, current control of risk.

Where a supplier already holds a valid SSIP certificate from another scheme and a client specifically asks for SMAS, the “Deem to Satisfy” route passports that existing assessment across without repeating the full process.

Outcomes are binary at the threshold level. If the criteria are met, SMAS issues a Worksafe certificate, typically valid for twelve months, publishes the supplier on the SSIP Portal and on the SMAS portal, and confirms mutual recognition for other buyers.

If gaps are found, SMAS explains what is missing and allows resubmission once corrective evidence is in place. SMAS notes that certificates are annual and that renewal requires updated evidence and any changes since the previous year.

Beyond the baseline, SMAS offers higher or broader scopes. “Worksafe Plus” layers SSIP with additional pre-qualification content aligned to PAS 91, touching environmental and quality topics; “Worksafe Pro” addresses the Common Assessment Standard (CAS) used by many Tier 1 buyers. These options don’t change the SSIP threshold but can reduce duplication across wider buyer requirements.

What happens during the examination: how an assessor reads your system

Assessors are looking for alignment between policy, risk profile and operational practice.

They want to see that hazards have been identified, that controls are embedded into real work, and that people are competent to carry out tasks. A generic policy unsupported by evidence of supervision, inspections, training or RAMS will not pass.

Conversely, a lean but well-used set of documents that accurately reflects the work — coupled with competence records and incident learning — demonstrates organisational capability at pre-qualification.

SMAS explicitly emphasises that SSIP assessments are “evidence-based,” and HSE’s view confirms the intent: a robust, proportionate judgement of capability against legal duties at PQQ stage, not a site-specific green light. Clients still have to do project-specific scrutiny before work starts.

How long it takes, how it’s maintained, and how mutual recognition works

SMAS advertises rapid turnaround once a complete, correct submission is in — often within a few working days. Certification lasts twelve months and is renewed annually; many suppliers find year two faster because portals retain core data and only changed evidence is updated.

Mutual recognition means other SSIP buyers should accept the certificate for the health & safety element of pre-qualification, and HSE’s guidance to clients is explicit on accepting any valid SSIP scheme result at the PQQ stage.

For buyers who request a specific scheme name, the Deem-to-Satisfy mechanism passports one SSIP certificate to another without a full re-assessment.

Where SMAS sits next to ISO 45001 (and why both are useful)

SMAS Worksafe is a pre-qualification assessment against HSE-aligned Core Criteria; ISO 45001 is a certifiable management system standard. If a contractor runs an effective OHS management system under ISO 45001, they typically find SSIP straightforward because leadership, worker participation, hazard identification, competence and performance evaluation are already in place.

Conversely, achieving SSIP can be a practical first step for smaller firms on the path to a fuller, culture-centred ISO 45001 system. HSE underscores that SSIP is only one way to meet pre-qualification needs, not a legal requirement in itself; it’s a practical assurance mechanism rather than a substitute for ongoing client due diligence.

How outside help actually works

Many contractors lean on a specialist health & safety consultancy to make SSIP swift and low-stress. In practice, that support begins with a short discovery call to map your activities, headcount and risk profile, then a document gap-analysis against the SSIP Core Criteria.

Consultants typically produce or refine your policy and arrangements, create or tailor template RAMS to your real tasks, build a simple legal register and training matrix, collate proof of competence (cards and certificates), organise inspection checklists, and assemble incident and RIDDOR records with learning captured.

They’ll also tidy subcontractor control procedures, evidence PAT/plant inspections and fire risk assessment where relevant, and coach a nominated responsible person to keep the system current.

A good consultancy then acts as your “editor and advocate” during assessment: uploading evidence to the SMAS portal, answering assessor queries, resolving clarifications quickly, and setting a rolling diary for renewals so you never lapse. The result is not just the certificate; it’s a working H&S pack you can use on site, for inductions and for client audits year-round.

The document sets third-party advisers to publish publicly — lists covering policy, RAMS, competence proofs, inspection and maintenance evidence — echo exactly what SMAS assessors look for, which is why this model accelerates first-time approvals.

Benefits that show up in real tenders and projects

The immediate value is frictionless pre-qualification. Buyers searching the SSIP Portal can verify status instantly; you avoid multiple overlapping PQQs and reduce administrative costs.

In construction, social care, FM and housing, many buyers either prefer or require an SSIP certificate before shortlisting, and HSE encourages acceptance to reduce paperwork.

Internally, collecting these artefacts sharpens supervision, competence and RAMS quality, which reduces incidents and strengthens your commercial story when clients ask how you manage risk.

SMAS itself highlights national recognition, portal visibility and annual renewal as a disciplined cadence for keeping evidence live rather than retrospective.

Putting it all together: how to prepare well, first time

Start by describing your real work in plain terms, then make sure your policy and arrangements match that reality. Build a current, signed set of risk assessments and method statements for representative tasks, including subcontractor interfaces.

Assemble a clean competence folder with training records and cards; add proof of inspections, equipment and plant checks; include incident records and corrective learning.

When what you say matches what you do — and the evidence is recent and proportionate — the SMAS Worksafe assessment becomes a short, professional conversation rather than a long chase for missing pieces. That is exactly what SSIP was designed to reward: credible, consistent organisational capability demonstrated once and recognised widely.