How to Get PQS Approved

PQS approval (Pre-Qualification Scheme approval) is used by clients and principal contractors to assess whether a business meets required standards for health & safety, financial stability, insurance, and compliance. Getting PQS approved allows contractors to tender for work without repeatedly completing lengthy pre-qualification questionnaires.

What Is PQS Approval?

A PQS (Pre-Qualification Scheme) is a system used to verify that contractors are competent, compliant, and suitable to carry out work. Common PQS platforms in the UK include Constructionline, CHAS, SafeContractor, SMAS and PQS itself.

PQS approval confirms that your business meets recognised industry standards.

Step-by-Step: How to Get PQS Approved

1. Choose the Right PQS Scheme

Select a PQS that matches your target clients and contracts. Many contractors choose schemes aligned with SSIP core criteria to maximise acceptance.

2. Prepare Your Health & Safety Documentation

You will need evidence, not just statements. This typically includes:

• A current Health & Safety Policy

• Risk assessments and method statements (RAMS)

• Training and competence records

• Accident and incident procedures

3. Appoint a Competent Person

Under Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, businesses must have access to competent health & safety advice. This can be:

• An internal competent person, or

• An external health & safety consultant

4. Submit Company and Financial Information

Most PQS schemes require:

• Company details and structure

• Employers’ and public liability insurance

• Financial information or turnover declaration

5. Complete the Assessment and Respond to Queries

Once submitted, your application may be reviewed with follow-up questions. Prompt, accurate responses help avoid delays or rejection.

How Long Does PQS Approval Take?

• Simple applications: 5–10 working days

• More complex applications: 2–4 weeks, depending on documentation readiness

Preparation is the key factor.

Common Reasons PQS Applications Fail

• Out-of-date or generic policies

• Missing training records

• No evidence of a competent person

• Applying for a scheme above your current capability

These issues are common but avoidable.

Is PQS Approval Worth It?

For most UK contractors, yes.

PQS approval:

• Reduces repeated PQQ paperwork

• Improves credibility with buyers

• Increases access to tender opportunities

• Demonstrates legal and safety compliance

Many clients now treat PQS approval as a minimum requirement.

Conclusion

• PQS approval verifies contractor competence and compliance

• Health & safety evidence is essential

• A competent person is legally required

• Preparation reduces delays and failures

• PQS approval helps contractors win more work

Why is online training in Health & Safety so important

In today’s fast-paced work environment, maintaining strong Health & Safety (HSE) standards is not optional—it’s essential.

Organisations must ensure that employees understand safety procedures, regulatory requirements, and best practices to prevent accidents and promote well-being.

Online Training has emerged as one of the most effective and efficient ways to deliver Health & Safety training, offering flexibility without compromising quality.

Buy Your Online Training Here

Top reasons to use online training

1. Accessible Training for a Diverse Workforce

Health & Safety training must reach everyone—from office staff to field workers to remote teams. Online Training makes this possible by allowing employees to access training anytime and anywhere, whether they’re on a job site, at home, or traveling. This accessibility ensures that critical safety knowledge is delivered consistently across the entire workforce.

2. Consistent, Standardised Safety Messaging

Traditional, in-person training can vary from instructor to instructor. Online Training ensures consistent and standardised content, meaning every employee receives the same essential safety information. This uniformity is crucial for maintaining compliance with regulations and minimizing risks.

3. Engaging, Interactive Learning Improves Retention

Health & Safety topics can sometimes feel procedural or routine, but online Training transforms them into interactive and engaging experiences. Through videos, animations, real-life simulations, quizzes, and scenario-based modules, employees better understand hazards and remember how to respond effectively. Higher engagement leads to safer behaviour on the job.

4. Scalable and Cost-Effective for Organisations

Training large teams, especially across multiple locations, can be expensive and time-consuming. eLearning reduces these challenges by eliminating travel costs and minimizing downtime. Organisations can train hundreds—or thousands—of employees simultaneously at a fraction of the cost, making compliance more efficient and scalable.

5. Keeps Pace With Changing Regulations

Health & Safety regulations evolve frequently. online Training enables companies to update content quickly and distribute changes immediately. This agility ensures that employees always have access to the most current guidelines, reducing the risk of violations and maintaining industry compliance.

6. Safe, Risk-Free Practice Through Digital Simulation

Some safety procedures are too dangerous or costly to practice in real-life scenarios. Online Training solves this by offering virtual simulations where employees can learn how to handle emergencies—like chemical spills, fire events, or equipment failures—without real-world risk. This builds confidence and preparedness.

7. Supports Continuous Safety Culture

A strong safety culture requires ongoing learning—not just one-time instruction. Online Training platforms allow organizations to provide continuous refresher courses, microlearning modules, and regular assessments, reinforcing safe habits year-round. When learning is accessible and engaging, safety becomes part of daily behaviour, not just an annual requirement.

Why use Seguro?

Online Training is reshaping Health & Safety training by making it more accessible, engaging, scalable, and adaptable.

It ensures employees understand crucial safety protocols, reduces training costs, and helps organisations meet regulatory requirements with confidence. Most importantly, it builds a culture where safety becomes second nature—leading to fewer accidents, healthier workplaces, and greater organisational resilience.

Our courses start from as little as £25 + vat, discounts are available for multiple courses. We have over 5000 certificates issued on a yearly basis

Buy Your Online Training Here

Available health and safety online training courses

You can also select a course you are interested in and click on the FREE trial button on the course. Select any courses from the list below:

The courses available are:

• First Aid Training
• Asbestos Training
• Legionella Training
• Abrasive Wheels Training
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Training
• Display Screen Equipment Training
• Fire Safety Training
• Food Safety Training
• Level 1 Health & Safety in a Construction Environment
• Manual Handling Training
• Working at Height Training
• Working Safely Training
• Working in Confined Spaces
• CDM Awareness
• Introduction to Personal Safety for Lone Workers
• Behavioural Safety
• Introduction to Risk Assessment
• Electrical Safety
• Noise Awareness
• Slips, Trips and Falls
• Workplace Health and Safety
• Safeguarding Training
• Positive Handling in Schools
• Prevent Duty

Need support

Once you have seen what we offer, don’t hesitate to get in touch, and we will be happy to set you up with your health and safety online training solution.

If you get stuck or need some help feel free to get in touch.

Buy a policy

We have written several health and safety policies. Click on the link to review them: Health and safety policies.

• HSG65 health and safety management
• Property developer
• General builder
• Demolition contractor
• Joinery contractor
• Electrical contractor
• Plumbing and heating contractor
• Air conditioning contractor
• Roofing contractor
• Flooring contractor
• Plastering contractor
• Cleaning contractor
• Haulage company
• Bespoke health and safety policy

We will write a bespoke policy for you if you can’t see your company type above.

How to save money with a PQS accreditation

Following recent client feedback, we would like to share information on PQS accreditation costs and where it stands in the current market.

PQS accreditation is the most competitive method for achieving SSIP accreditation. PQS can be used to obtain the majority of the SSIP umbrella group partners, such as CHAS and Safe Contractor, under their deem to satisfy scheme

We will explain all of the costs of achieving PQS accreditation and compare it to CHAS, one of the more popular alternatives.

Cost Comparison

CHAS have developed a membership-type offering. The cost of each type depends on how many people you employ.

Costs per annum: You must renew the membership each year.

CHAS accreditation costs

Save with PQS accreditation costs

The costs for PQS accreditation are:

The fees above are correct as of January 2025.

Training costs

In terms of training that is required to achieve the standard needed for assessment, this can vary depending on your activities.

The assessor will be looking to ensure all members of your workforce are trained for the task they are carrying out.

This can be an industry standard that is needed such as:

• Gas safe for gas engineers
• Level 3 NVQ in Electrical Installations
• CISRS Scaffolding Part 1 & 2 – Scaffolders

They will also look to ensure that refresher training is carried out such as tool box talks and eLearning is often required.

Courses that are often asked for include:

• Working at Height
• Manual Handling
• Asbestos Awareness

Competent person costs

Ensuring you have the right level of support and advice for your Health & Safety is a bit of a minefield and can be defined simply by the number of employees you have.

Less than 5 employees = Safety Advisor

This service is where you are offered support and advice when needed, this tends to be a one of payment where you will be given a service agreement, certificate and a CV to show the qualifications of the person who is providing you with the advice. Paperwork such as off the shelf risk assessments and risk assessment and Method statements would be provided on an as and when basis should you need them.

5 or more employees = Competent Person

This service is where you pay a monthly retainer fee for continued support and advice should you need it.  In this service you will be provided with a full Safety Management System including full Health & Safety Policy and Employee Handbook. A consultant will be on hand to provide advice and guidance should this ever be necessary.

Whilst not every company is black and white like this, the rule of thumb tends to be the details above. You may be asked by a client to prove you have a dedicated support for Health & Safety resource as well as a full health & safety policy.

Additional Information

If you still have more questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch, and we will be happy to help you achieve your accreditation.

Introduction

If you are a construction client looking to check whether the contractor you intend to employ is SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) registered, look no further! We will show you how to determine whether someone is SSIP-registered, giving you the peace of mind you need before starting your project.

Get Accredited and Win More Work!

Contractor

If you are a contractor looking to become SSIP registered, you will need to select an accreditation company. The accreditation companies we work with are:

CHAS
PQS
ConstructionLine
Safe contractor
SMAS
CQMA
Builders profile
Evetta
Other

The most expensive is CHAS, and the least costly is PQS. Due to the Deem to Satisfy system by SSIP, a PQS accreditation is equivalent to a CHAS accreditation, and for a small fee, you can obtain certificates for both.

The driver for selection is normally your customer; if they insist on CHAS, you can get accredited with PQS and request a certificate for CHAS within the process.

Independent Advice

Feel free to call us, and we can advise you on the best selection for your needs. We have completed thousands of applications and understand the market inside out. We don’t mind which company you select; the assessment process is the same, thanks to SSIP.

Get Accredited and Win More Work!

Checking if a contractor is SSIP registered is straightforward

Go to the SSIP website and click onto the SSIP Portal.

In the search section type in the contractor name and press enter. If they are registered, the SSIP website. portal will give you the registration and renewal date details.

In order to find out the details and check it is the correct company you will need:

• Company full registered
• Registered address

Contacting the company and requesting a copy of their SSIP certificate and any additional and relevant documentation is also advisable. They should be willing to provide you with this information if they are a reputable company.

If you are not happy with the work someone has done for you this would not fall under SSIP. You would need to go to trading standards if you cannot resolve the issue with the company. Trading standards website

Health & Safety when you have 5 employees or more

As soon as you have 5 employees or more, you have a legal requirement to comply with all work-related health and safety legislation.

Your obligations are outlined in the Safety at Work Regulations 1974.

How this changes from less than five employees is you now need to ensure you have:

• Written Health and Safety Policy
• Written Health and Safety Policy Statement
• Written Risk Assessments
• COSHH assessments
• Toolbox talks
• A competent person either within your business or a consultant.

We act as competent people for over 800 companies. When we act as your competent person, we will complete all the documents you need to comply and keep the documents up to date as legislation changes. You also have access to over 1,000 documents including risk and method statements, COSHH data, toolbox talks, and more. We charge a small monthly fee. 

If you are not sure exactly what your business will require, you can find details on it by visiting the HSE website. Every business is different, and a competent person will be able to cover all aspects for you.

If you wish to employ your own competent person, they should be fully qualified in all aspects of Health & Safety; this can prove to be an expensive requirement if you employ them full-time. 

A more competitive way is to use a remote competent person service. We offer this service using one of our safety consultants as your competent person. We will make sure all your documents and training are up to date today, and be there to answer any questions. You also get free access to over 1,000 safety documents including RAMS.

There are a number of resources on the HSE website that can help you with any changes that may affect you as you continue to grow.

We are a friendly and professional team working in the background to help and support like-minded people get on with their work.

All your H&S requirements in one place

Here at Seguro we can be a one stop shop for your safety needs. We can help you with one off client requests or by being your competent person providing you with our full Safety package the choice is yours.

All our our clients have different needs so we can tailor a package to fit your Health & Safety requirements.

Competent Person

We provide a full Health & Safety Management System including a policy, employee handbook and an environmental policy. Expert advice is available for you 24/7.

Accreditation

If your looking for an accreditation but not sure which one we can recommend one to suit your individual needs

We can help you to provide the paperwork needed to enable you to show you are capable of working safely. These vary depending on what accreditation you are looking to complete.

• PQS
• CHAS All Levels available 
• Safe Contractor
• Constructionline All levels (Silver or Gold)

We stay with you until the accreditation is achieved.

Risk Assessments & Method Statements

We have a full library of Risk Assessments & Method Statements available for you to purchase from as little as £10. All of our documents are available in word format for you to be able to amend and use as you need in your business.

examples

• Contract Gardening Service Risk Assessment and Method Statement
• Gas meter Installation Risk Assessment & Method Statement
• Installation aluminium windows and doors
• Floor wall tiling risk assessment method statement

Safety Advisor

This is a support service for less than 5 employees, this comes with expert advice as well as access to our online documents and Risk assessments. This can be purchased separately or comes free with accreditation applications for less than 5 employees.

We offer many more services including PQQ preparation, Construction Phase Plan preparation. Why not visit our website and see if we can help you with any issues you have now and throughout 2025.

Remote Competent Safety Advisor Vs Onsite Visiting

We often get asked the question about our Competent Safety Advisor Service to see what the benefits are compared to having someone employed onsite. The obvious one is cost, it is much more cost effective to have a remote competent person as a service, a service like ours starts from £50 per month compared to a full time salary.

Why use an outsourced service?

• We supply a comprehensive Health and Safety Management System
• We develop a bespoke company Health and Safety Policy for your business
• We work with you to develop a company employee handbook
• We develop an Environmental Policy specific to you
• We provide assistance in Accident Reporting to Enforcing Authorities/Accident Investigation
• We will liaison with Enforcing Authorities on your behalf

Ongoing support

• Access to telephone advice on an unlimited number of occasions
• Updates on any changes in Health and Safety legislation
• Access to over 80 risk assessments and various supporting documentation held on our website
• Yearly review of all documentation and revised documents issued
• Monthly newsletters giving you latest Health & Safety News as well as legislation updates.

With over 200 clients we provide a comprehensive service that is affordable and reliable so SME’s can have peace of mind that they are compliant with their legal obligations.

There are no hidden fees and we pride ourselves with having an 95% retention record year on year. You can see testimonials on our website or on Trust pilot which is an independent review platform.