CHAS Application – What can go wrong?

Whilst we all like to focus on getting it right – it is important to understand how things can go wrong with your CHAS Application.

Really, there are three key areas to get right:

1 The Application Form

It is important to answer all of the questions that are appropriate for the level of Application. There are lots of levels of application, so it’s importrant to apply within the correct category. The questions are straightforward, though many applicants fail to indicate where in their supporting documentation this is addressed.

2 Safety Information Pack

The Safety Information Pack (SIP) is the collection of all the supporting documents that you will submit with your Application. Rarely, do applicants check that they have included all of the information requested by the application. This in itself is not a disaster, though at times submissions are made with very poor information in the SIP.

This is probably the biggest issue – poor SIP documents can lead to a total failure in your Application (along with your fee). Whilst this does not preclude you from re-applying, you will want to be assurred that the SIP documents will be of an acceptable standard!

3 Replying to Assessor Requests

The CHAS Assessor will often request additiona explanation, evidence or documentation to cover all of the CHAS criteria effectively. There is a limited timescale in which to reply and this is often when things do not go to plan.

We are all easily distracted by the ‘real world activities’ in everyday business, but before you know where you are a month has passed, since the CHAS assessor asked for information to be submitted and often the time to reply before re-application has gone.

To manage these issues effectively, we suggest that you have an experienced Health & Safety Consultant examine your existing Health & Safety Documentation, BEFORE completing a CHAS application with you. That way if there are any large ‘holes’, they can be dealt with, before making the application to CHAS.