Health & Safety Compliance

Ensuring Health & Safety Compliance in Your Tender Responses

When it comes to bidding for contracts, demonstrating your commitment to health and safety is very important for most tenders. Buyers want to work with businesses that prioritise the wellbeing of their employees and have robust systems in place to manage risks. So, what exactly do buyers expect from suppliers when it comes to health and safety?

H&S Tender Questions

In most tenders, you can expect to see a section dedicated to health and safety. Common H&S tender questions include:

• Do you have a health and safety policy that's been signed and dated within the last 12 months?
• Who is responsible for health and safety in your organisation, and what qualifications do they have?
• Can you provide examples of risk assessments and method statements relevant to the contract?
• Do you have any health and safety accreditations, such as ISO 45001, CHAS, Safecontractor, or Constructionline?

It's important to note that while accreditations can strengthen your bid, they're not always a mandatory requirement. What matters most is demonstrating that you have a robust health and safety management system in place.

Health & Safety Tender Compliance: What Buyers Look For

At a minimum, buyers will expect you to have:

1. A comprehensive health and safety policy that's been reviewed and signed off by senior management within the last year.
2. A competent person responsible for overseeing health and safety, with relevant qualifications and experience.
3. Risk assessments and method statements that are specific to the contract you're bidding for, demonstrating your understanding of the potential hazards and how you'll mitigate them.
4. Evidence of staff training and competency, ensuring that your team has the skills and knowledge to work safely.
5. A track record of compliance, with no serious incidents or enforcement actions from regulators.

Buyers may also look for evidence of a positive health and safety culture within your organisation. This could include initiatives to promote staff wellbeing, regular safety briefings, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Key Takeaways: Health & Safety Compliance

To succeed in tenders and procurement, it's essential to:

1. Invest in your health and safety management system, ensuring it's comprehensive, up-to-date, and tailored to your industry.
2. Appoint a competent person to oversee health and safety, and ensure they have the resources and authority to do so effectively.
3. Develop robust risk assessments and method statements for each contract, demonstrating your understanding of the specific hazards involved.
4. Consider pursuing relevant accreditations to strengthen your bid, but remember they're not always essential. Check the frameworks, selection questionnaires and ITT documents to understand what they expect in your sector.
5. Ensure a positive health and safety culture within your organisation, with a focus on continuous improvement.

For more guidance on how to address health and safety in your bids, consider partnering with a specialist tender writing consultancy like Thornton & Lowe. With their expertise and support, you can ensure your submissions are compelling, compliant, and tailored to each buyer's specific requirements.