The following steps will help guide you through the process of applying for accreditation or reaccreditation.
Steps to follow:
Step 1: Read ‘Information for Applicants’
Before starting your application, please read ‘Information for Applicants’. This document contains important information you need to know about the accreditation and reaccreditation process.
Step 2: Complete an application form
You can submit your application by email or in paper format. In submitting your application for accreditation it is essential that you comprehensively reference your responses to the questions asked to the OHS documentation that you provide with your application. Poor or incomplete referencing may add significantly to the time taken by the OFSC to process your application and in some cases will require the application to be resubmitted. Many applicants have found that submitting a paper based application simplifies the referencing process and we would recommend that you consider this in your choice of application format.
The Application Form also includes instructions on how to complete each section and provides details on the documentary evidence you will need to provide with your application. If you would like to submit your application in paper format or via email, please download a blank copy of the application form here.
Step 3: Review your application before lodgement
Please review your application against the ‘Application and Evidence Checklist’ before lodging it. You must also include all supporting documentation along with your completed application form. This will ensure that your application is both complete and accurate so that it can be processed as quickly as possible.
Step 4: Is joint accreditation an option?
Under the Building and Construction Industry Improvement Act (the BCII Act) and the Building and Construction Industry Improvement (Accreditation Scheme) Regulations (the Regulations) the Federal Safety Commissioner (FSC) has the capacity to jointly accredit companies.
Where companies are currently accredited, they may apply for joint accreditation at any point of their accreditation. Where all companies are not accredited, they will need to apply for joint accreditation in a covering letter to their application for accreditation or reaccreditation.
To ensure consistency, the covering letter to the application for a joint accreditation must provide details on:
- the nature of the work of the parent and subsidiary or related company (e.g. project management or building work)
- proof of AS/NZS 4801 OHS accreditation for each company
- written confirmation that a consistent, shared OHS management structure exists across each company applying
- details of a single contact person who will be responsible for coordination of audits and reporting across all companies
- a statement agreeing that corrective or compliance actions will apply to the jointly accredited companies as a whole and
- performance history for each company for the previous 12 months.
The OFSC will consider requests for joint accreditation on the information provided and inform applicants of the outcome.
Jointly accredited companies are treated as a single entity by the OFSC with the regularity of audits determined by the number of jointly accredited companies and performance at audit. Non-conformances will be attributed across the jointly accredited companies and can be followed up on any project site.
Step 5: Lodge your application
You can lodge your application by email, post, courier or hand deliver.
The Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner is located at:
Level 4, Garema Court, 148 - 180 City Walk, Canberra:
Mail:
Director
Accreditation and Assessment Team
Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner
Location Code: C148CW4
GPO Box 9880
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email: ofsc@deewr.gov.au
Phone: 1800 652 500
*Fax: (02) 6121 9270 *Please call the Office prior to faxing any documents
Note: It is important to advise the OFSC if you are currently in a tender or preferred tender process. This will assist our Office to prioritise applications. Tender information should be provided in the notes section of the ‘Application and Evidence Checklist’.
Getting help
Should you need assistance to complete any part of your application, please contact:
The FSC Assist Line on 1800 652 500 or email your query to OFSC@deewr.gov.au.