How will I know if I need to be accredited for a project?
How long will it take to achieve accreditation?
Does it cost anything to apply for accreditation?
How long does accreditation last?
What is the application process?
What factors are considered?
My company operates in a number of different regions. Do all of these branches need to be accredited?
How will I know if I need to be accredited for a project?
Notification that a project requires an accredited builder should appear in the tender or contract documentation.
If this is not clear, contact the client to check if the project is covered by the Scheme.
How long will it take to achieve accreditation?
This will depend on the maturity and effectiveness of a company’s existing OHSMS. Applicants with an established OHSMS should allow a minimum of 12 weeks from the date of lodgement of a full application with the OFSC to achieve accreditation under the Scheme; however, this may extend if the applicant has provided insufficient information or documentary evidence and/or if more than one on-site audit is required.
Companies with a newly implemented OHSMS will need to demonstrate effective on-site implementation and ownership, and it is unlikely that this could be demonstrated in anything less than three months.
It should be noted that the OFSC will consider giving a priority to applications for accreditation under the Scheme if the OFSC is advised by an Australian Government agency that the builder is in contention for a building and construction project to which the Scheme applies.
Priority applications are still subject to the same standards as other applicants and will need to meet all scheme requirements. There is no guarantee that a prioritised application will gain FSC approval within the necessary time frame. We encourage all builders to apply for accreditation as early as possible.
Does it cost anything to apply for accreditation?
The Scheme is funded by the Australian Government and administered by the OFSC. There is no fee payable to lodge for accreditation.
How long does accreditation last?
The standard time frame for accreditation is three years from the date accreditation is granted. However, the Federal Safety Commissioner may accredit a builder for less than three years.
What factors are considered?
Read about the Scheme criteria.
What is the application process?
Applications are assessed through a two-stage process comprising a desktop assessment and on-site audit. To assist applicants in their application, the OFSC has published the Documentary Evidence Guide which provides specific examples of acceptable documentary evidence that can be submitted against each criterion.
There is a two-stage process for accreditation under the Scheme, comprising a desktop assessment and on-site audit/s.
Desktop assessment involves a review of all submitted documentary evidence against the Scheme requirements. On successful completion of the desktop assessment, an initial on-site audit will be arranged. View the Accreditation audit criteria.
The FSC will appoint a Federal Safety Officer (FSO) to conduct the audit on a site at a date and time negotiated with the applicant.
For each of the on-site audit criteria the FSO will review the builder’s documentation to ensure that it meets the Scheme requirements. If the documentation of the system is satisfactory, the FSO will then proceed to verify how it is implemented on-site. The FSO will be seeking objective evidence to verify that the corporate OHSMS and other safety information is being fully integrated across the project. Audit reports are submitted to the OFSC who will provide a copy to the nominated company contact.
Any corrective actions or opportunities for improvement resulting from non-conformances identified during the audit will need to be corrected within the proposed time frames.
The FSC will make the final decision on accreditation taking into results from both the desktop assessment and on-site audits. The FSC will advise applicants in writing of the accreditation decision following the assessment process. On accreditation, successful applicants will be placed on the Accreditation Register, which is publicly available. Successful applicants will also receive a Certificate of Accreditation.
What are the main factors that delay accreditation?
Builders should be aware of factors that may slow the accreditation process. These include:
- insufficient or incomplete information and evidence provided at the desktop assessment stage
- applying for accreditation without having certification to AS/NZS 4801:2001 or OHSAS 18001:1999
- not fully implementing the OHS systems on all the company’s sites
- not having a suitable site for audit
- OHS management systems which are not properly implemented on site will require corrective actions. Once a company is advised of corrective actions, delays can occur where the evidence submitted by the company does not satisfactorily address the issues identified.
My company operates in a number of different regions. Do all of these branches need to be accredited?
If a company operates a number of branches in various states and territories but all branches are under a single legal entity, only that legal entity would need to be accredited.
However, if a company operates branches as separate legal entities in each state or territory, each branch that is entering into contracts that fall within the scope of the Scheme would need to apply for accreditation.
This can be undertaken by having all separate legal entities jointly submit a single application where each of the applicants must satisfy all the Scheme criteria. If one legal entity does not satisfy the Scheme criteria, all entities are unable to be accredited.
Alternatively, each separate legal entity may submit individual applications, which means that each entity would be assessed on an individual basis.