What is Safer Assured?
Safer Assured is a trading name of Safer Food Scores Ltd, a successful health and safety consultancy operating since 2010 and managed by Chartered Environmental Health Professionals.
What is included in Safer Assured Membership?
Downloadable resources to help you control COVID-19 risks in your business, comply with the law and to meet the standards required to achieve COVID-SAFER UK approval.
What is COVID-SAFER UK?
It is a standard consisting of a set of criteria which if followed will help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission within workplaces. Safer Assured Membership provides access to the Standard, Standard Guidance and Self-Audit. The self-audit can be used at the outset to determine what additional controls you will need to implement to meet the COVID-SAFER UK Standard.
What is COVID-SAFER UK Approval?
A business can apply for their systems and site(s) implementation to be assessed against the COVID-SAFER UK standard. There is an additional fee for this. Approved members receive a window sticker, certificate and can use the standard’s quality mark.
What is the Safer Assured Management Pack?
It is a customisable management system containing model COVID-19 risk assessments, safe methods, monitoring records and signage. If a robust system which will help ensure that you are following best practice.
My business has more than one site, does the COVID-SAFER UK approval cover all of them?
No, approval is carried out on a site by site basis.
What is mentoring and how long is a session?
Mentoring is an optional consultancy service for members who have applied for the COVID-SAFER approval. There is an additional fee for this. A session is approximately 30 minutes long and is designed to answer any questions about the COVID-SAFER Standard and ensure that you are ready for your inspection by video link.
Can I arrange a mentoring call before signing up for COVID-SAFER UK Certification?
No, the Safer Assured Mentoring Service is designed to be carried out once you have applied for the approval scheme and you have reviewed all the requirements, such as the COVID-SAFER UK Standard and Guidance. You can however contact highly qualified and experienced health and safety professionals at [email protected] should you require a COVID-19 consultancy visit.
Can I have more than one mentoring session or pay for a longer session?
Yes, please contact [email protected] for more details
I have fully customised the Safer Assured Management Pack to my operation/site and I am ready to have an assessment, how do I organise this?
You will now need to apply for the COVID-SAFER approval scheme and the process will begin once payment is received. You will need to upload your COVID-19 documentation on to the Safer Assured website and a Safer Assured auditor will contact you to organise an inspection via video link.
Can I apply for the COVID-SAFER approval scheme even if we have our own health and safety system in place which I believe satisfies the requirements of the COVID-SAFER Standard?
Yes, you can apply for the COVID-SAFER approval scheme and the process will begin once payment is received. A Safer Assured auditor will contact you to organise an inspection via video link.
What is an inspection by video link?
An inspection is carried out on-line and uses video to allow the auditor to see your premises, paperwork, equipment, or any other requirements of the audit. The auditor will ask you questions, take screen shots and may request to speak to other members of staff.
How long will the inspection last?
The inspection will last approximately an hour but you should allocate at least 90 minutes.
Do I need any specific technology or equipment for the inspection?
You will need a smart phone or tablet. We do not use just one app and aim to be as flexible as possible for you. We use Zoom, Teams and Facetime but if you have another preference, your auditor will try to accommodate you. This will be agreed when the appointment is booked.
What will I need to have ready for the inspection?
You will need to be able to provide evidence of compliance to the standard. This could include showing the auditor your operational set up, documentation, signage, chemical supplies, hand rub stations etc. More guidance on evidence examples is given in the COVID-SAFER UK Standard Guidance which is available on the Resources pages to Safer Assured Members.
Will I know straightaway if I have passed?
No, your auditor will compile a report detailing which parts of the standard have or have not been complied with. A Safer Assured QA Assessor will check the audit report and determine if a site should be given approval, conditional approval, or refusal. This determination will be communicated along with an audit report.
What does ‘conditional approval’ mean?
Conditional approval is given if the Standard was complied with in the most part but not in full.
How do I move from conditional approval to full approval?
The online audit report will explain what parts of the Standard were not complied with. Once action has been taken, you need to upload evidence to the website and notify [email protected]. A Safer Assured QA Assessor will check the actions are sufficient and notify you if full approval has been awarded or if your application has been refused.
What happens if approval is refused?
You need to re-apply, pay the full price, and have another inspection by video link.
How long does it take for the certificate and sticker to be sent to the operation?
7-14 days
How long does my certification last?
Your certificate will last for 1 year from the date of approval
I am already an SFS Client, am I automatically a member?
No, you just need to sign up on the website, however if you have a compliance contract with us, this will be free and you will be sent a login for the Safer Assured resources website pages where you can download the Safer Assured Management Pack.
I only have a Food Safety compliance contract; do I have to pay to become a member?
No, you just need to sign up on the website and you will be sent a login for the Safer Assured resources website pages where you can download the Management Pack for free.
Is this only free for one year, will I have to pay next year?
Whilst you will have to renew your membership each year, so long as you continue to have a compliance contract with Safer Food Scores, you will continue to receive this for free. This will ensure that you will continue to receive updates and any additional resources that become available.
I only use SFS for certain projects such as supply chain management or training, do I have to pay to become a Safer Assured Scheme member and receive the Management Pack?
Yes, you will need to sign up and pay the appropriate membership fee. You will be sent a login for the Safer Assured resources website pages where you can download the Management Pack
If I have any questions about the Safer Assured Management Pack, who can I discuss it with?
If you have an SFS Compliance contract, you can call our head office on 01442 877322 and we will either deal with your query immediately or arrange a call back within 24 hours.
I am already an SFS client, will I be able to apply for the COVID-SAFER approval scheme for free or at a discount?
No, you will have to pay the per site price as laid out in our pricing plan.