Accreditations

GAS SAFE

The Gas Safe Register is the official gas registration body of gas businesses and engineers in the United Kingdom. By law, all gas businesses and their engineers must be on the Gas Safe Register to work legally on gas equipment downstream of the meter, therefore QHS is a Gas Safe Registered business.

A gas engineer can only be affiliated to a registered business and be issued with a license to undertake gas work on behalf of a registered business if they hold a valid and current qualification. This evidence of competence relates only to matters of gas safety and is obtained by every engineer through a recognised route of training and assessment, such as the Accredited Certification Scheme for Gas.

NICEIC

The acronym NICEIC stands for National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting. QHS first became an Approved NICEIC Contractor and Installer in 2006. This scheme is for electrical contractors undertaking design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of electrical installations to BS 7671. The NICEIC is both a Domestic Installer Scheme and an Approved Contractor Scheme.

MEM / MOCOPA

Meter Operation Code of Practice Agreement (MOCOPA) and Ofgem Approved Meter Installer (OAMI) accreditations acceded to the Retail Energy Code (REC), the new sector regulator, on 1^st September 2021 and QHS became a MEM (Meter Equipment Manager), qualified, registered and authorised to fit dual fuel smart meters and electric mains isolating switches.

OFTEC

OFTEC stands for the Oil Firing Technical Association. OFTEC designates and recognises UK installers who are approved to install and maintain solid fuel, oil and renewable energy heating equipment.

QHS hold a current OFTEC accreditation, which means they are authorised to undertake installations of heating or cooking appliances and/or heating and hot water systems, e.g. boilers and ovens/cookers. QHS also install oil tanks and oil supplies as well as the servicing and commissioning of pressure jet appliances.

ISO

ISO is short for International Organisation for Standardisation and is recognised globally as the premier benchmark of quality services and products. It is essential in demonstrating to clients and potential clients that QHS provide independently audited quality services to meet specified requirements.

ISO 9001:2015 accredited Quality Management System is the standard used by organisations to demonstrate their ability to consistently provide services that meet customer and regulatory requirements, demonstrating continuous improvement. QHS regularly reviews its systems as part of its commitment to continual improvement. It is the mainstay of its systems and procedures.

ISO 14001:2015 accreditation ensures its Environmental Management System achieves the company’s sustainability goals. This standard sets out the requirements for an environmental management system. It helps organisations like QHS improve their environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste, gaining a competitive advantage and the trust of stakeholders.

ISO 20000:2018 is the ITSM (IT service management systems) standard. This standard helps organisations benchmark how they deliver managed services, measure service levels and assess their performance. It is broadly aligned with and draws strongly on the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). The acronym ITIL was first used in the 1980’s by the UK Government's Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), when it documented dozens of best practices in IT service management and printed them for distribution. QHS is ISO 20001:2018 accredited for its IT Service Management Systems in relation to the Service, Installation and Maintenance of Central Heating Appliances, Systems and Meters.

ISO 27001:2013 QHS is also accredited in terms of their Information Security Management Systems in relation to the Service, Installation and Maintenance of Central Heating Appliances, Systems and Meters. ISO/IEC 27001 is the standard on how to manage information security. It details requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system (ISMS) – the aim of which is to help organisations like QHS make the information assets they hold more secure.

ISO 45001:2018 specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system, and gives guidance for its use, to enable organisations like QHS to provide safe and healthy workplaces by preventing work-related injury and ill health, as well as by proactively improving its OH&S performance. ISO45001:2018 is SSIP compliant (see the next section for details) and QHS is proud to be accredited.

SSIP (Safety Systems in Procurement) explained

SSIP was founded in May 2009 following the Government report on Accelerating the SME economic engine: through transparent, simple and strategic procurement. Supported by the Health & Safety Executive SSIP aims to streamline prequalification and encourage straightforward mutual recognition between its Member Schemes.

The SSIP Core Criteria is aligned to the Government-backed construction pre-qualification document PAS 91, (Publicly Available Specification 91) ensuring consistency within supply chain management.

SSIP and PAS91 contractor accreditation scheme checks that professional companies like QHS meet the necessary requirements around health and safety, equal opportunities, diversity and environmental management practices.

 ACHILLES

QHS are Registered Achilles Suppliers of Meter and Associated Services. An Achilles Certification is the most widely recognised and endorsed certification scheme across the UK as well as the world. The enduring quality of its risk assessment programmes puts it ahead of similar services, and it provides the transparency necessary to help businesses trust the companies they work with. Achilles covers Safety, Health, Environmental and Quality Practices and Procedures and is a SSIP recognised membership.

As it allows companies to assess and select the most trustworthy companies, QHS as Achille’s suppliers deliver a high level of quality that is not possible everywhere. The Achilles Scheme brings suppliers and buyers in the UK together, within the Construction and Utilities sector, promoting the health and safety of construction workers, and reducing the cost in the supply chain.

CONSTRUCTIONLINE

QHS’s Constructionline Silver membership accreditation requires enhanced verification with a pre-qualification questionnaire that goes beyond PAS 91 and meets the Common Assessment Standard.

Constructionline was established in 1998 by the UK Government to provide a single point of reference for all pre-qualification data for the UK construction industry. Constructionline provides procurement and supply chain management services, helping buyers source suppliers.

SAFECONTRACTOR

SafeContractor accreditation is a SSIP recognised membership that helps companies like QHS stand out from the crowd as it helps demonstrate to organisations that we are a good / solid business to work with. Becoming SafeContractor accredited has enabled QHS to:

• Demonstrate that its paperwork and processes are up to date and comply with health and safety legislation and best practice.
• Obtain the SafeContractor badge and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to health and safety.

CHAS

The Contractor Health & Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) made it their mission to make the world of work safer, risk free and more compliant for everyone. QHS’s ongoing membership shows the Company’s genuine commitment to the cause.

CHAS helps clients (buyers) and contractors (suppliers) ensure compliance across the different areas of risk management, mitigating risks across supply chains. CHAS assists in simplifying checks while ensuring that every contractor is held to the same high standards of operation. CHAS assessment standards provide clients with the reassurance they need that their supply chain operates ethically and within legal guidelines and will support the delivery of results, on time and within the parameters of the contract.

As one of the founders of SSIP, CHAS is committed to setting health and safety benchmarks that drive industries forward and make the world of work a safer place.

ASCP

QHS are Corporate Members of the Association of Safety and Compliance Professionals (ASCP). ASCP is the leading professional membership organisation for residential asset safety management and compliance within social housing and facilities management. ASCP is committed to raising standards in social housing safety and compliance, informing, supporting and empowering members, and representing their views by being the voice of safety and compliance in the sector.

ASCP membership also gives QHS affiliation to the AGSM (Association of Gas Safety Managers) and AESM (Association of Electrical Safety Managers) whose membership comprises of many professionals from local authorities and housing associations to give us greater insight into client motivations and constraints.

 HIES

QHS are an accredited company and participants of the Home Insulation & Energy Systems Quality Assured Contractors Scheme (HIES). HIES is a consumer protection organisation covering the installation of renewable energy and home energy efficiency products. By respecting, protecting and educating consumers the aim of HIES is to transform consumer protection within the home energy market.

All HIES members like QHS must undergo a rigorous accreditation process before they can join the HIES network of trusted installers. QHS is subject to annual vetting to ensure they are adhering to the HIES scheme rules and code of practice.