Guide

Why CHAS applications fail

Almost every referral traces back to one of six causes. All six are avoidable before you submit.

1. Generic template documents

The big one. Assessors read hundreds of submissions and a downloaded template is obvious in seconds: it names nobody, lists activities you do not do, and misses hazards central to your trade. Industry guides consistently report generic internet templates as the most common cause of first-time referral. The fix is not writing from scratch, it is starting from documents where the trade substance is right and personalising every flagged point: your people, your activities, your equipment, your sites.

2. An unsigned, undated or stale policy

The health and safety policy must be signed by the owner or a director and dated within the last 12 months. An unsigned policy, or one from 2021, tells the assessor your system exists on paper only. Sign it, date it, and set an annual review reminder.

3. Risk assessments that do not match your work

If you are an electrical contractor and your risk assessments cover general building work but not safe isolation or live testing, the assessor concludes you have not assessed your actual risks. Your RAMS must cover the activities your business genuinely performs, including the awkward ones.

4. Thin or missing training evidence

Claims without records fail. "All staff are trained" needs a matrix: who, which qualification or card, certificate number, expiry. Include first aid and asbestos awareness, and show refresher dates. Completeness matters more than volume; a two-person firm with a complete one-page matrix presents better than a bigger firm with gaps.

5. Documents that contradict each other

Assessors cross-read. A policy that says you never work at height alongside a method statement for tower scaffolds, or a COSHH register listing products your risk assessments ignore, reads as paperwork assembled from different sources. Your set must describe one coherent business, which is another reason assembled free templates fail as a set even when each looks passable alone.

6. No accident recording system

A clean accident history is fine. Having no way to record accidents is not. Show your accident book format, your RIDDOR awareness, and that anything that does happen gets looked at and acted on.

Fix all six in one evening

The electrician CHAS pack was built against this exact list: trade-correct substance, personalisation prompts on every line that must be yours, one consistent document set, and the record templates that evidence your system. Personalise it, sign it, submit it.

Common questions

What is the most common reason CHAS applications fail?

Documentation that is generic or incomplete. Assessors repeatedly report that downloaded template documents which do not reflect the applicant’s real business are the single biggest cause of referral.

Can I resubmit after a referral?

Yes. A referral is not a rejection: the assessor tells you what is missing and you can fix it and resubmit. It costs time rather than the application.