A CHAS Contractor case study
QST Construction Services
The confidence to compete for high-value work
How QST Construction Services uses CHAS certification to demonstrate compliance, build client confidence and support more than £1 million of work won or retained
“I sleep well at night knowing that we run a compliant company and that we’ve done everything in our power to make sure people come home safe. That’s paramount to me.”
James Harman, Owner and Commercial Director, QST Construction Services Ltd
QST at a glance
Established expertise
Specialist structural repair contractor established in 2004
Experienced team
Approximately 50 to 55 people operating from three units
Specialist capabilities
Expertise spanning concrete repair, marine infrastructure, docks, bridges, tunnels and repurposed buildings
Certification that opens doors to opportunity
QST Construction Services operates in complex environments where health and safety cannot be left to chance. The company specialises in structural repair work across buildings and civil engineering assets, with concrete repair at the heart of its expertise.
As QST Construction Services expanded beyond its traditional rail sector work into the wider construction market, the business faced a challenge familiar to many specialist contractors. Its health and safety systems were in place, but prospective clients needed independent evidence that those systems met recognised standards.
For the major contractors QST wanted to work with, recognised health and safety certification was not a differentiator, it was an expectation. QST had the capabilities to take on complex projects, but CHAS certification helped the business meet prequalification requirements and be considered for them.
“Working with Tier 1 contractors was the key driver for us. Recognised health and safety certification was something the companies we wanted to work with expected.”
Following a recommendation from long-standing client Morgan Sindall, QST chose CHAS because it was already recognised and trusted by the organisations it wanted to work with.
Independent assessment builds confidence
QST had put considerable time into developing health and safety policies and procedures that reflected how the business worked. But, with much of that work completed internally, the company wanted reassurance from someone independent that those systems met the standards expected.
“You’re self-assessing, you’re not having somebody else actually audit that process”
CHAS Advanced provided the independent assessment QST had been missing. By having its systems and supporting evidence reviewed against recognised requirements, QST gained greater confidence in its ability to demonstrate compliance to clients and other stakeholders.
“With CHAS behind us, I feel much more confident in our systems. That peace of mind is massive, absolutely massive.”
A mark of credibility when choosing subcontractors
QST also works with subcontractors and prefers to work with businesses who hold CHAS certification. Seeing that a subcontractor is CHAS certified gives QST confidence that the business takes health and safety seriously and has had its approach independently assessed in a way that QST knows and trusts.
“When a subcontractor is CHAS approved, it immediately tells us they’ve done things professionally. CHAS Advanced adds another layer and shows our clients that we take health and safety very seriously.”
QST understands the reassurance this can give clients because the company looks for that same reassurance when appointing subcontractors. Working with CHAS-certified subcontractors gives QST greater assurance that its supply chain partners have demonstrated their commitment to recognised health and safety standards.
Making compliance management more efficient
QST maintains multiple certifications and meets a range of client prequalification requirements. Providing the same information repeatedly takes time, so a clear assessment process makes a difference.
QST values the structured approach taken by CHAS, which helps minimise duplication and allows evidence to be submitted in a straightforward and logical way.
“CHAS takes a clear, linear approach without repetition. For me, it’s all about time. I don’t have enough of it, so the less I waste the better.”
Supporting access to more than £1 million of work
Over the last 12 months, QST estimates that CHAS has supported the business in winning or retaining more than £1 million worth of work.
For the major clients QST works with, recognised health and safety certification is a requirement. CHAS helps QST meet that requirement, giving the business the opportunity to compete for new projects and continue working with existing clients.
CHAS certification also helps build confidence with clients who have not worked with QST before. Alongside the company’s specialist experience, it provides independent evidence of the care QST puts into managing health and safety.
“When we send clients our certificates, it helps them see that we’re a serious business. They need confidence that people will work safely on their sites and go home at night”
As QST grows, CHAS continues to play an important role in helping the business demonstrate the standards major clients expect. Behind that certification is something equally valuable to QST: confidence in the systems developed to keep people safe.
“The ability to have your systems audited by someone independent gives you comfort that you’re operating correctly and compliantly”
James Harman, Owner and Commercial Director, QST Construction Services Ltd
