Health and safety in tenders: How higher standards help you win work

If you’re looking to land bigger contracts, raising your health and safety standards could be the key to standing out from the competition.

Hiring clients need partners they can trust to manage risks and keep projects on track, and showing them they’re in safe hands is likely to win you more lucrative work.

Here’s how to get it right.

The link between safety and successful tenders

When you’re bidding for work, price and experience aren’t the only things that matter. Today, clients are looking beyond these factors to see how well you manage health and safety risks that could harm employees and have a knock-on effect throughout the supply chain.

Have you ever lost out on a contract even though you had all the right experience, a compelling proposal, and competitive pricing? If so, it may have come down to safety. Saying you take safety seriously isn’t enough; clients want hard proof. And that’s why companies with strong safety records, clear policies, and recognised accreditations are in a far better position to win work.

Clients’ growing expectations

If hiring clients once saw health and safety as a tick-box exercise, that’s no longer the case. Regulations are getting stricter, and clients – especially those in construction and other high-risk industries – are under increasing pressure to vet their suppliers properly.

As companies are held responsible for keeping their supply chains compliant, your health and safety mistakes can quickly become your hiring client’s problem. When a contractor fails to follow proper procedures, it can delay projects, damage the company’s reputation, and even have legal consequences.

But that’s not all; non-compliance also invites hefty penalties from regulators, and these apply to major risks as well as actual incidents.

With all this in mind, it’s clear why clients want to work with businesses they can count on to keep standards high and risks low.

How higher safety standards help you stand out

When you make safety a priority, you’re not just avoiding problems, but actively making your business more competitive. Here’s how health and safety helps you win tenders.

Reducing risks: High-value projects often demand greater safety standards as the stakes are higher and the work environment is more complex.

Proving you’re reliable: Robust safety practices show clients you’re likely to be trustworthy in other areas as well. Companies want contractors they can rely on to turn up on time, stick to budgets and timelines, and generally work in a professional manner. After all, the way contractors behave on site affects hiring clients’ wider reputation.

Cutting costs: High standards mean lower insurance premiums and fewer unexpected costs, while efficient health and safety processes reduce admin. This lets you price tenders more competitively, undercutting contractors with steeper safety-related overheads.

Not only do clients get a better price, but they save on these same safety-related costs too, not to mention benefiting from smoother-running projects. This makes you a triply cost-effective choice.

What makes a winning tender?

Health and safety is a large part of the tender process for contractors, and you’ll be asked about everything from your accident reporting procedure to certification. Want to be ready to impress your next prospective client?

Here’s where to start:

Get your documents in order: Clients expect to see clear, well-maintained documents. At minimum, make sure your health and safety policy, accident reporting procedure, incident logbook, and certification details are all up to date.

Carry out a risk assessment: You’ll also need to provide a risk assessment and method statement that’s tailored to the project, showing you’ve got a solid plan for mitigating risks and keeping everyone safe.

Train your team: Tenders are likely to ask for your health and safety training records, so keep details of the training you’ve provided, including the content and learning objectives as well as who attended.

Audit your business: Winning contracts isn’t just about what you do or say during the tender process; it’s also about your track record. To prevent incidents that reflect badly on your business, regularly audit your health and safety setup to ensure you comply with changing regulations.

Get expert advice: If you’re not sure where to focus your efforts, or it’s simply more than you can manage, a health and safety expert can help you quickly find and fill gaps in your approach.

At the same time, many tenders ask who advises your business on health and safety; so if you don’t already have an expert at hand, it’s time to get one.

How SafeWorkforce helps

Managing all of this alongside your day-to-day work can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. SafeWorkforce takes the stress out of health and safety, giving you the tools and support you need to stay compliant and win contracts.

With SafeWorkforce, you get:

Unlimited expert advice: Why have one expert advisor when you can have a whole team? Our qualified consultants provide tailored guidance and documentation while acting as your competent person.

Simplified risk assessments: Create RAMS in just a few clicks, and get help tailoring documents to your proposed project.

Secure document management: Use our digital platform to keep all your safety paperwork in one place, and create essential documents in minutes.

Accident and incident support: Refine your response to incidents and make RIDDOR reporting a breeze.

Site visits and gap analysis: We’ll thoroughly inspect your premises and processes and work with you to solve any issues fast.

Regular updates: There are so many regulations to stay on top of; let us keep you ahead of changes without the hassle.

E-learning for your team: Build an impressive training record with our comprehensive range of courses for you and your team.