FASTSIGNS®, a signage, graphics and visual communications business based in Sheffield, has passed its annual Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme inspection (CHAS) for the third year running.

The CHAS accreditation demonstrates to prospective customers that FASTSIGNS own health and safety policies and procedures meet a set high standard, providing re-assurance that any work carried out will always be done with health and safety uppermost.

Increasingly companies and organisations require suppliers to be CHAS accredited as part of the procurement process.

FASTSIGNS Sheffield and Chesterfield believe that having the CHAS accreditation contributes to the continuing success of the business. It recently completed a major project at Phillimore Primary in Sheffield to produce and fit all of the signs and graphics for the school’s new branding – a contract it would not have been awarded without CHAS.

Said Paul Allison, director at FASTSIGNS: “Health and safety is paramount to us both within our own workshop, offices and on site. The inspection process was very rigorous, but we passed with flying colours once again. Having CHAS certification along with our ISO 9001 and membership of the British Sign and Graphics Association is a tangible way to prove that FASTSIGNS meets high standards and gives re-assurance to existing and future customers that health and safety considerations will always be followed.

“It definitely helps when it comes to tendering for business and gives us the advantage over competitors who are not CHAS accredited.”

The CHAS certification is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to ensure that FASTSIGNS understands the specific needs and requirements of customers. For example, as a significant proportion of the company’s work involves fixing graphics and signage on new developments, last year it’s operations manager Matthew Ball completed a five day specialist construction industry site manager training scheme to learn more about what is required on site to meet health and safety legislation.

Paul Allison continued: “By investing in training and taking part in accreditation schemes such as CHAS we keep ourselves fully up to date with the latest industry issues including health and safety. Customers can confidently rely on us to safely supervise sign installations on their sites. ”