Failed a CHAS Audit? Here's What Happens Next

It's More Common Than You Think

First, take a breath. Failing a CHAS assessment doesn't mean you're an unsafe business. It means your documentation didn't meet the assessor's requirements on the day they reviewed it. There's a difference.

CHAS doesn't publish pass/fail rates, but industry estimates suggest that 30-40% of first-time applicants receive at least one non-conformity that requires further action. For renewals, the figure is lower but still significant — around 15-20%, usually triggered by expired documents or policies that haven't been updated.

The assessment process isn't designed to catch you out. It's a verification exercise: do your documents demonstrate that you understand and manage the health and safety risks relevant to your trade? If the answer is yes, you pass. If there are gaps, you get a chance to fix them.

What "Failing" Actually Means

CHAS doesn't use the word "fail." Instead, you'll receive one of these outcomes:

Non-Conformities Raised

The assessor identifies specific areas where your submission doesn't meet the CHAS standard. Each non-conformity comes with a description of the problem and guidance on what's needed to resolve it. You're given a defined window — typically 10 to 20 working days — to submit corrected documentation.

This is the most common outcome. It doesn't mean your application is rejected outright. It means there are specific items to fix.

Application Returned

In more serious cases — usually where the submission has fundamental gaps or is missing core documents — CHAS may return the entire application. This effectively means starting again with a complete set of documents that addresses the issues raised.

Assessment Withdrawn

This is rare. It happens when an applicant repeatedly fails to respond to non-conformity requests or when the assessor finds evidence of deliberate misrepresentation. CHAS may refuse to assess the applicant for a defined period.

The Top Reasons Applications Fail

1. Expired Documents

This is number one by a distance. Insurance certificates past their renewal date, training records for courses completed years ago, health and safety policies with last year's date. Assessors check every date on every document.

The fix: Before submitting, go through every document and check the expiry date against today's date. If anything expires within the next 30 days, renew it first. We've covered this in detail in our CHAS compliance checklist.

2. Generic Risk Assessments

Downloading a template risk assessment from the internet and putting your company name on it is the second most common failure point. CHAS assessors are experienced — they've seen every template, and they know when a risk assessment hasn't been written by someone who actually does the work.

The fix: Write risk assessments that reference your specific activities, tools, materials, and work environments. If you're a roofer, your risk assessment should mention the specific roofing methods you use and the edge protection you deploy — not generic "construction risks."

3. Missing or Inadequate Health & Safety Policy

Your H&S policy needs to cover specific elements: a statement of intent signed by a director, the organisation and arrangements for managing health and safety, named responsible persons, and procedures for risk assessment, training, monitoring, and review. A one-page statement isn't enough.

The fix: Use the HSE's guidance on health and safety policies as your template. CHAS expects a documented policy regardless of business size.

4. Insufficient Training Evidence

CSCS cards alone aren't enough. CHAS wants evidence of role-specific training: SMSTS/SSSTS for managers and supervisors, asbestos awareness for anyone who might disturb asbestos-containing materials, working at heights training where relevant, and manual handling training.

The fix: Create a training matrix listing every employee, their role, and the training they've completed. Include certificate numbers and expiry dates.

5. No Evidence of Monitoring and Review

CHAS expects to see that you don't just create safety documents — you use them. Evidence of site inspections, toolbox talks, management reviews, and near-miss reporting shows an active safety culture.

The fix: Start recording site inspections and toolbox talks. Even simple records — date, topic, attendees, any actions raised — demonstrate active management.

What to Do When You Receive Non-Conformities

Step 1: Don't Panic

Non-conformities are fixable. Read each one carefully and understand exactly what the assessor is asking for. If anything is unclear, contact CHAS directly — their support team can clarify.

Step 2: Prioritise Quick Wins

Some non-conformities can be resolved in minutes: uploading a current insurance certificate, adding a signature and date to a policy, or providing a missing training record. Fix these first and resubmit.

Step 3: Address Substantive Issues

If the assessor has flagged a fundamental problem — like your risk assessments being inadequate — take the time to fix it properly. Rushing out another generic document will result in the same non-conformity.

Step 4: Use the Feedback

CHAS assessors provide reasonably detailed feedback on what's wrong and what they expect. Use this as a guide to improve your entire compliance system, not just the specific documents flagged.

Not sure where your gaps are? Run a free readiness check to assess your documentation before resubmitting.

How to Avoid Failing Next Time

Build a Pre-Submission Checklist

For a step-by-step walkthrough of what to prepare, see our detailed guide on how to prepare for a CHAS audit. Before submitting to CHAS, verify for every document:

• Is it current (not expired)?
• Is it signed and dated?
• Is it specific to your trade and operations?
• Does it reference your actual work activities?
• Are all named persons still employed by the company?

Keep Documents Updated Year-Round

The biggest mistake is treating CHAS as an annual event — scrambling to update documents in the weeks before renewal. If you keep documents current throughout the year, the renewal submission is simply a matter of uploading what you already have.

ComplianceVault tracks expiry dates and sends automated reminders at 30, 14, and 7 days before each document expires — so you're never caught out at renewal time.

Treat the Assessment as a Health Check

A CHAS assessment is genuinely useful feedback on your health and safety systems. Rather than seeing it as an obstacle, treat it as a free audit. The non-conformities tell you exactly where your systems are weak — and fixing those weaknesses reduces your actual risk on site.

Summary

• Failing a CHAS assessment is common — 30-40% of first-time applicants receive non-conformities, usually for expired documents or generic risk assessments
• Non-conformities are fixable — you'll get a defined window to submit corrected documentation, so read the feedback carefully and address each point
• The top causes are preventable — expired documents, template risk assessments, and missing training evidence are all avoidable with consistent compliance management
• Treat CHAS as year-round, not annual — keeping documents current makes renewal straightforward and reduces the risk of failure