Winning Tenders and Contracts: Why OHS Training Records Are Non-Negotiable

Ask any procurement officer at a large South African corporation or government department what eliminates suppliers from a tender process, and OHS non-compliance will feature prominently on that list. If your business competes for contracts — in construction, services, mining, manufacturing, or government supply — your OHS training records are as important as your company registration and tax clearance.

Why Clients and Contracts Demand OHS Compliance

Large organisations carry significant legal liability for the contractors and suppliers that work for them. The OHS Act extends an employer's duty of care to contractors working on their premises. This means the businesses you work for have a legal interest in your safety record — and increasingly, they are making it a formal requirement.

When companies issue RFPs (requests for proposals) or invite tenders, typical OHS-related requirements include:

•        Proof of a valid Letter of Good Standing from the Compensation Fund (COID)

•        A documented Health and Safety Plan or Safety File

•        Training certificates for all relevant employees (first aid, fire fighting, hazardous work permits, etc.)

•        Evidence of a Health and Safety Representative appointment

•        Records of toolbox talks, risk assessments, and incident investigations

•        SETA accreditation certificates for training completed

The B-BBEE Angle

Skills development is one of the pillars of B-BBEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) scoring. Training your employees — particularly in OHS-related programmes that are SETA-accredited — contributes directly to your skills development spend. This not only keeps your team safe and compliant but actively improves your B-BBEE scorecard, which has a direct bearing on your ability to win public and private sector contracts.

FTS Safety Group's accredited courses qualify as eligible skills development spend under the relevant SETAs, including CETA, MERSETA, HWSETA, and others depending on your industry.

What 'Accredited' Actually Means — and Why It Matters

Not all training is equal. A course delivered by an unaccredited provider may tick a short-term box, but it will not hold up to scrutiny from a DoL inspector, an enterprise client's procurement team, or a SETA audit. Accreditation means:

•        The course content meets nationally recognised quality standards

•        Certificates are recognised by regulatory bodies and major clients

•        The training counts toward your B-BBEE skills development spend

•        Your employees receive a qualification that is portable and respected across industries

Build Your Safety File Before You Need It

Too many businesses scramble to compile their safety documentation when a contract opportunity arises. By then, it is often too late — either there isn't enough time to complete the training before the tender closes, or incomplete records are submitted and the opportunity is lost.

The smart approach is to maintain a continuously updated safety file as standard business practice. This includes:

•        A register of all employee training certificates with expiry dates

•        Copies of all accredited training certificates

•        Risk assessment records

•        Safety representative appointment letters

•        Incident and near-miss reports

FTS Safety Group: Your Compliance Partner

FTS Safety Group works with businesses across South Africa to build and maintain their OHS compliance documentation. Our accredited courses — delivered across Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pietermaritzburg — produce certificates that are recognised by major corporates, government departments, and industry regulators.

We can help you understand exactly which courses your industry requires, train your team efficiently, and provide the documentation you need to win and retain contracts.