The updated PAS 91 document, which is already used for public sector and other procurement enquiries, aims to cut out unnecessary prequalification paperwork.

ECA Director of Business Paul Reeve, who helped produce the new version, said: “The updated PAS 91 is likely to be a real help to any buyer who wants to know about the general capabilities of their suppliers, based on a set of ‘good practice’ industry questions.

“The new version reflects the requirements of CDM 2015, which should also help to reduce the time and effort that suppliers have to put in to show their basic health and safety capabilities.”

PAS 91 was launched by BSI in 2011, as a draft industry standard for construction.

Since then, PAS 91 has been seen increasingly as the route to simplifying ‘desktop’ supplier assessments, notably of health and safety capability but also other essential areas.

With the re-issuing of PAS 91, Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP), the umbrella scheme for many of the leading health and safety assessment bodies, will cross-recognise the updated health and safety questions, in order to reduce wasteful assessment activity.