SafeHire© Certification The hire & rental industry’s leading safety and quality benchmark

SafeHire© is the industry’s leading safety and quality mark, THE gold standard for the hire and rental industry. A stringent certification standard, setting the benchmark for excellence in the hire and rental sectors

Rigorously inspected annually we’ve maintained our SafeHire© certification since 2016. SafeHire© underscores our pledge to deliver unparalleled health, safety, and quality standards in the catering equipment hire/event equipment hire sector.

Why is SafeHire Certification important in catering equipment hire?

We adhere to Code of Practices. As a result **every** item of gas & electrical kit is cleaned, checked, PAT tested and prepared in accordance with the Code of Practices before **every** single hire.

Like many others, we regard SafeHire Certification as the most important tool for catering equipment hire companies: that’s why we became certified years ago and live and breathe the standards. The pandemic emphasised the importance as we, like all SafeHire Certified companies, were already operating at such a high standard that we didn’t need to implement new practices.

Your catering equipment needs to be safe, clean, and reliable. It’s integral to an event’s success, so you don’t want to take any chances. So, choosing a company whose organisation and equipment have been independently assessed to high-quality standards provides you with a much safer and more trustworthy option.

“Clients should look for the SafeHire logo. SafeHire has gone from strength to strength, providing confidence to clients.”
Paul Gaze, Chief Executive Officer, Hire Association Europe.

What is the SafeHire© Certification Scheme?

The SafeHire© Certification Scheme was established by the Hire Association Europe (HAE). HAE is the industry-leading trade association for the plant, tool, and event equipment hire sector. Through its commitment to skills, standards, and sustainability, HAE aims to protect, support, and grow the industry while safeguarding end-users, hirers, and contractors.

To ensure that SafeHire© Certification is a robust and comprehensive accreditation, HAE developed it in conjunction with:

British Standards Institute (BSI)
Construction Skills
Events Supplier and Services Association (ESSA)
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

This means that those who hold SafeHire© Certification operate in line with internationally recognised levels of quality and rigour.

Achieving SafeHire© Certification demonstrates:

Our commitment to the leading Hire Industry Safety Standard
Our competence and commitment to continual improvement in Safety, Health, Environmental and Quality
Our client demands for high standards of service are being met
Our workforce is well-trained to support all of our customers

“The SafeHire© Certification Scheme provides an industry-specific platform for organisations seeking to continuously improve and innovate towards achieving the highest quality assurance and compliance levels.”
Carl Bartlett, Director Certification Services, Hire Association Europe.

How long has the SafeHire Certification Scheme been in place?

The HAE SafeHire Certification Scheme was launched in 2010.

How does a company achieve SafeHire Certification?

A company must undergo a series of rigorous inspections to confirm that its operations meet stringent safety and quality criteria. These cover a wide range of business practices:

Corporate Social Responsibility
Health, Safety and Welfare
Occupational Health
Environment and Sustainability
Quality Business Risk, Insurance and Financial Control
Document Control and Data Protection
HR and Employment Law

Achievement of the standard depends upon successful assessment and, unlike some other quality standards, on-site verification of policies and management systems by Independent Assessors. This is a comprehensive process that includes:

Interviewing employees throughout the business to ensure the company policy is truly embedded.
Sampling key process paperwork for accuracy and effective data management e.g., hire contracts, customer service management systems and training records.
Inspecting and testing ready-for-hire equipment.

How long is a company SafeHire certified for?

SafeHire Certification is valid for three years, with interim annual on-site assessments carried out. Having such frequent assessments (and ones that take place on-site) offers you even greater peace of mind as you know that the company is consistently operating at the highest level of quality.

Is HAE SafeHire Certification a legal requirement?

Sadly, not. It’s still only optional for those companies who commit to the leading industry standard. For businesses, it’s a clear way to demonstrate their credentials, which clients can use to identify between quality organisations and opportunists.

We’re seeing more companies make SafeHire certification a procurement process requirement because they recognise its importance. We’d suggest they go further by making the unmistakable orange logo part of the essential criteria for all procurement.

How can I tell if a catering equipment hire company has SafeHire Certification?

Look for the logo. You can tell if a catering equipment hire company has SafeHire Certification in two ways.

First, look for the orange SafeHire Certification Scheme logo (as shown in our footer below). You need to click on the logo to make sure it’s genuine. It should take you to a verification page showing the company name, certification date and number. If you can’t click on the logo or it doesn’t land on a verification page, the company may not be certified.

Second, you can search on the HAE website. You can search by location if you’re looking for a company nearby or a specific company’s name to verify an organisation’s credentials.

Membership of the Hire Association Europe and Event Hire Association HAE EHA

The leading trade association for the plant, tool, equipment and event hire sectors

As members of the Hire Association Europe (HAE) and Event Hire Association (EHA), we adhere to their Code of Practices. As a result **every** item of gas & electrical kit is cleaned, checked, PAT tested and prepared in accordance with the Code of Practices before **every** single hire.

This ensures it is perfectly serviceable at the point of delivery. We also provide relevant information including operating instructions and safety guidance.

If you are looking for a catering equipment hire company always check they are:-

Check their certification number. Ours is 01142.
Check the expiry date
Call the Hire Association Europe for a list of up-to-date members.

Certification demonstrates compliance with the health, safety, and well-being of its workforce and the users of hired equipment.

SafeHire© Certified catering equipment hire: Your quality and reliability assurance, just like ABTA or ATOL registered holiday companies.