IMPAC PREQUAL Prequalification for Contractors — Requirements, Evidence and Assessment Support
IMPAC PREQUAL assessors look for evidence of an active H&S system. ThinkSafe helps you collect and organise that evidence through your daily operations.
What IMPAC PREQUAL Assessors Actually Look For
MPAC PREQUAL assesses whether your health and safety system is actively used in day-to-day work, not just written in documents. Assessors look for current, practical evidence across areas such as:
Leadership, H&S policy and worker participation
Hazard identification and risk management in practice
Site-specific safety planning and task-level risk controls
Incident and near-miss reporting, investigations and follow-up actions
Training records and competency verification
Contractor and subcontractor management processes
Monitoring, inspections and continuous improvement activities
Emergency preparedness and response
Need support with other pre-qualification schemes?
The same evidence you collect in ThinkSafe can usually be reused across other New Zealand pre-qualification schemes:
The challenge: Most contractors have some of this in place, but struggle to demonstrate it with organised, current evidence.
Build Evidence Through Daily Operations
Complete Documentation
H&S Plan and range of policies
Procedure library and risk register
Created when you join, accessible in your Portal
Real-Time Evidence Collection
Site inspections, hazard reports, incidents
Captured on-site via mobile app
Timestamped, geotagged, photo evidence
Works offline in any location
HASANZ-Registered Support
IMPAC PREQUAL-specific guidance
Understand what assessors look for
Troubleshooting when needed
Expert advisory included
What's Included in Your Free Trial
When you start your ThinkSafe trial, you get immediate access to:
✓ IMPAC PREQUAL Application Support Guide
→ Question-by-question breakdown of what assessors check
→ How to build compelling, evidence-based responses
→ Which ThinkSafe forms provide the best evidence
→ Common red flags and how to avoid them
✓ Complete HSMS Library
→ H&S Plan, policies, and risk register
→ Procedure library and templates
→ Available in your Portal once you join
✓ Evidence Collection System
→ Start gathering proof of practice immediately
→ Mobile app works offline
→ Instant worker access from any device
✓ HASANZ-Registered Advisory
→ Expert support when you need it
→ 0800 600 004
Demonstrating Genuine Practice
IMPAC PREQUAL assessors want to see your system in action. Examples of evidence ThinkSafe helps you collect:
Pre-start hazard assessments from actual job sites
Weekly toolbox talk records with worker signatures
Safety inspection reports with photos and corrective actions
Incident investigations showing root cause analysis
Training records with dates, topics, and competency checks
Subcontractor induction records
Equipment maintenance logs
The difference: This isn't retrospective form-filling. It's capturing real work as it happens.
Built for Time-Poor Contractors
You don't need a dedicated safety manager to meet IMPAC PREQUAL requirements. You need a system that works with how your team actually operates.
Ideal for:
✔ Construction companies of any size
✔ Trade contractors
✔ Service businesses
✔ Anyone needing IMPAC PREQUAL for main contractor requirements
$59 + GST/month
(12-month term)
Includes 1 user + up to 5 devices, complete documentation, mobile app, and HASANZ support.
Start Building Your Evidence Today
14-Day Free Trial
✓ Full platform access
✓ Download IMPAC PREQUAL guide immediately
✓ No credit card required
✓ Start collecting evidence today
Questions?
Call: 0800 600 004
Email: info@thinksafe.co.nz
Our HASANZ-registered advisors are available to help with your pre-qualification questions.
Q1. What is IMPAC PREQUAL and why do organisations require it?
IMPAC PREQUAL is a contractor health and safety prequalification system used by councils, government agencies and large organisations to check whether a contractor has appropriate safety systems and supporting evidence in place before work is awarded or tenders are accepted.
Q2. What do PREQUAL assessors actually look for in an assessment?
Assessors review both your answers and supporting evidence across areas such as risk management, training and competency, incident and near-miss reporting, worker participation, contractor management and safety leadership. They focus on current, practical records that show your system is used in day-to-day operations.
Q3. What type of evidence is most important for PREQUAL?
Typical evidence includes hazard assessments, toolbox or safety meetings, incident reports, training records, risk registers, inspections, corrective actions and contractor management processes — ideally from the last few months, not one-off documents created for the assessment.
Q4. How does ThinkSafe help contractors prepare for IMPAC PREQUAL?
ThinkSafe provides the documentation framework and live activity records assessors expect, including mobile tools for inspections, hazards, meetings and incidents, with timestamps, photos and signatures. We also provide guidance on how to organise and present relevant evidence. We don’t guarantee scores — we help you operate a functioning, evidence-based system.
Start your 14-day free trial to see how the system works in practice.
Q5. How much does IMPAC PREQUAL cost?
Assessment fees are paid directly to PREQUAL and vary depending on business size and category. ThinkSafe Membership is a separate, fixed-cost membership that helps contractors maintain evidence continuously, reducing reliance on one-off consultant preparation.
Q6. How long does the PREQUAL assessment process take?
Timeframes depend on submission completeness and assessor workload. Contractors who already have well-organised, recent evidence generally progress through review more quickly.
Q7. Do I need a full-time health and safety manager to achieve PREQUAL?
No. PREQUAL assesses whether your system is appropriate for your business size and risk, not whether you employ a dedicated safety manager. With ThinkSafe, owners, supervisors and workers can all contribute to activity records through the mobile app.
Q8. Can ThinkSafe guarantee that my business will pass PREQUAL or achieve a specific score?
No — assessors independently determine scores and clients decide what level they accept. ThinkSafe helps you improve evidence quality and documentation, but does not influence the assessment outcome.
Q9. How often do I need to renew my PREQUAL assessment?
PREQUAL is generally renewed annually, and assessors expect updated evidence at each renewal. Because ThinkSafe captures records continuously, renewal usually becomes a matter of exporting existing evidence instead of rebuilding documentation.
Q10. Can the same evidence be reused for Tōtika, SiteWise or SHE Pre-Qual?
Yes — the same ThinkSafe records (inspections, meetings, incidents, training and hazard assessments) are normally relevant across multiple prequalification schemes. This evidence can also support Tōtika, SiteWise, and SHE Pre-Qual assessments in most cases.
ThinkSafe's pre-qualification guides are developed with HASANZ-registered health and safety professionals. Our goal is to help contractors understand scheme requirements and demonstrate genuine H&S practice—because the best way to meet pre-qualification standards is to actually operate a working safety system.
Freephone: 0800 600 004
E-Mail: info@thinksafe.co.nz
