Totika prequalification has become a critical requirement for contractors and suppliers operating in high-risk industries across New Zealand. Yet for many businesses, the Totika process still feels confusing, time-consuming, and unnecessarily difficult.
At Advanced Safety, we help businesses navigate Totika prequalification the right way - using a proven system, clear evidence mapping, and direct assessor insight.
Through our partnership with Qualify365, we support contractors to achieve Totika approval efficiently, without overcomplicating documentation or burning time and money.
This article explains how Totika prequalification works, how Qualify365 simplifies the process, and why a structured approach is the difference between frustration and fast approval.
What Is Totika Prequalification?
Totika is New Zealand’s nationally recognised, cross-industry health and safety prequalification framework. It was developed to eliminate duplication across contractor assessments and create a single, consistent standard that clients and contractors can trust.
Instead of completing multiple prequalification schemes for different clients, Totika allows contractors to be assessed once, against an agreed framework, and recognised by multiple organisations.
Totika focuses on risk-based assessment, meaning the level of scrutiny applied reflects the size, scope, and risk profile of the work being performed.
Why Totika Prequalification Was Introduced
Before Totika, contractor prequalification across New Zealand was fragmented and inefficient. Businesses were repeatedly answering the same questions, submitting the same documents, and paying multiple fees - often to achieve the same outcome.
Totika was introduced to solve these problems by:
Reducing duplication across supply chains
Standardising health and safety expectations
Improving assessment quality and consistency
Making prequalification fairer for contractors
Raising overall health and safety performance
For both clients and contractors, Totika prequalification creates clarity and confidence.
Learn more about what Totika is and why it was introduced.
How Totika Prequalification Works in Practice
Totika prequalification follows a structured assessment process aligned to recognised health and safety standards.
Contractors are assessed based on:
Business size and role
Risk profile of work undertaken
Health and safety system maturity
Evidence of implementation, not just documentation
Outcomes are issued as Meets or Does Not Meet, with clear feedback provided.
Importantly, Totika is not about perfection - it is about demonstrating that systems are fit-for-purpose and proportionate to risk.
The Role of Qualify365 in Totika Prequalification
Qualify365 is a Totika-accredited prequalification platform developed by Safe365. It is designed to remove unnecessary friction from the Totika process while maintaining assessment integrity.
Explore our Totika prequalification support services.
Why Qualify365 Works for Totika Prequalification
Qualify365 simplifies Totika prequalification by:
Using a single assessment process recognised by multiple clients
Mapping evidence clearly to Totika requirements
Allowing direct interaction with assessors
Eliminating premium fees and unnecessary resubmissions
Providing fast, predictable turnaround times
Rather than guessing what an assessor wants to see, contractors using Qualify365 work within a framework that aligns directly with Totika expectations.
Advanced Safety’s Approach to Totika Prequalification
Totika prequalification is not just a paperwork exercise - it is a translation exercise.
Most contractors already do the majority of what Totika requires. The problem is that their systems are not framed, evidenced, or explained in a way that assessors can clearly verify.
Our role at Advanced Safety is to bridge that gap.
We help clients:
Identify which Totika standard applies to their operations
Map existing systems to Totika requirements
Close genuine gaps without overbuilding documentation
Prepare assessor-ready evidence
Respond to feedback efficiently and strategically
This approach consistently reduces approval timeframes and prevents failed or stalled submissions.
Common Totika Prequalification Mistakes We See
Many businesses struggle with Totika for the same avoidable reasons.
Over-documenting
Submitting large volumes of policies that are not referenced, implemented, or evidenced often works against contractors rather than helping them.
Under-evidencing
Good practices exist on site but are not captured in records, inspections, reviews, or corrective actions.
Misunderstanding risk level
Applying enterprise-level systems to low-risk operations (or vice versa) creates misalignment with Totika expectations.
Treating Totika as a compliance tick-box
Totika assessors are looking for system maturity and real-world application, not generic templates.
Benefits of Totika Prequalification for Contractors
When approached correctly, Totika prequalification delivers real commercial value.
Totika Prequalification Benefits for Contractors
Complete prequalification once, use it with multiple clients
Reduce repeated assessments and admin costs
Improve tender readiness and credibility
Receive structured feedback for improvement
Demonstrate alignment with recognised standards
Totika becomes a business enabler, not an obstacle.
Benefits of Totika Prequalification for Clients
Clients benefit just as strongly from Totika adoption.
Totika Prequalification Benefits for Clients
Consistent contractor assessment framework
Improved visibility of contractor capability
Reduced procurement risk
Clear benchmarking across suppliers
Stronger health and safety outcomes
Totika helps clients select partners based on evidence, not assumptions.
Totika Prequalification and Contractor Management
Totika prequalification should not sit in isolation. When integrated into a broader contractor management system, it becomes a powerful control mechanism.
At Advanced Safety, we align Totika with:
PCBU overlapping duty management
Contractor induction and onboarding
Site inspections and performance monitoring
Incident and corrective action tracking
This creates a closed-loop system where prequalification directly informs real-world risk controls.
Understanding PCBU duties when engaging contractors, discover more.
Totika Prequalification Success in Practice
Across construction, infrastructure, logistics, and auto-recovery sectors, we have supported businesses to achieve Totika approval under tight deadlines.
In multiple cases, contractors rejected by other providers have achieved Totika approval within weeks once systems were correctly mapped and evidenced.
The consistent lesson is this:
Totika prequalification is not about building new systems from scratch - it is about presenting what you already do in the framework assessors require.
Getting Started With Totika Prequalification
If Totika prequalification is approaching - or already blocking work opportunities - the most effective first step is clarity.
We recommend:
Confirming which Totika pathway applies to your business
Reviewing existing systems against Totika expectations
Identifying gaps that genuinely matter
Preparing assessor-ready evidence
Submitting with confidence
This is exactly what we support through our partnership with Qualify365.
How Advanced Safety Can Help With Totika Prequalification
Advanced Safety supports Totika prequalification as part of a broader, performance-based safety system.
Our services include:
Totika readiness reviews
Evidence mapping and gap analysis
Qualify365 submission support
Contractor management system integration
Ongoing improvement planning
We do not sell paperwork. We build systems that pass scrutiny and work in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Totika Prequalification
What is Totika prequalification in New Zealand?
Totika prequalification is a nationally recognised health and safety assessment framework used to evaluate contractor and supplier capability. It provides a single, consistent standard that allows contractors to be recognised by multiple clients without completing duplicate assessments.
Is Totika prequalification mandatory?
Totika prequalification is not mandated by law. However, many large organisations, councils, and insurers now require Totika approval as a condition of engagement. For contractors, Totika is increasingly a commercial requirement rather than a legal one.
How long does Totika prequalification take?
The timeframe for Totika prequalification depends on the readiness of your existing systems and the quality of evidence provided.
Well-prepared businesses can achieve approval in 2–4 weeks
Poorly structured submissions can take months, especially if rejected
Using a structured platform like Qualify365 and proper evidence mapping significantly reduces delays.
What standards does Totika align with?
Totika aligns with recognised health and safety frameworks, including:
ISO 45001 principles
Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 requirements
Risk-based contractor management expectations
It focuses on system maturity and implementation, not just documentation.
Do I need ISO 45001 certification to pass Totika?
No. ISO 45001 certification is not required for Totika prequalification.
However, businesses with ISO-aligned systems often find Totika easier because their documentation and governance structures already reflect good practice.
Why do some Totika submissions fail?
Common reasons Totika submissions fail include:
Submitting large volumes of irrelevant documentation
Failing to evidence how systems are implemented in practice
Applying controls that don’t match the business risk profile
Misunderstanding which Totika category applies
Most failures are framework issues, not capability issues.
Final Thoughts on Totika Prequalification
Totika prequalification is now a commercial reality for many New Zealand businesses. Those who treat it as a last-minute compliance hurdle struggle. Those who approach it strategically gain speed, credibility, and competitive advantage.
With the right framework, Totika becomes straightforward.
If you want clarity, confidence, and a faster path to approval, we’re here to help.
