Pictured above: Mark Wilkinson
A & V Squires, one of the leading plant hire and civil
engineering companies in the East Midlands, has today announced
that it has been reawarded the SAFEcontractor accreditation.
The Nottinghamshire-based firm has held SAFEcontractor
certification, which recognises very high standards of health and
safety practise amongst UK contractors, for many years.
Employing 75 people, A & V Squires specialise in plant hire,
civil engineering and contract earth moving, with its most recent
clients including major companies such as Alstom, Jackson Civil
Engineering and British Waterways.
The company's application for SAFEcontractor accreditation was
driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business.
A & V Squires Plant Transport Manager Mark Wilkinson said:
"We take pride in ensuring the health, safety and welfare of
everyone involved within all of our projects and the general
running of the business is met to the highest standard. We are
committed to developing in all aspects of health and safety
performance and are proud that our efforts have been
recognised."
SAFEcontractor accreditation is expected to enhance the
company's ability to attract new contracts and its commitment to
safety will be viewed positively by its insurers when the
company liability policy is up for renewal.
SAFEcontractor is applicable to most sectors although it is
particularly relevant to food manufacture, property, facilities
management, retail and leisure sectors, all of which are big users
of contract services.
John Kinge, Head of Risk at SAFEcontractor said: "Major
organisations can no longer run the risk of employing contractors
who are not able to prove that they have sound health and safety
policies."
"More companies need to understand the importance of adopting
good risk management in the way that A&V Squires has done. The
firm's high standard has set an example, which hopefully will be
followed by other companies within the sector."
Under the SAFEcontractor system, businesses undergo a vetting
process, which examines health and safety procedures and their
track record for safe practice. Those companies meeting the high
standard are included on a database, which is accessible to
registered users only via a website, www.safecontractor.com.
Employer-organisations who sign up to the scheme can access the
database, enabling them to vet potential contractors before they
even set foot on site. These employers agree that, as users of the
scheme, they will engage only those who have received
accreditation.
Over one hundred and fifty major nation-wide businesses, from
several key sectors, have signed up to use the scheme when
selecting contractors for services such as building, cleaning,
maintenance, refurbishment or electrical and mechanical work.