Within the construction sector, health and safety guidelines are stringent, particularly when it comes to working on site and operators are under constant pressure to keep staff fully trained for the benefit of not only of the individuals but also those they work alongside.
SHEQ Group Ltd is a new consultancy and training service, with offices in Corby and Manchester, offering expertise in all aspects of health and safety, from the roles and responsibilities of principal contractors through to working with dusty or hazardous materials, right through to addressing the issues of mental health at work.
Founded to work alongside Corby steel supplier MR Industrial Services, SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environmental and Quality Management) Consultancy and Training prides itself on delivering innovative, leading-edge consultancy services to a client base that encompasses many sectors. The idea behind SHEQ was not only to focus on keeping levels of health and safety training high among employees, but to roll out the sector expertise to any client that needed access to quality health and safety courses.
Phil Moseley, Head of Compliance and Training, said:
“MR Industrial Services operates within the construction sector and has always been proud of the excellent health and safety standards of its own team. That has widened over the years to include those working within their supply chain, and so the obvious step was to set up a dedicated training and consultancy service that anyone could use.
“Training is available across all sectors, including Ofqual regulated courses in first aid, first aid for mental health, fire safety and fire marshalling, as well as more sector specific training such as site management safety, CDM awareness and working with hazardous materials.”
SHEQ Group courses specifically aimed at the construction sector include:
- Construction Design & Management Regulations (CDM) – the main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects – which apply to all building and construction work and include new build, demolition, refurbishment, extensions, conversions, repair and maintenance.
- Silica Dust Awareness Training – workers in construction can come into contact with several types of dust particles and other airborne contaminants, exposure to which can pose a significant health hazard and lead to the development of lung disease. The most common is silica dust and SHEQ provides training which raises awareness of the dangers associated with silica dust, identifying where it is found, why it is a health hazard and the steps that can be taken to minimise the risks.
- Noise Awareness Training – covers understanding the risks of working in a noisy environment, the roles and responsibilities of employees and employers, noise assessment and key legislation governing noise. The course will also look at eliminating noise, using quieter equipment or processes, and the use of personal protection equipment.
- Control of Vibration at Work Regulations – training covers measures that can be taken to ensure workers are protected from excessive vibration when using handheld power tools or driving mobile machines. The course is aimed at those responsible for assessing, controlling and managing hand-arm vibration risks in the workplace. It looks at the risks and how they can be reduced, as well as the requirement of the current regulations.
Regardless of the sector clients operate in, clear and certified health and safety procedures give organisations a significant competitive advantage when tendering. Increasingly, management system certification from suppliers and sub-contractors is required in order to win business.
SHEQ Group Ltd will assess the needs of an organisation and then help implement an effective quality management system. A strong quality management system ensures carefully planned, documented and executed processes that meet specified standards and deliver predictable results, allowing the organisation to operate successfully, and for its customers to rely on such operations.
Phil Moseley added:
“Our aim is to make life more straightforward for those companies who need to improve or build on their health and safety procedures. While small companies may well form a vital role in the supply chain, they can’t always justify the cost of a dedicated health and safety person. The consequence to their business, in terms of lost contracts or losing out on tenders are one thing. When it comes to a serious accident happening, however, the consequences, financially and to a company’s reputation, of not being compliant, can be devastating.
“Working with a consultancy like SHEQ Group Ltd, where training is tailored and you only pay for what you need, means that you can rest assured you have the right procedures in place to ensure safety, the risk of accidents is reduced but, should something happen, your business is not compromised.
Find out more about SHEQ Group Ltd by calling 01536 903450 or email info@sheqgroup.co.uk.