HE Simm launches new safety initiative

The Liverpool-based engineering company is to up-skill its whole UK supply chain as part of a 'passport to work' scheme.

The mechanical, engineering and public health firm will provide subsidised training to almost 100 stakeholder companies to increase on-site health and safety competence.

The 'passport to work' will ensure every operative at HE Simm's MEP projects across the UK will have received IOSH or accredited safety and awareness training.

The scheme begins on 1 March 2013, and is scheduled to provide training to more than 500 people by the summer.

HE Simm said they are aiming to set 'industry-best standards with a zero accident and incident working environment across the business'.

The 'passport to work' will also allow the company to monitor and enhance its diversity policy.

HE Simm's Health and Safety training partner, Aspen Thorn, will be delivering IOSH and CITB managing safety courses for managers and supervisors, IOSH working safely courses for all operatives, and additional training depending on workers' roles and responsibilities.

The initiative aims to generate insurance savings for the whole supply chain, and HE Simm is in talks with a major insurer to get Focus 30 accreditation officially recognised.

Gareth Simm, managing director at HE Simm, said: "The passport to work is key in our aim to provide the safest possible working practices for all our staff and stakeholders. This is part of our overall Focus 30 initiative, which launched to all stakeholders in May, to improve the HESQ practices of our whole supply chain.

"The drive for us is to create an accident-free working environment while supporting our partners to up-skill their staff. We want to lead from the top and ensure that everyone working for HE Simm is fully trained to an excellent standard and can be relied on to work safely and responsibly.

"We are currently working with all our stakeholders to implement the scheme and get businesses signed up."

HE Simm has introduced an online portal to give stakeholders access to PTW updates, guidelines and training information, while a PTW access card will keep a record of everyone working on-site across the UK.

Simm added: "The PTW card will also include details such as ethnic backgrounds and employment records – this will help HE Simm and our supply chain to meet important criteria such as using local labour, a diverse workforce and taking on people who had been previously unemployed.

"We have held several workshops with more than 50 companies in our supply chain and they have all given their backing to the PTW."

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