Arco Professional Safety Services has officially launched its safety competition series, ACE (Arco Challenge Event), pushing safety knowledge to the limit by bringing training to life with challenges that mimic real-life scenarios.

The events, located at Arco’s Safety Centres, see teams put through a variety of safety exercises while a team of assessors keep watch and grade each scenario as it unfolds.

Similar to other well-known European rescue events such as Grimp Day and Rope Rescue Day, Arco Challenge Events are designed to encourage collaboration with other teams, build a sense of camaraderie and allow for friendly competition while learning new skills and testing old ones.

The inaugural ACE competition took place in October, focusing on Rope Access challenges that tested teams against each other and the clock, on Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) syllabus tasks such as rescue techniques, access solutions and rigging.

Six teams took part in the event, with Paul Hardman and Bruce Kemp claiming first place, taking home prizes worth over £1,000, including an IRATA training course, premium work-at-height products and an exclusive event goody bag.

Bruce also topped the individual leaderboard in the ascent rescue challenge, sponsored by Safehold, with a time of three minutes and 16 seconds, winning a rescue harness.

Jack Ball, training and consultancy team leader at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “The event was a huge success. The ethos of the event to share knowledge, collaborate with other like-minded technicians, and of course the friendly competition, couldn’t have been upheld any more than it was.

“Every team was keen to take part and learn from others, and this has definitely cemented the desire to host more of these challenge events, so watch this space.

Because of the skill level necessary for the event, each team member was required to be an IRATA-qualified technician, including one qualified to IRATA level 3.

At the closing awards ceremony, Paul Hardman and Bruce Kemp were named Arco Challenge Event Rope Access Champions, a title that will be competed for again in next year’s rope access challenge event. After the success of the first competition, Arco plans to continue the ACE series into 2025. Further events will challenge experts in other areas of health and safety, such as working in confined spaces.

This first ACE rope access competition was sponsored by Safehold, Guardian, Skylotec, Never Let Go, Petzl, Rock Exoctica and Edelrid.

Find out more about our IRATA rope access training.

(Picture credit: Arco Professional Safety Services – Bartek Biela/Rich Amor-Wilkes/Russell Edwards)

Bruce Kemp

Arco, the UK and Ireland’s leading safety company, welcomed MSP Fiona Hyslop to its industry-leading Linlithgow Safety Centre this week.

Are you ready to put your skills to the test and rise above the competition? We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new Arco Challenge Event competitions, held at our Safety Centres. These events will bring your training to life, offering real-world scenarios that push your expertise to the limit while fostering teamwork, camaraderie, and a bit of friendly competition!

First Up: Rope Access Competition

Date: Saturday, 19th October 2024

Location: Arco Professional Safety Services, Unit 5, Raleigh Hall Industrial Estate, Eccleshall, Staffordshire, ST21 6JL

Times:

8:30 AM – Arrival

9:00 AM – Briefing & First Scenario

12:00 PM – Lunch

4:30 PM – Awards & Closing Ceremony

What to Expect:

Throughout the day, teams will face a series of five tasks designed to replicate real-life rescue, rigging, and access scenarios. Your performance will be closely observed and graded by our expert assessors, leading up to the ultimate showdown where one team will be crowned the Arco Challenge Event Rope Access Champions of 2024!

Participation Details:

Teams: Up to 12 teams of two people

Eligibility: All participants must be IRATA technicians, with at least one team member holding an IRATA Level 3 certification

Entry Fee: £50 per team

Extras: Lunch provided & goody bags for all participants

Prizes:

1st place – 2 x Free spaces on an IRATA course, the title of Arco Challenge Event Rope Access Champions and bragging rights for a year!

2nd place – 2 x 50% off spaces on an IRATA course

All other participants will receive 10% off their next IRATA course.

How to Sign Up:

Think you’ve got what it takes? Don’t miss your chance to compete – register your team today!

Sign Up Here

Sponsor this Arco Challenge Event!

Showcase your brand by sponsoring the Arco Challenge Event. Gain visibility with prime branding opportunities – display banners, supply equipment, donate prizes, secure space in our networking area, or include items in goody bags.

Interested? Contact jack.ball@arcoservices.co.uk to get involved and support this exciting event!

UK’s leading safety company will showcase responsible ranges and joined-up safety solutions at the NEC in Birmingham

Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, will be exhibiting at this year’s Health & Safety Event, scheduled to take place from the 30^th April to 2^nd May at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

The event takes place during a momentous year for both Arco and the health and safety industry, coinciding with the 50^th anniversary of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) and Arco’s 140^th anniversary.

Arco’s interactive exhibition can be found in Hall 4, Stand 4/G100 and has been designed to take visitors on a journey through the hierarchy of control, emphasising the importance of a joined-up approach to safety management. With a focus on consultancy, training, expert advice, compliance and sustainability, Arco aims to demonstrate its unparalleled safety expertise.

Visitors to the Arco stand can expect immersive experiences, including virtual reality demonstrations where they will be placed in realistic environments, highlighting hazards within working at height and confined spaces. The stand will also showcase Arco’s award-winning Responsible hi-vis and Responsible workwear product ranges, as well as its product-assurance process and independent UKAS-accredited laboratory.

Ahead of the event, Arco has been shortlisted in four categories for the 2024 Safety and Health Excellence Awards. Arco is nominated for: BSIF Product Innovation Award Safety Product Category (Non-PPE), Campaign of the Year, Distributor of the Year and Marketing Campaign of the Year, as well as sponsoring and judging this year’s inaugural Sustainable Company of the Year award. The winners will be announced during the award ceremony that will take place on the second night of the three-day Health & Safety Event.

Gareth Wray, Marketing Director at Arco, commented: “We are thoroughly excited to be attending The Health & Safety Event during such a special year for Arco and the industry. We have gone above and beyond to create a truly engaging experience for visitors, showcasing our expertise not only in sourcing and delivering quality and compliant products, but in driving forward sustainable practices and offering joined-up safety solutions.

“We look forward to interacting with the many attendees and sharing our expertise to drive positive change in safety practices.”

View Arco’s joined-up approach to safety management and our responsible approach to sustainability.

A team of fearless work-at-height trainers from Arco Professional Safety Services have taken second place in a gruelling rope rescue competition.

The Prusik Rope Rescue Event 2024, held at the Avonmouth Dock in Bristol on May 18, featured nine teams from around the UK taking part in rescue challenges while sharing knowledge and learning in technical rope rescue.

The Arco team, made up of work-at-height trainers Rob Messenger, Jack Ball, Peter Hancock, Nat Smart, Bartek Biela and Ian Moss, faced stiff competition, including teams from emergency services and other private rescue providers.

Each team had to pass three rescue “evolutions”, facing challenging scenarios such as rescuing a casualty from a narrow walkway suspended at the end of a shipping crane.

The teams had 60 minutes to complete each evolution. If a team declared they could not manage the rescue, the clock stopped and it became a training exercise, with the assessor coaching the team through the rescue.

Rob Messenger, Arco’s team leader on the day, said: “When the teams assembled on the quayside, it quickly became apparent they were all highly capable and well-drilled in technical rope rescue.

“Prior to each rescue, the team leader was given four minutes to brief the team on the scenario, rules, or restrictions.

“We decided that, when our briefing time was up and the rescue time started, we would not rush away, but instead confirm understanding and then conduct the rescue.”

Putting their skills and expertise to the test and passing all three challenges, the Arco team were overjoyed to be named overall runners-up.

The top three teams were awarded a kit bag donated by Never Let Go.

Rob said the event was great for the team’s continuing professional development, as their technical rescue knowledge and expertise was bolstered with lessons learnt.

He said: “We spoke to many of the other teams, looking at how they used their equipment and how we have rigged ours.

“Our product knowledge was improved too, with workshops provided by the suppliers and distributors. Some of the innovations had a clear role within some of our customers’ workplaces.

“When we were announced as second place, we were chuffed to bits. It really felt that our efforts and personal time spent training had been rewarded.”

Arco Professional Safety Services’ complete range of workplace environment solutions includes comprehensive management of working at height challenges.

Arco’s expert trainers ensure people have the proper preparation to do their jobs safely, catering for most industry sectors.

Their working at height training expertise includes:

• Rooftop safety
• Telecoms climber
• Rescue from height
• Fall protection
• Industrial rope access
• Ladder safety
• Rail
• Warehouse safety

For more information, visit arcoservices.co.uk

Working at height specialists from Arco Professional Safety Services have recently installed vital safety systems on a thrilling new rollercoaster at the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort.

The £10m Minifigure Speedway is the UK’s first LEGO duelling rollercoaster, featuring cars that race forwards and in reverse on a dynamic dual track, reaching speeds of up to 35mph.

Arco worked with park operator Merlin Entertainments and ride manufacturer Zierer on the design, fabrication and installation of horizontal and inclined cable systems designed to provide reliable fall protection for LEGOLAND maintenance staff.

The fall protection solutions allow workers to safely conduct daily inspections, carry out essential repairs, and manage reactive tasks, including the safe evacuation of guests if necessary.

Matthew Glass, fall protection manager at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “We are proud to bring our working at height expertise to another exciting new rollercoaster, continuing our long-standing partnership with Merlin Entertainments.

“We are proud to have played a role in bringing this new experience to life for LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, helping to ensure the ride is not only exciting but also meets the highest standards of safety.

“The fall protection systems will ensure workers can carry out their duties with confidence, knowing they are secured by a system that allows them to move freely and safely when working at height.

The inclined cable systems installed by Arco, supplied by MSA Latchways, are specifically designed to provide reliable fall protection for people working on sloped structures, including rollercoasters. In the event of a slip or fall, the BridgeLatch guided-type fall arresters lock on immediately, preventing a potential accident.

Stephen Cassidy, health, safety & security director at LEGOLAND Windsor, said: “We have worked with Arco professional specialists on many projects at LEGOLAND Windsor as the safety of our workforce is paramount.

“Arco have provided robust ergonomic solutions for performing planned and reactive working at height maintenance operations and we continue to work with Arco for best practice guidance and for the maintenance and inspection of our fall prevention and arrest systems”.

Falls from height are the most common cause of fatality and serious injury in the workplace, so fall protection is vitally important

Arco Professional Safety Services’ fall protection solutions help ensure the safety of workers and prevent accidents when working at height.

Find out more about Arco’s fall protection solutions

Picture credit: LEGOLAND Windsor Resort

LEGOLAND Windsor team member Shenica Gumbs inspects a car on the new Minifigure Speedway while secured by fall protection systems installed by Arco Professional Safety Services.

Arco has unveiled a new internal training tower at its Bracknell Safety Centre as part of continuing investment in the growth of its Safety Services division and the wider business.

The training tower was installed last month, complementing the centre’s existing 20m external tower, gantry and rooftop access systems, along with its internal structures, systems and confined space labyrinth.

It will be used for training courses such as mast and tower climbing and rescue, telecom rigging, fall arrest, and fixed ladder rescue. It will also play a key role in complex rope access training scenarios.

The internal tower is equipped with a fixed vertical ladder and a fall protection system, which were both designed and installed by Arco’s own fall protection team.

Jamie Sadler, Arco Professional Safety Services commercial director, said: “Arco Professional Safety Services aims to provide the very best safety training facilities, so continuous improvement and investment is really important.

“We’ve enjoyed significant growth in our training offer over the past 12 months, helped by investments in our Linlithgow and Bracknell safety centres. But we know there is much more potential for growth.

“The next 12 months are going to be very exciting, for the Safety Services division and for Arco as a whole.”

Arco recently revealed plans to invest £17m in growth over the next 12 months, including significant investment in its safety services division.

Recent improvements have also been made at some of Arco’s other safety centres.

Two new beams were installed earlier this month at the Linlithgow Safety Centre in Scotland, which will enhance the practical parts of its training programs.

The beams are integral to work-at-height courses such as IRATA, CRD, rigging, and rescue, ensuring that trainees receive hands-on experience in a controlled environment that simulates real-world conditions.

Arco also has plans install additional training facilities at some of its other safety centres, in the coming year.

For more information, see Arco Professional Safety Services training courses

STOP USE NOTICE

UltraLink

Please download document here for detailed information

November 2023
Important Safety Notice: ISC UltraLink
Safety Notice/Product Recall

Following on from our inspection notice issued 17 November 2023, our team has been intensively investigating the potential risk and the root cause of the problem.  Our investigation identified that the press fixture used to secure the assembly of the SafeLock button moved outside of specification, creating the potential for a faulty press fit of the button, which can lead to the button turning open and coming apart.

STOP USE
Due to the risk of unintentional opening of the device, which could result in a life-threatening situation, we are issuing this notice instructing users to stop using their device, if it falls within the range of serial numbers:

LK100A1.2: 170431 – 177209; or LK101A1.2: 170433 – 176974.

STOP USING ANY OF THE ABOVE ITEMS IMMEDIATELYAND REMOVE THEM FROM SERVICE

Manufacturing corrective actions have been introduced to repair and ensure that the press fixture remains within specification; and additional procedures have been introduced to ensure that the SafeLock buttons are secured correctly.  Validation testing has been successfully completed and production of UltraLinks has resumed, with this new process in place.

DEALER RECALL:
Please contact your Customer Service Representative to register your inventory stock for recall.
END USER RECALL:
Share this link with your customers so that they can register their device(s) for recall:
http://eepurl.com/iE_-8s

Alternatively, call our Customer Service Team:

North & South America: +1 (763) 360-2135
UK, EU, Australasia: +44 (0) 1248 363 125
Kind Regards,

David Rawlins
Compliance & Quality Manager

GRILLON SAFETY ALERT: REQUEST FOR INSPECTION

Petzl requests the inspection of certain GRILLON products following the detection of ropes mounted incorrectly in the rope adjuster of recently produced GRILLON products. In such a case, the product does not perform its blocking function, which can result in a risk of injury. Please immediately stop sales and use of GRILLON products manufactured between October and December 2023, and follow the inspection procedure described below.

Please follow this link  for detailed instructions and advice

Product recalls and safety alerts Petzl requests the inspection of certain GRILLON products

• lost hillwalkers
• missing persons suffering from mental health or dementia
• injured persons who are in a location which is not easily accessible to the emergency services
• persons who are injured and need carrying to safety
• persons cut off due to flooding and many more