Arco chairman Thomas Martin has been honoured with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his “exceptional contribution to the safety and health industry over almost four decades”.

He was bestowed with the award at last night’s Safety and Health Excellence Awards, part of the three-day Health & Safety Event, where Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, has made its return for 2024.

Also on the night, Arco, which is celebrating its 140th anniversary, was commended in the Distributor of the Year award, with judges recognising the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction and its joined-up approach to safety products and services.

Thomas said he was honoured to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Thomas Martin, chairman of Arco, said:

“I’ve always surrounded myself with experts, and this has enabled me to make an impact on our industry. Market leaders earn the right to comment, and career learnings ensure this is done responsibly. The award celebrates the first 36 years, and there’s plenty more to do; I’d better get on with it.”

As the fourth-generation leader of the family business, Thomas started his journey in a London advertising agency before joining Arco in 1988. With a clear passion for the business, Thomas assumed pivotal roles within Arco, including Trading Director (Safety) in 1993, Supply Chain Director in 1998, and Joint Managing Director in 2002, before taking the helm as Chairman in April 2017.

Presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award, host Dara Ó Briain said during Thomas’s time as Joint Managing Director and now Chairman, he had helped shape Arco into one of the “premier businesses in health and safety, by both scale and impact”.

Testament to this, Arco has led the industry on responses to global emergencies and best practice, pushing for regulatory changes and championing expertise and corporate responsibility.

In 2007, Arco joined the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) an alliance of companies, trade unions and non-profit organisations that aims to promote respect for the rights of workers worldwide. Arco is the first and only safety distributor to join the ETI.

During the Ebola outbreak in 2015, Arco was the leading PPE partner in the UK’s humanitarian response, supporting government agencies with advice on the correct products needed to keep volunteers safe but also in procuring and supplying the products to the front line.

Most recently, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Arco stepped up to secure additional PPE for frontline workers, while advising government bodies on PPE regulations and standard.

Following the crisis, Thomas gave evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on how the Government response could be improved for the future.

Arco Professional Safety Services Training Instructor, Bartek Biela, embarked on a pioneering expedition to Gunung Mulu National Park to support cave work efforts which could potentially lead to future confirmation of its status as the largest cave system in the world by volume.

3D laser scanning was used to measure the volume of sections of the Clearwater Cave system and unveiled a vast connection, almost a kilometre long, leading to a chamber previously believed to be a dead end in earlier expeditions, adding a new layer of mystery to the intricate Mulu cave system. Today, larger passages are harder to find but the systematic approach employed to surveying of the smaller openings allowed the cavers to add hundreds of meters of new data to the master survey.

The three-week expedition, which comprised of 22 dedicated cavers and scientists to survey the caves, undertake scientific research and exploration, has also led to significant findings on the condensation corrosive effects to fabrics and plastics.

Agents that are present in the Mulu caves environment have been found to cause significant degradation of glued seams, stitching and other man-made polymers. These acidic gases are being tested by UK and American cave scientists to establish the causes of significant degradation of glued seams, stitching and other man-made polymers.

Bartek Biela, Training Instructor at Arco Professional Safety Services, commented: “I am immensely grateful to have received the invite call to be part of this amazing opportunity, that would give me a chance to meet and cave with the original explorers of the area, an opportunity that one does not refuse.

This expedition has delivered promising insight into the cave system and important, possibly even groundbreaking scientific research, not to mention the beauty of the underground landscape that I have had a chance to photograph”.

Richard Walters, the Expedition Surveyor said: “Acknowledging the challenging conditions of Mulu, renowned for its punishing environmental factors—extreme heat, humidity, mud, and frequent rainfall—these explorers faced the rigorous task of navigating caves that often require multiple days underground. Despite these barriers, the cavers emerged with compelling results that suggest the Clearwater Cave system may be the largest by volume in the world.”

As part of Arco Professional Safety Services’ sponsorship, the expedition was equipped with eleven tackle bags which proved to be extremely durable in the corrosive environment of the Mulu caves.

Arco PROFESSIONAL SAFETY SERVICES 'Commended' at Prestigious Industry Awards

Arco Professional Safety Services has been commended for the respiratory management programme it implemented with BAE Systems, in Glasgow, at this year’s British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) Safety Awards

The expert safety partner was shortlisted for the BSIF Safety Solution Award and, while the entry was not selected as the overall winner in the strongly contested category, judges were full of praise for Arco’s submission at a ceremony held at The VOX at the NEC, in Birmingham.

Arco and Arco Professional Safety Services have a well-established and trusted relationship with BAE Systems and have contracts in place for the provision of safety products and learning and development services, as well as providing respiratory protective equipment (RPE) services to BAE facilities for several years; including face-fit testing and RPE maintenance.

Arco’s submission focussed on its work with BAE Govan and Scotstoun, where it introduced a streamlined process to enhance the defence company’s respiratory management regime through the careful selection of products, RPE training, face-fit testing, inspection and maintenance, record keeping and suitable and sufficient equipment storage.

Arco’s solution ensures all RPE is inspected in line with legal requirements, that the condition of the RPE is suitable to provide adequate protection for the specific hazards and minimises the risk of respiratory illness in BAE’s workforce.

Jamie Sadler, Commercial Director at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “As experts in respiratory protection, with extensive knowledge of the regulations, we provided BAE Govan and Scotstoun with guidance surrounding their legal requirements for RPE inspection and maintenance and supported them in implementing a compliant respiratory inspection and servicing procedure. 

“We are proud that the solution we partnered with BAE Systems to deliver has not only improved their respiratory processes and industry compliance but has also been recognised by the BSIF and the wider safety industry.

“We are proud to have been commended for our work, which is testament to the hard work and dedication of our safety experts in fulfilling our core purpose of keeping people safe at work.”

To find out more about the range of respiratory services provided by Arco Professional Safety Services, click here

Rooftop Worker Scheme – Highlighting the latest training scheme to be released by Energy & Utility Skills working with the Mast & Tower Safety Group

Arco, the UK’s Leading Safety Company, is advising businesses that operate within the telecoms industry to ensure all workers are trained in accordance with the new Rooftop Worker – Safety & Access Scheme set out by The Energy and Utility Skills Register (EUSR).

The Energy and Utility Skills Register (EUSR) has released a new training qualification, the Rooftop Worker – Safety & Access Scheme, consisting of 15 units and containing both theoretical and practical assessed elements. The scheme recognises the knowledge and skills required to access flat roofs with a variety of personal fall protections systems.

The new scheme has been developed in collaboration with the Mast & Tower Safety Group (MATS), which consists of organisations that own or manage masts and towers where there are specific and significant work at height and occupational radio frequency (RF) hazards.?

Although designed for anyone wanting to work safely at height and understand the dangers of working on rooftops, the scheme will become the recognised qualification for those working on telecommunication infrastructure, with leading telecoms companies stating that completing the scheme is now mandatory to work on their sites.

New training or refresher training, since the 1^st of January 2023, must now be completed to the new EUSR syllabus and conducted by an EUSR accredited training provider. Certificates attained prior to this date will remain valid until they expire, including the Arqiva Rooftop Worker training, meaning that the 1^st of January 2026 will mark the first time that the only certification in use across the industry will be the new scheme.

According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), a total of 123 workers were killed in work-related accidents in Great Britain in 2021/22, with falls from a height being the biggest contributor, accounting for 24% of these (29 people).

As experts in safety, Arco is encouraging businesses that work in the telecoms industry, to take note of the new scheme and to ensure their staff receive the correct training to best protect those working at height. 

Steve Dawson, Manager – Working at Height Training at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “Falling from height is still one of the most common work-related accidents and is proportionally the largest contributor of work-related deaths, therefore it is vitally important that those who work at height receive the proper training and are undertaking their work in compliance with the necessary regulations and are adhering to industry best practice. 

“As experts in safety, we are pleased to announce that we have become an approved provider of the EUSR (MATS) Rooftop Worker – Safety & Access Scheme, with the training becoming an integral part of our course portfolio to help keep workers safe. Furthermore, we will be offering this training scheme at our new, state-of-the-art training facility in Bracknell, Berkshire.” 

Arco Professional Safety Services offer the one-day Rooftop Worker – Safety & Access Scheme course, at its safety training centres in Linlithgow (Edinburgh), Trafford Park (Manchester), Eccleshall (Stafford) and Bracknell (Berkshire).

For more information about the training available, click: https://www.arcoservices.co.uk/training/course-finder/working-at-height-training/rooftop-safety-training/rooftop-safety-and-access 

Investment
Investment has been a key theme in 2022, with the opening of two new safety centres at Trafford Park, in Manchester, and more recently in Bracknell, Berkshire. The opening of the Trafford Park Safety Centre, in January, celebrated the creation of a new state-of-the-art space, offering training facilities for working at height, confined space, respiratory protection, face-fit testing and health and safety management as well as a new store offering over 2,000 products to choose from.
 
More recently, in November, we launched our latest safety centre in Bracknell, bringing our expert knowledge, high-quality products and training offer to the south of the UK. The Bracknell Safety Centre represented an investment of over £2million and created 12 new jobs in the area. The location is a strategically significant move for Arco and the centre, hosting practical learning environments, including a 20-metre external tower for working at height training as well as a confined space labyrinth, an equipment hire and service centre and an on-site safety store, where customers can purchase products.
 
Development of Skills, Training Offer and Product Range
As the UK's leading safety company, we have also continued to invest in the skills of our colleagues and in the facilities and equipment used to deliver our industry-leading training. In January, the business was awarded the prestigious Investor in Sales Award from the Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP), recognising the commitment we have made to ensuring our sales staff provide a professional and ethical service to customers. With a core purpose of keeping people safe at work, we were the first company in our sector to achieve this award.
 
During January, we also announced an exciting partnership with FLX Health, to become the exclusive UK reseller of the FLX app, a targeted physiotherapy app that works to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace and rehabilitate employees more quickly when they arise.
 
We also launched our first ever dedicated graduate placement programme, as part of an ongoing commitment to developing the next generation of talent in the safety industry, and was, recognised as one of the top 10 family businesses in the UK for employing apprentices and promoting apprenticeships for professional development. We received this prestigious status as part of a list compiled by Family Business United, the global voice of the family business community, which ranked Arco as number 10 in the country as part of its report for 2022 looking at the number of apprentices in the family business sector.
 
In the summer, Arco Professional Safety Services secured accreditation from the Global Wind Organisation to deliver its suite of basic safety training (BST) qualifications at our safety centres in Linlithgow, Scotland, and Stafford, England.
 
Experts in Safety
As experts in safety, we have continued to influence the health and safety agenda, nationally, through our award-wining public affairs work. Earlier in the year, we responded to the High Court's ruling that the "VIP fast track lane" for awarding PPE contracts to those with political connections, during the pandemic, was unlawful.
 
Arco also responded to the announcement that £8.7billion of PPE procured by the Government during the pandemic had to be written off following the publication of the Department for Health and Social Care's accounts for 2020/21 and again encouraged lessons to be learnt through our white paper: Personal Protective Equipment and the Government's Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
 
In the summer, we submitted evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Respiratory Health's follow-up inquiry into silica dust and its impact on construction workers. The follow-up inquiry aims to investigate advances in risk reduction strategies and to evaluate the practicalities of industry-wide adoption of the latest technologies.
 
Our Colleagues
The past 12 months have been a memorable one for colleagues as well. Five of our safety experts, Mike Clayton, Bartek Biela, Rob Messenger, Richard Newton and Connor Lloyd were awarded the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal in recognition of their life-saving voluntary work cave rescue organisations, search and rescue teams and firefighting services.
 
Mike was also invited to attend the UK premiere of the movie: Thirteen Lives. Directed by Ron Howard and starring Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell, the film recounts the obstacles that had to be overcome to rescue twelve boys and their coach from a flooded cave in Thailand in 2018. A rescue operation that Mike was involved in.
 
In the summer, our expertise in working at height was demonstrated by Training Instructor, Russell Edwards, who took some stunning photographs and video footage of the Red Arrows flying over The Blackpool Tower. Russ climbed the iconic 518 ft tall structure to get the shots during the Blackpool Air Show and was assisted by colleagues Jack Perry and Chris Fricker.
 
In September, Arco joined people across the nation, the Commonwealth and from around the world in paying tribute to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, after the long-reigning monarch passed away. A message of heartfelt condolence was sent to the Royal Family on behalf of Arco.
 
The end of the year saw a change in leadership, with the appointment of Guy Bruce as our new CEO, following the retirement of Managing Director, David Evison. Guy, who has significant experience in industry, joined Arco from Equans and prior to that specialist building materials distributor SIG plc. Arco's strategic plan, Destination 2025, sets out how we will grow and adopt new and innovative ideas to futureproof the business over the next three years. Guy will develop this strategy further by maximising the potential of the significant investments undertaken by Arco over recent years and by accelerating digital transformation, enhancing customer experience and driving sustainability.
 
Responsible Choice
As a responsible choice of safety partner, we also progressed projects in line with our approach to sustainability and our overall target of being carbon net zero by 2045.
 
In March, Arco committed seed funding to partner with start-up company Stuff4Life to support the research and development of a closed-loop, circular economy solution for polyester workwear. The funding enabled Stuff4Life to commission a chemical recycling demonstration plant in collaboration with Teesside University, bringing onboard its academic experts, world-leading research capabilities and state-of-the-art facilities. The research undertaken by Arco and Stuff4Life has proved successful, and we are now looking to scale-up that work.
 
As a fifth-generation family-business, we are committed to supporting the communities across the country we call home through sponsorships, grants, charitable donations, and colleague engagement as part of its extensive CSR programme. In 2022, our colleagues completed more than 108 days of volunteering and supported 20 charities and organisations.
 
We also partnered with Action for Children – a children and family charity – to fund two new roles supporting young people and disabled children. More than 300 children and their families in the Glasgow and South Lanarkshire area have been supported as part of this partnership.
 
We also supported Ayrshire Cancer Support with £6,650 of funding to create a new support service for children and young people. Our donation has contributed towards a range of developing services, including a newly hired Children and Young People Lead. This position plays a pivotal role in assisting the charity to provide well-being services and meaningful collaboration with children and young people. This includes building on existing children's services and connecting with the wider community to build an effective support network.
 
In response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Arco joined up with global first responder, International Medical Corps, to provide 80,000 items of essential PPE to aid those directly affected by the conflict.
 
Other projects supported, included Hull-based charity CatZero, an organisation which creates unique employability programmes for young people, families, single parents and adults to help them move onto employment, education, or training, the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, the only charity that provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families, and Hull and East Yorkshire Children's University (HEY CU), a local children's charity that aims to raise the aspirations of young people by building their confidence with unique learning experiences.
 
At Arco, our promise is to make your world safer. It is a responsibility we take seriously and has been demonstrated across our milestones and highlights in 2022. From all our colleagues, we would like to wish you, your families and friends, a Merry Christmas and a happy, safe and prosperous New Year.

Arco, the UK’s leading health and safety expert, has launched its latest safety centre in Bracknell, Berkshire, bringing its expert knowledge, high-quality products and training under one roof to the south of the UK. 

Investing over £2million in the project, and bringing 12 new jobs to the area, the new location is a strategically significant move for the fifth-generation family business. Arco’s Bracknell Safety Centre will be its largest dedicated safety centre, hosting practical learning environments, including a 20-metre external tower for working at height training and confined space labyrinth training facilities, as well as an on-site safety store where customers can purchase products. 

With over 135 years of experience, Arco offers an unparalleled combination of specialist health and safety expertise and knowledge. Arco is an integrated services and safety products business, headquartered in Hull, with over 1,600 employees nationwide. Arco reaches its customers through its website and national network of safety centres and retail stores.  As the market leader, Arco is committed to helping shape the UK’s safety agenda in order to ensure workers go home safe every night. 

At Bracknell Safety Centre, highly qualified experts are on hand to provide Joined-up Safety Solutions, a complete offering encompassing the assessment of an issue, the training of employees and the provision and maintenance of appropriate equipment to protect against future risks, all of which can be organised on-site. The safety centre features advanced practical training facilities, respiratory protection and maintenance workshops, drop-in face-fit testing facilities, six training classrooms and a fully stocked Arco safety store, providing PPE, workwear and workplace safety equipment from the brands like TROJAN, Snickers, Berghaus, Regatta, Puma, DeWALT, CAT, MASCOT and loads more. With Arco’s joined-up safety approach, the Bracknell Safety Centre will help businesses mitigate, manage and reduce risks. 

Jaime Sadler, Commercial Director at Arco Professional Safety Services, said:  
“The new Bracknell Safety Centre is a significant milestone for Arco. As our largest dedicated safety centre, it is ideally placed to bring our industry expertise, expansive product offering and practical training capabilities to more customers, nationally. 
“The expansion of Arco’s capabilities in Bracknell allows us to provide joined-up health and safety solutions for businesses UK-wide. Bracknell Safety Centre demonstrates the future of health and safety; end-to-end service, combining risk assessment, training and equipment provision all under one roof.” 
The new Arco location will service hundreds of training delegates each week, bringing more business and activity to the area.  

Ben Haughton, Technical Director at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: 
“Our safety services teams provide practical advice and bespoke training for a variety of safety-critical industries and scenarios. Seeing, first-hand, the value of practical training facilities at our other safety centres allowed me to design and implement structures and systems unique to our Bracknell Safety Centre. 
“A significant number of people are killed or seriously injured working at height or in confined spaces in the UK each year. Despite legislation and health and safety measures, working in these environments still pose a very high risk. Bespoke training to provide people with the correct skills and capabilities they need is essential. A generic ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach leaves workers and organisations open to huge risks. Dangerous working environments require consultancy and expert support that suits the specific scenario. Whether it is equipment, training or support, our experienced teams offer a complete solution.”  

For further information about Arco’s new Bracknell Safety Centre, visit: www.arcoservices.co.uk/home/bracknell-safety-centre 

More than 70 paramedics from the Hazardous Ares Response Teams (HART) at West Midlands Ambulance Service have been recertified for operating in confined spaces following several weeks of training and assessment.

The HART teams approached Arco looking for a facility to use, with Arco welcoming them to the Safety Training Centre in Staffordshire and providing instructors from Arco Professional Safety Services to support the training days as well.

Feedback about the centre's facilities and the expertise and knowledge of Arco’s instructors, who played a supportive role, was very positive.

Phil Piggott, HART Team Leader at West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “We’d like to thank Arco for their support in getting our HART paramedics re-certified for operating in high-risk confined spaces.

“The facilities at the safety training centre were excellent and provided the perfect setting over the past several weeks to undertake this vitally important training. The expert advice and knowledge of Arco’s instructors was also really helpful.

“We look forward to returning in the near future to complete recertification for working at height.”

In addition to re-certifying the paramedics, the training offered a valuable learning opportunity for Arco’s instructors, as they were able to observe how the HART teams simulate and manage trauma events.

Steve Dawson, Training Manager at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “The continued professional development our instructors gained from seeing the HART teams work has been invaluable and we hope to do more of this within safety services.

"I'd like to thank our instructors, Rob Messenger, Nat Smart, Glynn Bibby and Rich Dinn, for conducting the training and helping build these working relationships and connections with West Midlands Ambulance Service.

“We’d like to extend our thanks to the HART teams for trusting us to support them and we hope to continue assisting them with their future training requirements.”

Fall Protection Standards Updated – An Easy-to-Understand Guide to Ensuring Safety

Falls from height continue to be the largest cause of workplace fatalities in the UK. The latest figures show 29 workers were killed as a result of falling from height in 2021/22. Under the Working at Height regulations, it is the duty of those in control to do all that is possible to ensure the safety of those working at height. Fall protection solutions play a key role and we talk to Ben Haughton, Technical Director at Arco Professional Safety Services, about the latest standards and what building owners and managers need to be aware of. 

Q. What are the key elements of a fall protection system?

A. High-level access solutions and anchor systems are designed to facilitate the safe and efficient working environment for roof maintenance and other tasks that are performed at high level or where there is exposure to a fall. A fall protection system incorporates several key elements, principally the anchorage whose design and application is influenced by a number of variables which depend on the risk and the situation and, as always, should only be necessary once all other methods of safe working from ground level have been considered.  

Q. What processes are necessary when designing and installing a fall protection anchor system?

A. The designer must have a very good understanding of the requirements for working at height and the tasks that are required to be carried out when using the anchor system, they must also have a good knowledge of building fabric and engineering principles. Buildings range from the modern to the ancient and, where knowledge is limited, it is important that the designer has a network of supporting specialists from whom to seek advice. 

Once a system has been designed and installed, it needs to be commissioned and certified. The installation and commissioning process for fall protection systems has largely been based on self-certification. The same goes for ongoing inspection and maintenance. In the past, a lot has been left to the interpretation of standards and as such there is always a risk of the system failing to protect workers properly and for badly maintained and faulty equipment to be in use. Without an appropriate design and inspection regime, the shortcomings of a system may only be realised when it is called upon to do its job, in the case of a fall arrest system, the outcome could be serious injury or death. 

Q. Is there a standard that needs to be met to ensure ongoing safety?

A. BS 7883 has been in existence since 1997 and was revised in 2005, amended in 2007 and recently revised again in 2019. The BSI (British Standards Institute) PH5 committee, made up of expert representatives from across the industry, was set up to look at the existing standard and address some industry concerns. This most recent update takes into account the advances in fall protection systems and technology and provides a more prescriptive approach than the original versions, putting a greater emphasis on what must be done, as opposed to what should be done. The revised standard incorporates all commonly used types of anchor devices and provides prescriptive guidance on design, installation and inspection.

Q. Could you tell us more about the revised standard and what it means?

A. For the designer, specifier or installer of fall protection systems, there has always been a requirement to provide evidence of the design process. In the revised standard there is additional guidance on best practice to ensure all elements of a safe system have been considered and are documented. The designer must provide a system technical file that contains a minimum amount of information, and this file should be made available for reference at every inspection. This is particularly important as inspections are often carried out by third parties, who may have no prior knowledge of the original system design. The file could include photographs taken at the time of installation and other details that may not be immediately obvious on initial inspection, this is of particular importance where hidden elements comprise parts of the anchor system.

Q. Once a system is in place, what are the main requirements for maintaining safety?

A. Following initial installation, the anchor system must be inspected and tested at least annually (six-monthly where Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998(LOLER) applies) by a competent and qualified person to ensure it is in a safe working condition and carries the supporting formal certification. It is the duty holder’s responsibility to manage the anchor system and to ensure that it remains certified. If the certification does expire, or the system is failed at inspection, it is the duty holder’s responsibility to ensure that no one is allowed to use the system(s), in the case of a fail, this may require the anchor to be physically put out of service so that it cannot be used. The revised standard recognises that if it were applied to many existing anchor systems, most would simply fail if the outcomes were binary pass/fail, for instance the lack of supporting design information/technical file. So, in order to help with the transition from past to present, two other inspection outcomes are available: Conditional Pass & Conditional Fail.

o Conditional Pass – does not represent an immediate safety concern and the anchor system can be put into service provided a report is issued to the duty holder detailing the remedial actions required to bring the system into line with the current standard and a timeframe within which this should be completed.

o Conditional Fail – represents an immediate safety concern but one which can be remediated. The system must be immediately taken out of service (ideally physically preventing its use) and a report issued to the duty holder detailing the remedial actions required before a re-inspection is carried out and it can be returned to service.

Q. This standard isn’t regulation but what are the consequences of not adhering to it?

A. This is a standard and not a regulation and therefore there is no legal duty to comply with it. However, if an accident were to occur that involved the failure of a fall protection anchor system and the alternative design, installation and inspection process was found not to be suitable or sufficient, the designer, installer, duty holder or inspector could be found to be negligent in discharging their responsibilities under the Health & Safety at Work Act etc. and would most likely face prosecution under this and it’s aligned statutory instruments i.e. the Work At Height Regulations.

Q. Where can I go for further help and advice?

The design, installation and inspection of anchor systems is a complex matter and providing the right access solution may require a range of different anchor systems. The consequence of an anchor system failure could lead to serious injury or even death, so it is essential that developers, architects, constructors and duty holders seek the advice of service providers that are suitably qualified and have necessary experience of the design or installation that they are undertaking. Whilst not a legal requirement, commissioning of systems by a suitably qualified third-party provider can provide independent assurance that the anchor system has been designed and installed correctly.

Arco Professional Safety Services can provide expert assistance from initial concept design to installation, commissioning and periodic inspection.  For further information: https://www.arcoservices.co.uk/services/fall-protection 

Arco Receives Accreditation to Begin Delivering GWO Courses

UK’s Leading Safety Company Receives Accreditation from Global Wind Organisation (GWO) to Deliver Training Courses for Onshore Wind Industry Workers.

Arco Professional Safety Services has been accredited by the Global Wind Organisation to deliver its suite of basic safety training (BST) qualifications at its safety centres in Linlithgow, Scotland, and Stafford, England.

The onshore wind turbine industry is growing sector within the UK energy market and generated around 24% of the country’s electricity in 2020 with Scotland championing the industry where wind alone generated 73% of all renewable electricity output.

The UK currently hosts an estimated 8,600 onshore wind turbines[1] with this capacity expected to double by 2030[2] in order to meet the target of having all of the UK’s energy generated from “clean sources” by 2035. Approximately 39,000 people in the UK undertook GWO courses in 2019 and with more turbines being built every year, the sector continues to grow while the workforce expands.

As a non-profit body founded by leading wind turbine manufacturers and operators, the GWO sets the international standard for training qualifications required by those working in the wind industries across the UK. The objective of the GWO is to support common industry training standards for health and safety that have been developed in cooperation between members of GWO and a variety of other stakeholders from the wind turbine industry.

Arco Professional Safety Services provides training and accreditation for the GWO BST Onshore course package, which includes the GWO Working at Height, GWO Manual Handling, GWO First Aid and GWO Fire Awareness modules. After completing the course, the qualifications are valid for two years before workers need to be recertified.

Steve Dawson, Manager – Working at Height Training at Arco Professional Safety Services, said: “As experts in safety, Arco Professional Safety Services is delighted to have received accreditation from the Global Wind Organisation and to be able to offer customers the full suite of onshore BST qualifications.

“In addition to our GWO BST Onshore training offer, Arco, as the UK’s only integrated services and safety products business, is also able to offer additional products and capabilities which other training providers can’t, such as fall protection equipment, rescue equipment, IRATA training (rope access), workwear, respiratory protection services and musculoskeletal disorder management, making Arco the expert safety partner of choice for those businesses and staff working in the wind industry.”

Spaces are available for these courses at Linlithgow Safety Centre, from Tuesday 16^th to Friday 19^th August, and Stafford Safety Centre, from Monday 12 to Thursday 15^th September.

To book your place, visit: www.arcoservices.co.uk/training/course-finder/working-at-height-training/energy-and-renewables

Arco Colleagues Receive Medal Honours for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Three colleagues from Arco Professional Safety Services, Mike Clayton, Bartek Biela and Rob Messenger, are being awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in recognition of their life-saving voluntary work with Midland Cave Rescue Organisation, and the Staffordshire Search & Rescue Team of Lowland Search & Rescue, respectively.

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal is a recognition of exemplary service by members in frontline emergency roles, prison services and the Armed Forces with at least five full years of voluntary service. The three colleagues have utilised their expertise in the safety sector to support emergency services in life-threatening situations in some of the country’s most inhospitable environments, including the longest cave rescue in Welsh history last year.

Within Arco, Mike is an Equipment Department Manager and is responsible for the selection, procurement and delivery of the equipment in Arco’s Professional Safety Services business. Externally, Mike is the Chairman of Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation and the National Equipment Officer for the British Cave Rescue Council.

Mike commented: “I am proud to receive this medal as recognition for all the voluntary work undertaken over the past five years. No one volunteers for cave rescue for reward or honours but to be there to help others in difficulty, however, these acknowledgements are a bonus.”

Bartek, a Training Instructor at Arco Professional Safety Services, teaches a wide range of practical work at height and rescue courses as well as the IOSH accredited Work at Height for Managers and Personal Fall Protection Inspection courses. As an avid member of numerus caving clubs in the past, coupled with his expertise in the safety industry, Bartek understands the importance of rescue provisions for outdoor activities which guided his decision to become a Team Leader at Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation.

Bartek said: “It is a privilege and a great honour to receive the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. When joining the organisation, I never expected any recognition or rewards as we are only there to help when this is most needed.”

Rob, a Work at Height and Confined Space Instructor at Arco, has been involved in several major incidents, large scale missing person searches and operations to provide lifesaving first aid to injured hikers. As a Team Leader of Lowland Search and Rescue Team, Rob is tasked with operational command and control as well as legal compliance with the regulations set by the Charities Commission.

At Arco, Rob delivers comprehensive work at height safety and rescue courses, confined space courses and first aid training as well as bespoke rescue from height training.

On being nominated for his Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal, Rob explained: “I feel honoured to be recognised amongst the men and women of the emergency services. People don’t volunteer because they have the time, they volunteer because they care.”

David Evison, Managing Director at Arco, said: “We’re incredibly proud that Mike, Bartek and Rob have been recognised for their excellent voluntary work over the last five years. They have each made a difference in their commitment to help keep people safe in inhospitable environments.

“As experts in safety, Arco, as a business, encourages its colleagues to share their knowledge and expertise in the communities we serve, including through volunteer work.”