This company provide banners and hoardings to commercial and residential property developers. Their work activities involve the design, print and installation of signs at the perimeter of building sites. These vary in size from that of a rigid A4 sheet to a flexible 20 by 30 metre banner. Most installations are undertaken by three dedicated mobile teams. Large installations require significant planning and organisation if they are to be erected with safety and minimal disruption. The MD’s brief was to first identify areas of weakness via a mini audit, and subsequently develop strategies to minimise them.

This involved:

● Spending time in discussion with most employees and observing key company activities.

● Assisting managers to develop a set of generic risk assessments and method statements, and providing
   them with the skills to undertake site specific assessments when required.

● Making management fully aware of product designers’ health and safety responsibilities.

● Training all employees in safety awareness, manual handling and working at height.

● Identifying that the use of van roof racks as work platforms is currently ill advised, but with the
   implementation of adequate control measures may become a source of economic advantage in the future.

● Revamping the health and safety manual.

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This company provide parts and service to high performance motorcycle enthusiasts via bespoke dyno workshops, a showroom and an internet order catalogue service. Employing 15 people, their health and safety brief was driven by the requirements of their public and employers liability insurers, and recently having witnessed a major fire at a neighbouring business. 

The project involved:

● The development of useful and realistic risk assessments for the site and its business activities.

● Training employees in health and safety law, manual handling and noise awareness.

● Advising on the transportation and packaging of hazardous substances.

● The ongoing provision of health and safety advice when required.

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This company fabricates and installs structural steel for small to medium sizes construction projects. They have 25 employees. Half fabricate and weld components in the workshop. The balance is involved with construction site work.

This ongoing relationship commenced with construction site inspections, a detailed explanation and tour of workshop activities and an examination of relevant paperwork systems to establish omissions and shortfalls.

Subsequently site paperwork systems were fine tuned and complete risk assessments were undertaken for workshop activities covering:
 
● The Movement of steel to, and in the workshop

● Welding

● Fire

● The use and storage of chemicals

● Employee awareness training regarding noise

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This company manufactures office furniture.

Several projects have been undertaken for them as part of an ongoing relationship.

Most recently, as part of a restructuring and cultural change programme, work was undertaken to identify risks associated with recent changes to work practices and layouts, and additional ones associated with imminent changes.

This involved utilising the skills and knowledge of employees and encouraging them to contribute and participate in future changes. Findings were delivered to management in a verbal presentation and a summary report.

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This company is a multinational supplier of IT products and services to a variety of industry sectors.

Assistance was provided to their facilities team who are responsible for day to day delivery of health and safety across all European operations. As their business is currently growing at a significant rate, they lack both the time and resources to undertake such activities themselves.

Ongoing advice and assistance has been provided for:

● Fire risk assessments.

● Assessment of computer work stations and associated ergonomic issues.

● Employees working at remote locations.

● Identifying key issues associated with providing adequate first aid in office environments. 

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This company is an electrical contractor employing 6 people.

Prior to engaging Chris Stops and Associates they did not have a system of health and safety documentation. With increasing frequency they were being asked by both clients and potential clients to provide written evidence of their health and safety policies and related procedures. As a result of not being able to supply these they were both excluded from tendering from some work and legally non-compliant.

Chris Stops and Associates were asked to develop a short and concise document system that reflected as much as possible the company’s existing work practices.

As a result:

● A checklist system was developed to assess health and safety risks at the quotation stage of all jobs. It formed part  of a larger quotation checklist covering all commercial and technical risks, used by the company’s principal at this stage of all jobs.

● A concise 4 page health and safety policy was developed which cross referenced job specifications, the previously mentioned risk assessment system and method statements.

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This company is a software house employing 30 people. Prior to engaging Chris Stops and Associates they did not possess any written health and safety documentation, and were legally non compliant as a result. The brief was to develop a health and safety system which reflected the low risk, office nature of the company’s operations.

● Enhanced the company’s ethos that employees should use their own initiative whenever possible as part of their job.

● Built on existing ISO 9000:2000 procedures and employee handbook. 

● The resultant documentation system was entirely electronic and accessible by all employees on the company’s intranet. It was broken down into sections covering a policy document, risk assessments and work procedures, and other reference documents. It also linked to other company documents and some outside websites.

The nature of the company’s operations meant that the major topics covered were:

● Fire and the evacuation of the offices.

● Travel to and from customers’ premises by car and public transport.

● Lone and home working.

Overseas travel.

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This company is a family owned and run plastics manufacturer employing 50 people.

Chris Stops and Associates involvement was initiated by the company’s employer’s liability insurers following an audit. During it they noticed deficiencies in accident reporting, and the control of noise and chemical usage.

At the initial stages Chris Stops and Associates also noted a legal requirement for:

● Risk assessment documentation.

● A fire certificate.

● Employee consultation.

● All these issues were addressed as part of the project. Following discussions and consultation with directors, line managers and employees a policy was drafted and risk assessments and safe systems of work agreed.

These were designed to cross reference and complement existing:

● ISO 9000 procedures.

● Hygiene standards.

● Job specifications.

● Employment contracts. 

As a result only one additional work procedure was required – for a quarterly health and safety meeting.

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This company are a ‘back of house supplier to the catering industry’ and stainless steel fabricator, employing 13 people. Chris Stops and Associates commenced work with them in early 2003. This saw them replace an incumbent consultant. Activity is focused around attending a monthly meeting with all employees at which health and safety is an agenda item.

The brief, on an ongoing basis, has been to create an adequate, legally compliant, relevant, and usable H & S management system, which distinguishes the company from its competitors.

This initially involved:

● Ensuring paperwork systems met customers’ requirements, and making, drafting, and implementing necessary amendments.

● Developing a detailed annual health and safety management plan that outlines measurable and achievable health and safety tasks for the coming year. It is reviewed each January with the Managing Director.

Current work within this plan involves:

● Auditing and amending risk assessments and method statements with employees to improve their relevance and usefulness. This process includes site visits with service and fabrication engineers.

● Investigating methods of proving and defining competence, particularly for multi-skilling which can be used to:

● Enhance employee job satisfaction and initiative.

● Distinguish the company in the market place and provides it with competitive advantage.

● Minimise the potential for litigation in the event of an accident.

● Giving formal presentations on H & S matters to all employees. In the future this is likely to expand to include training in undertaking risk assessments and manual handling.

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