Written by Nick Garland on Thursday June 22nd 2023
The ACAD awards dinner and golf day has been and gone, and I have to say it was another triumph. Graham Warren managed to organise excellent weather – a trick he seems to repeat every year.
I don’t golf personally, but apparently it was very tricky – a local golfer told me ominously that the course wasn’t long, but that ‘it defends itself’. Our Phil Bowen, who was on a team with Ashley from SAR, returned a very creditable three under par. We didn’t get close to any of the prizes though.
Back at the hotel, Sam Lord of the Health and Safety Executive presented a technical update on the regulator’s workings. She shared interesting previews of the Asbestos Network technical working group’s focus for this year. The personal monitoring and health records guidance that I wrote about recently is due to be finalised at the next meeting.
After that the most interesting new piece is guidance for supervisors on the four-stage clearance and doing visual inspections. This is partially informed by the excellent work that FAAM did with the joint analyst and supervisor workshop in the spring. FAAM is planning another workshop, probably in the autumn, I am sure we will be sharing the lessons from that to support improved guidance in the same way.
Richly awarded
Assure360 had the honour of sponsoring the Excellence in Audit awards again. The awards go to all members that received a 100% audit – which is impressive to say the least. There is a further award that goes to the team that has a very high standard, but also excels in best-practice innovation on site.
I had the great pleasure of presenting trophies to Amianto, MSS, Omega and Westcross on the night. Other winners not able to make it for the presentation were:
Congratulations again to all winners. It’s a joy to be acknowledging and celebrating their thorough and exemplary work.
John Barnes was excellent as the after-dinner speaker. He always was a very thoughtful, considered and entertaining sportsman, and in his speech he was able to weave his very interesting life and career into revealing observations on running businesses. He clearly remembered his time at Watford with great fondness, and came out with the amazing fact that Graham Taylor took the team from the old fourth division to top-flight runners-up in just five years. More importantly, the team that finished second to Liverpool that year was 80% the same as the one that started that first season at the bottom.
As I say, a thoroughly enjoyable day and evening, but there was one sadness to it all. Mavis Nye was due to present the Supervisor of the Year award, but unfortunately illness prevented her. I am sure Mavis is in all of our thoughts, and I hope that her sheer determination wins through again in her fight against this horrendous disease.
Written by Nick Garland on Tuesday March 10th 2020
We’ve long been admirers of the Asbestos Knowledge Empire – a series of podcasts run by Acorn Analytical Services’ Neil Munro and Ian Stone. Speaking to a cross section of health and safety and asbestos experts, the series is helping play an important role in spreading awareness and fostering asbestos expertise. So when Acorn asked if I’d like to participate I jumped at the chance.
In a wide-ranging hour-long chat, we covered subjects as diverse as how I got my start in the industry, the one-time ubiquity of asbestos, and the importance of analysts and removal contractors ‘wearing lots of hats’. We also talked in depth about the Health and Safety Executive’s new licensing regime, the problems it’s solved and the new challenges it’s created.
If you’re interested in what I had to say, or if you’d just like to hear from the industry’s other leading lights, head over to Asbestos Knowledge Empire. There you’ll be able to listen to the latest episode, and find links to follow the series on popular platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed taking part!
Written by Nick Garland on Friday October 21st 2016
Amazingly it is now a full week after the inaugural Contamination Expo – I don’t think any of us knew quite what to expect – and that included the organisers! 200 Exhibitors, 3000 registered delegates and rumours that the HSE were going to attend (I know at least one inspector was there, because he came to see us…).
Whilst I have been around the asbestos and H&S industry for nearly 25 years, the Assure360 solution is very new – so it did actually feel like the right place for us to be.
Not only did we exhibit, but I presented a seminar – ‘Competence Systems, the Good the Bad and the Ugly’. The 30-minute tutorial outlined what competence means within the asbestos industry and why we should care.
We were also up for the asbestos innovation award. Shortlisted from the 200 exhibitors – the judges came to the stand, and I had to convince them on the uniqueness of the system. We nearly got over the line first – but in the end still delighted to get the runners up slot.
For those of you that are not familiar with Assure360 – it is a solution for the asbestos removal, analytical and training community. It takes existing tasks that everyone does already, makes them easier and transforms them so that they solve multiple needs.
From the single audit application, the cloud database allows the user to comprehensively manage H&S from an HSE licensing or UKAS point of view. It provides Competence Assessments, TNAs and it even transforms exposure monitoring from just a duty of care exercise to a technique that actively improve standards. All at the touch of a button.
For the trainer – it provides incredibly detailed TNAs – ensuring that time is not wasted on the initial exam at the start of the course. Allowing a truly bespoke offering.
Our many customers extol its virtues with such comments such as:
“At our recent license renewal, the HSE inspectors were amazed by the power of the system and couldn’t believe everyone wasn’t using it.”
Ken Johnson, Managing Director, Delta Services
“Assure360 is now integral to how we work. Our BSI assessors were really impressed by the system, noting all of the improvements it allowed us to introduce.”
Steve Hannah, LAR
As I say – an exhausting but rewarding experience and we have already booked our stand for next year.
To learn more or book a demo call us on 0845 226 4318.
Written by Nick Garland on Thursday September 15th 2016
Assure 360 uniquely allows you to audit asbestos projects, measure competence, complete Training Needs Analysis, and record exposure monitoring in one, time-and-money saving cloud based system.
We’re pleased to announce that not only will we be exhibiting at the exciting Contamination Expo 2016, but we have been shortlisted for the Asbestos Innovation award.
The expo is to be held at London’s Excel arena and Nick Garland, our founder will be giving a seminar ‘Competence Systems, the Good the Bad and the Ugly’. The 30-minute seminar will outline what competence means within the asbestos industry and why we should care (including the regulatory imperative). It will cover the various ways to observe and measure it, the pitfalls and the benefits that can be gained from a well-designed system. It will close with a short demonstration of how Assure360 ticks all the boxes and why we get testimonials like this:
At our recent license renewal, the HSE inspectors were amazed by the power of the system and couldn’t believe everyone wasn’t using it.”
Ken Johnson
Managing Director
Delta Services
It’s a must for all senior management in the asbestos industry wanting to make a difference.
Nick will also be on our stand, to answer any questions. It is well worth popping by the stand, where Nick will be able to demo the highlights of the system
Our many customers extol its virtues with comments like:
“The home page gives an instant health-check and reports are all done at the touch of a button. When you factor in the time saved – it has been a bit of a no-brainer.”
Ben Ives
Horizon
“Assure360 is now integral to how we work. Our BSI assessors were really impressed by the system, noting all of the improvements it allowed us to introduce.”
Steve Hannah
LAR
“The HSE’s response at our recent license renewal was that they had never seen such a powerful and comprehensive system.”
Jason Boast
East Coast Insulation
Visit our website to learn more, or book a demo.
Get your free tickets HERE and visit us at stand 854.