Rosh Engineering Ltd

Rosh implemented a programme to ensure achievement of the high standards of health and safety required by centralised procurement processes. This has given them a competitive advantage

The challenge

The adoption by the electrical supply industry of a formal, centralised process for assessing the health and safety performance of contractors introduced a new challenge to Rosh Engineering. Some clients use Achilles Utilities Vendor Database and the Verify audit are used to select contractors with an excellent health and safety performance. Rosh Engineering established a programme of work so they could achieve the necessary standard first time around.

What did the company do?

A Quality, Safety and Environment Manager was appointed and a staff health and safety review committee established to ensure the necessary focus. Key success factors were:

• User friendly health and safety policy, procedures and record keeping systems
• An incentive scheme that included a bonus pool and ad hoc gifts
• Policies and processes seen to be applied by the managers and MD

'More clearly defined roles and responsibilities has enabled us to focus our core skills where they are best used, and our input where most needed.'

Jim Butler, Engineering Manager

Business benefits

• The ability to demonstrate very high levels of health and safety performance is now essential to maintain access to 20% of Rosh Engineering's market
• Demonstration of high standards of health and safety via the Verify audit provides Rosh Engineering with a competitive advantage
• Better workforce qualifications has resulted in greater flexibility in project resourcing and improved project delivery
• Greater customer confidence results in less time spent on customer site inspections

'Health and safety skills, qualifications and authorisations are now recognised in our pay scales which, combined with the bonuses for improved health and safety documentation, is a welcome recognition.'

David Black, electrical site supervisor

Health and safety benefits

• Potential hazards identified and dealt with before they become an issue
• Improved record keeping makes health and safety performance visible to all
• Workforce and management united by the aim of continuous health and safety improvement
• Improved team working, awareness and morale

'For National Grid, health and safety are paramount and we're committed to working with our supply chain partners to deliver high standards. We will only give work to those companies, such as Rosh Engineering, who are willing to join with us in continually improving health and safety performance.'

John Duckworth, Safety Health and Environment Manager, UK Transmission

lsquo;Our key customers assess tenders on factors other than price alone. Their inclusion of health and safety targets means that Rosh Engineering must prove our high levels of health and safety performance to win more contracts.'

Ian Dormer, Managing Director

Cost benefits

The employment of a full time QSE Manager and services of specialist consultants costing around £35,000 a year has yielded a positive business benefit.

• Excellent health and safety performance is providing an advantage over competitors. Time saved on tender prequalifications releases more than 5% of a project engineer's time for improved project management
• Fewer reactive health and safety management interventions are improving project delivery

Leadership

Rosh Engineering has always paid keen attention to health and safety as they work on high risk sites such as isolated electricity substations, oil and chemical plants and the nuclear industry. Customers expect a high level of health and safety awareness at all levels in the company. Adoption of the Achilles Utilities Vendor Database and the Verify audit by key members of the electrical supply industry has raised the performance benchmark for health, safety, environment and quality. Participation has enabled us to improve our competitiveness and employee relations.

Worker involvement

Establishing a staff health and safety review committee has encouraged two-way communications. Toolbox talks, site safety self audits and improved record keeping have facilitated the essential cooperation of site-based employees. Employees are encouraged to comment on the processes and procedures to ensure they are as user friendly as possible.