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CHSA warning: watch out for sharks
With the macro-economic environment getting increasingly uncertain and the likelihood of a double dip recession growing, buyers of plastic refuse sacks, industrial cotton mops and paper products need to tighten their monitoring and watch out for shark suppliers, warns the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association.
Gordon Butt, the CHSA’s auditor for its Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Scheme, explained: “As the economic uncertainty continues we are seeing an increase in the cutting of corners by disreputable suppliers of cleaning and hygiene products and it is distributors and end users who are being affected. We randomly and regularly audit both members and non-members of the scheme and we have seen a jump in the number and extent of deficiencies amongst non- members. Some net deficiencies caused by, for example, reducing the number of sheets or shaving a little of the width or length of each sheet of a paper product are running as high as 20%. This is the equivalent to a distributor or end user buying five boxes of product and only getting four; it’s clearly unethical and could be an offence if the dimensions are on the label and the labelling does not reflect the reduction. But there is no legal requirement to label the dimensions of the product and some suppliers are exploiting this and being vague with the labelling; if they tell you the number of sheets but not the dimensions of each sheet then you have no way of knowing if something you have always understood to be one size has suddenly ‘shrunk’. Even if the label is changed, a buyer can’t relax and may need to change old habits. For example, the 150m centre feed roll or the 200m mini jumbo toilet roll traditionally bought by product code may have changed in width or length and could be labelled accordingly. But if you go on buying by product code you could be getting something much shorter than you think.”
The only way buyers of soft tissue products, plastic refuse sacks and industrial cotton mops can be certain they are getting what they pay for and not being surreptitiously ripped off is to buy from Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Scheme members. Graham Fletcher, general secretary of the CHSA, said: “We regularly audit our members and deficiencies will ultimately result in expulsion from the scheme.
This means buyers can be certain they are getting what they pay for, even when times are tough. Anyone concerned about the quality of their purchase can call us for a free audit. Gordon will come out and thoroughly check the products, either giving you the ammunition you need or putting your mind to rest.”
www.chsa.co.uk
Brayborne announces new operating structure
Berkshire based Brayborne Cleaning Services starts 2012 with a new corporate structure following the sad loss of its managing director, Simon Berryman, in September.
The new structure sees Lorraine Gibson heading up the company as managing director, a role that she commences having been the company’s commercial director for the past 17 years. Brayborne’s co- founder, Mairi Berryman, becomes commercial director.
Jeffrey King, who has been involved with Brayborne from day one, becomes finance director. He has over 10 years experience in financial controller roles. Juliet John has been promoted to senior operations manager and will manage the day to day running of the operations team.
Managing director, Lorraine Gibson, said: “I am honoured to be the MD at Brayborne and look forward to developing the company moving forward but will never forget the strong values and ethics that the company has been built on over the past 25 years. I would also like to congratulate Juliet on her promotion and I know that her hard work and dedication, along with her experience, will ensure the smooth running of our operations.”
PAT boost for test services business
Investment in new electrical test technology has helped one of Scotland’s leading building support services companies to improve the working efficiencies of its PAT field services team.
Arthur McKay has recently equipped its portable appliance testing (PAT) team with new Seaward PrimeTest 350 multi-function electrical safety testers as part of company moves to continue to utilise the latest technology available and improve its services to customers. In doing so the company claims that test times have been significantly reduced, creating improvements in productivity without compromising the integrity of the equipment testing being undertaken.
The lightweight PrimeTest 350 handheld PAT tester incorporates all Class I and Class II required electrical safety tests in a compact design. In addition, in keeping with the IEE Code of Practice, the PrimeTest 350 is also equipped with an RCD test, a 250V insulation resistance test and an alternative leakage test. It is also equipped with Bluetooth technology for the wireless connection of bar code scanners, label printers and other accessories.
An important factor in Arthur McKay’s choice of the PrimeTest 350 was the extended long life battery power of the unit which reduces the reliance on mains supply and substantially cuts the downtime between tests. As a result, engineers can complete testing in large multi- location sites without constantly plugging-in and re-booting the instrument from one test location to the next.
Established in 1958, Arthur McKay provides a range of mechanical and electrical, FM and networks services that includes electrical safety testing and compliance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
The company’s test engineers carry out portable appliance testing for a range of clients including local authorities, educational establishments, industrial sites and the retail and commercial sectors. Although the bulk of the work is carried out in Scotland, work for some customers also takes in group locations throughout the UK. The PAT team carries out electrical inspection and testing of equipment at client premises, downloading test results from the tester into central PAT records systems.
Before selecting the new Seaward testers the company reviewed and trialled other testers but preferred the versatility and lightweight portability of the PrimeTest 350 model. Marie McKay, compliance manager at Arthur McKay, said: “Our engineers have been very impressed with the portability, flexibility and added value features of the new tester - all of which makes the job of appliance testing a whole lot easier and much quicker. It is important for our business that we remain at the cutting edge of our industry. This means we are committed to utilising new technologies and finding new and better ways of doing things that can help us to deliver better levels of support to customers. In this way, investment in new PAT technology not only helps us to work smarter and more efficiently, but means we can continue to be competitive and offer the best service possible.”
www.seaward.co.uk
XPS receives environmental accreditation
Milton Keynes based facilities management specialist, XPS, has proven its green credentials by achieving an ISO 14001 for its commitment to environmental issues.
ISO 14001 is the internationally recognised quality management standard for the environmental impact of business. The accreditation provides a framework for businesses to manage their processes and activities by focusing on proactive management and ensuring employee involvement in defining roles relating to the organisation’s environmental policy.
Pat Dean, director of compliance at XPS, said: “ISO 14001 is an obvious measurement tool for XPS and is recognised by both our clients and suppliers. This accreditation has educated us in how to use fewer raw materials and energy and reduce the amount of waste we produce, making us a more environmentally friendly company.”
XPS’ latest achievement follows its success in being named runner up in the East of England Business Champions Awards for ‘marketing innovation’.
XPS managing director, Emma Bowman Smith, said: “It has been a great year for XPS and as the business continues to grow, we are keen to demonstrate our commitment to a greener way of working. This accreditation means we will intrinsically improve our working practices, benefiting both the environment and our business.”
Expansion creates over 400 new jobs
Hotelcare, the hotel support services company, has expanded into major cities in north England. After a promising start to 2011, Hotelcare has now secured contracts with several major branded hotel chains in Liverpool and new sites in Newcastle and Gateshead. This success, teamed with recently acquired contracts with hotels in Cardiff and St Albans, means a positive start to 2012. These contracts are forecast to provide 300 new jobs in the Manchester and Liverpool area and 100 new jobs in Newcastle and Gateshead.
Eugene Sweetman, who was recently appointed to spearhead the expansion as Hotelcare’s head of UK sales and marketing, said: “The expansion into north England is not only the next logical step for our company, but it is also helps to support the local economy by providing jobs for the community. We hope to continue to expand our client base in 2012, and hope to target more regions as a result.”
Managing director of Hotelcare, John Blasco, said: “We are delighted to have secured contracts with numerous additional hotel chains in what has been a tough environment for the hotel industry. I believe our success is down to our dedicated and highly trained staff, as well as being able to provide a professional and high quality service, tailored to a hotel’s needs. We look forward to the coming year, and we hope to extend into further regions and emulate the success of 2011.”
www.hotelcare.co.uk
BIFM qualifications: what happened in 2011?
In the last 12 months the BIFM qualifications in facilities management have really started to come into their own and establish themselves within the FM sector. The qualifications were only accredited onto the Qualifications & Credit Framework back in March 2010, and represented a big step forward from their predecessors. For example, did you know BIFM qualifications:
• were devised by FM professionals, for the FM profession?
• have assessments which are all practical and work based?
• are built up from a combination of mandatory and optional units?
• come in three sizes (award, certificate, diploma) at levels 4, 5 and 6?
• are open to all FM professionals - not just BIFM members?
2011 was the first full year of the qualifications being available, and it was a very successful 12 months, with key highlights including:
• a 200% growth in the number of recognised centres (now 15 centres in the UK) and more becoming available in 2012.
• the first international centre (Portobello Institute in Ireland).
• the first further education college: Westminster Kingsway College.
• the first university: Leeds Metropolitan.
• the first university which offers dual awards: Sheffield Hallam.
• a 143% increase in the number of learner registrations (485 to date).
Valerie Everitt, director of education and professional standards at BIFM, said: “The strides made in 2011 are a testament to the quality of the institute’s qualifications, and shows they met industry needs. It took a lot of planning and consultation within the profession to develop the qualifications. 2010 was very much a foundation year and we recognised that there would be a period of transition to the style of qualifications. We will now build on the momentum from 2011 and carry this through into 2012.”
The outlook for qualifications in 2012 is already looking positive if the results from the BIFM 2011 membership survey are used as a benchmark. The survey (from July 2011) shows that 21% of respondents are considering undertaking a BIFM qualification in the future whilst 35% of respondents are ‘perhaps’ considering undertaking a BIFM qualification in the future. Furthermore there is certainly a need for qualifications. A 2011 Asset Skills survey found 29% of FM companies said they wanted to move into new areas of work but only 42% were confident their staff had the necessary knowledge and skills to do so.
BIFM qualifications in facilities management can help organisations fill this skills gap and enhance performance with highly motivated teams.
BIFM qualifications will continue to evolve in 2012. The institute is hoping to launch Level 7 qualifications, which have been developed with a higher education institute and employers, in the autumn of 2012.
www.bifm.org.uk
