[Lee Burbidge]

We are pleased to inform that my company, High Shine Ltd, has beed awarded the SAFEcontractor accreditation.

I think, as a direct result of that, we have picked up two new schools to wc!!

One buyer told me that he got 3 or 4 quotes in. I actually went in on a higher price than usual this time and the buyer told me there was not a lot in the quotes offered. He picked us on the basis of looking more professional......

He did get a press release about SAFEcontractor, not sure if that swung it or not. So on that occasion it was inconclusive.

It is worth doing.

 

[Smudger]

Lee - while i think these things are great i get the impression that as long as you pay them a good amount
of dosh you get to put their sticker on your van !

around here no-ones even heard of H&S never mind safe contractor 

Darran

[Pope vader]

some will say it is worth it and gets them loads of jobs then other say i get the same jobs and i dont have it,   i know a few who have been on all the course and still end up doing domestic and the odd commercial,  i think they are only worth it if you are like dave morris and commercial only or the majority of your work is commercial

[LBWCS]

how easy (or hard) was it to become aproved mate and did it cost much?

[luther1]

Sally,from Safe contractor rings me weekly. Its something like £120 and you get a questionnaire to fill out. If you find any of the questions too difficult,they will tell you the answers!

[Helen]

Sally,from Safe contractor rings me weekly. Its something like £120 and you get a questionnaire to fill out. If you find any of the questions too difficult,they will tell you the answers!

doesn't this tell you something

[Lee Burbidge]

Lee - while i think these things are great i get the impression that as long as you pay them a good amount
of dosh you get to put their sticker on your van !

around here no-ones even heard of H&S never mind safe contractor 

Darran

Be the first dude! Any way if all you see is a sticker on a van, you aint looking at the big picture matey 

[Lee Burbidge]

how easy (or hard) was it to become aproved mate and did it cost much?

It will cost you a few hundred quid a year. I have had an established H&S sytem within my business for years so it was not that much work for me. If you want help with it, I would be happy to.

Thing is some might see this as a good thing if all you do is commercial, true that is what some of the big jobs are looking for, but it is also handy for the domestic market too.
Badges do impress people thats a fact.

[Pope vader]

which is the one where they get to look at ur accounts as part of the deal

[Lee Burbidge]

Sally,from Safe contractor rings me weekly. Its something like £120 and you get a questionnaire to fill out. If you find any of the questions too difficult,they will tell you the answers!

Your right, nut it sounds wrong how you put it. The give you a questionnaire, true. If you do not understand something they will help and advise you. If you do not have something in place, they will help you with that.

They will help you achieve the certification and the result is a H&S system for your company. You will be checked annually so any records you should be keeping such as ladder checks or PAT testing, should be up to date other wise you will fail the scheme still.  

[Neil Williams]

You will be checked annually so any records you should be keeping such as ladder checks or PAT testing, should be up to date other wise you will fail the scheme still.  

How can I put this to you?
Total waste of money, Lloyds TSB are SC and should only use contractors on their building that are SC, but they don't. And there are many other organisations that do the same too
No one actually comes around and checks your documents/methods. It's left to you to send them in (how hard is that to 'fix'), and should they not like something in there, you send it back again just modified.....and again it's never checked.

[luther1]

Sally,from Safe contractor rings me weekly. Its something like £120 and you get a questionnaire to fill out. If you find any of the questions too difficult,they will tell you the answers!

Your right, nut it sounds wrong how you put it. The give you a questionnaire, true. If you do not understand something they will help and advise you. If you do not have something in place, they will help you with that.

They will help you achieve the certification and the result is a H&S system for your company. You will be checked annually so any records you should be keeping such as ladder checks or PAT testing, should be up to date other wise you will fail the scheme still.  

I wish i had help and advice with the questions i didn't understand when i took my masters.
 Basically,if i don't know the answers,they don't get my £120. But lucky for me,someone will help and advise me so i can answer the questions correctly,ergo,they then get my £120. I do large amounts of commercial and have never been asked for this accreditation,or any others come to that. The only time i've ever been asked for RE and method was on one job,when a member of the public reported me for hanging out of a tilt and turn to do the outside!

[Lee Burbidge]

You will be checked annually so any records you should be keeping such as ladder checks or PAT testing, should be up to date other wise you will fail the scheme still.  

How can I put this to you?
Total waste of money, Lloyds TSB are SC and should only use contractors on their building that are SC, but they don't. And there are many other organisations that do the same too
No one actually comes around and checks your documents/methods. It's left to you to send them in (how hard is that to 'fix'), and should they not like something in there, you send it back again just modified.....and again it's never checked.

Some might consider it a waste of money, some dont. I have a good H&S system and track record. This accreditaion underlines how serious I take H&S, not forgetting the doors it opens. It sounds like your issues are with TSB and not SC 

[Lee Burbidge]

Sally,from Safe contractor rings me weekly. Its something like £120 and you get a questionnaire to fill out. If you find any of the questions too difficult,they will tell you the answers!

Your right, nut it sounds wrong how you put it. The give you a questionnaire, true. If you do not understand something they will help and advise you. If you do not have something in place, they will help you with that.

They will help you achieve the certification and the result is a H&S system for your company. You will be checked annually so any records you should be keeping such as ladder checks or PAT testing, should be up to date other wise you will fail the scheme still.  

I wish i had help and advice with the questions i didn't understand when i took my masters.
 Basically,if i don't know the answers,they don't get my £120. But lucky for me,someone will help and advise me so i can answer the questions correctly,ergo,they then get my £120. I do large amounts of commercial and have never been asked for this accreditation,or any others come to that. The only time i've ever been asked for RE and method was on one job,when a member of the public reported me for hanging out of a tilt and turn to do the outside!

It depends on how your looking at it, no one has asked me for RA's either, but I issue them (may be not every time) . RA's are for your protection too so is some of the stuff that is needed in place to prove ladder checks (for example).

If you feel you dont want to pay the money on SC thats your call, not mine.   

[Lee Burbidge]

You will be checked annually so any records you should be keeping such as ladder checks or PAT testing, should be up to date other wise you will fail the scheme still.  

How can I put this to you?
Total waste of money, Lloyds TSB are SC and should only use contractors on their building that are SC, but they don't. And there are many other organisations that do the same too
No one actually comes around and checks your documents/methods. It's left to you to send them in (how hard is that to 'fix'), and should they not like something in there, you send it back again just modified.....and again it's never checked.

I understand you have an accreditiation on your web site Safety Aware Contractor. So you believe in SC really just miffed at TSB then??...... just thought I would ask, have you started this SAC. The contact for SAC is also called Neil.

 :

[Lee Burbidge]

Sally,from Safe contractor rings me weekly. Its something like £120 and you get a questionnaire to fill out. If you find any of the questions too difficult,they will tell you the answers!

Your right, nut it sounds wrong how you put it. The give you a questionnaire, true. If you do not understand something they will help and advise you. If you do not have something in place, they will help you with that.

They will help you achieve the certification and the result is a H&S system for your company. You will be checked annually so any records you should be keeping such as ladder checks or PAT testing, should be up to date other wise you will fail the scheme still.  

I wish i had help and advice with the questions i didn't understand when i took my masters.
 Basically,if i don't know the answers,they don't get my £120. But lucky for me,someone will help and advise me so i can answer the questions correctly,ergo,they then get my £120. I do large amounts of commercial and have never been asked for this accreditation,or any others come to that. The only time i've ever been asked for RE and method was on one job,when a member of the public reported me for hanging out of a tilt and turn to do the outside!

That is not how it works Luther: you said if you did not know all the answers then they do not get your money???How daft is that when you are setting up a H&S system.
Me: Erm.... I do not know what an RA is can you help me?
SC: No.
Me: Ok, I wont pay you them and never learn what an RA is or how to do one so that I can better prepare my business and its much needed H&S program.

Was it a masters you said........ (making fun and light of things of course  )

[luther1]

Lee my masters is in photography,so it didn't require a great depth of knowledge!
Let me clarify.
Me; Don't know the answer to No's 1,4,8 and 12
SC;Here they are
Me;Thanks. Oh,i've passed have i? Heres your cheque!

Btw,i have full H&S,WAHR,MS and RA in place. I do contracts for some global businesses and you have to be as clean as to get a look in.

However,would Safecontractor make a difference? I honestly don't know.

[Lee Burbidge]

Lee my masters is in photography,so it didn't require a great depth of knowledge!
Let me clarify.
Me; Don't know the answer to No's 1,4,8 and 12
SC;Here they are
Me;Thanks. Oh,i've passed have i? Heres your cheque!

Btw,i have full H&S,WAHR,MS and RA in place. I do contracts for some global businesses and you have to be as clean as to get a look in.

However,would Safecontractor make a difference? I honestly don't know.

I dont mind paying money to some one who is going to make sure that all my H&S is in order as the law changes so quickly sometimes, same goes for employment law. You have to see SC as you H&S officer. They are a damn sight lot cheaper than a H&S officer.

Because of the high profile this scheme has it has attracted many members and in turn industry as seen them (for want of a better word) as an industry leader and so have regonised the scheme as such. So because of this it may or may not improve your turnover, but gives you a good chance plus it demonstrates a healthy knowledge of H&S at a glance with out having to send reams of paper over for peace of mind to your prospect client.

[luther1]

Lee,i agree,but as you know yourself,£120ish is a major risk to most window cleaners,despite them all earning £200 by dinner  . As you say,better to have it than not,if purely for paperwork reasons. Probably will put my monet where my mouth is 

[Lee Burbidge]

Lee,i agree,but as you know yourself,£120ish is a major risk to most window cleaners,despite them all earning £200 by dinner  . As you say,better to have it than not,if purely for paperwork reasons. Probably will put my monet where my mouth is 

I see your point