The robust growth of parts of the construction industry since COVID restrictions were lifted, has prompted a growing number of firms in this sector to invest to a greater extent in training and accreditations, as they try to stay ahead of the competition.
That is according to CoreGenic, a specialist health & safety consultancy based in Neath, which serves companies across the UK. The business has enjoyed rapid growth in the past 12 months, but its founder has particularly noted a lot more companies specifically investing in upselling their staff and enhancing their processes.
In recent weeks alone, the company has helped three Wales-based companies linked to the construction sector secure an important ISO accreditation linked to quality (ISO 9001:2015), occupational health and safety (ISO 45001:2015) and environmental (ISO 14001:2015) factors. Cherie Coughlan, Managing Director at CoreGenic, said that while clients’ exact motivations vary, there is a definite sense in companies that following the COVID outbreak and its subsequent effects within society, such investments are needed to win certain contracts and types of work.
Undertaking this type of analysis means that the implemented management system helps streamline business processes and identifies opportunities for cost reduction. Companies have also seen improved quality of service and consumer experience following the process being implemented, and for some has resulted in repeat business.
Coughlan said: “We have seen a lot more demand for a number of types of training but also specific accreditations since COVID restrictions have eased. Clients are telling this that this is a period of opportunity, given the backlog of work and projects created by lockdowns. They want to take advantage of this but also realise that competition to win tenders is intense. We are happy to help companies in Wales gain these important skills and win more business, advancing the local economy in the process. This is not limited to just the construction industry. We can help businesses in any sector through the same process.”
The three companies she is referring to are: ASW Scaffolding, which invested in CoreGenic to assist with both Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits, ensuring that the criteria of the ISO 9001:2015 standard are met. These audits are required to achieve the certification. Wales Roofing Solutions, which secured the certification to tender for work for a very specific large client; and Hartson Fire, which also achieved the BAFE SP101 registration, a mark of accreditation relating to the fire safety industry, which cannot be achieved without the ISO9001 accreditation.
CoreGenic works closely with Managing Directors to develop their quality management system and ensure compliance through regular meetings that allow it to understand the business activities fully as well as targets and objectives, needed to develop specific policies, procedures and operational forms.
Part of the service involves developing a bespoke training package which is delivered to all staff, to ensure a full understanding of why the implementation of a quality management system is needed, the benefit of ISO certifications and to familiarise the team with the associated documents.
ISO accreditations certify that a management system, manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure has all the requirements for standardisation and quality assurance. CoreGenic can assist with all three previously mentioned accreditations (9001:2015, 45001:2015 and 14001:2015) and even has the capacity to assist with an integrated system that includes amalgamating all three.
Coughlan, added: “Our health and safety consultancy service is at the core of what we do, aiming to become a business-first point of call when addressing these issues, taking away the hassle so business owners can concentrate on what’s important – running your business. The process of helping organisations gain essential accreditations and seeing how pleased our clients are with this service makes it that much more worthwhile.
“If businesses are unfamiliar with management systems, we are happy to educate them to ensure they understand what is involved and the benefits that could be had from these improvements. We will also conduct a full audit on firms’ health, safety and environmental management systems, in which we take into consideration the effectiveness, performance and consistency of a business’s operations.”
