“Tighter regulations mean everyone is now updating or applying for their cards. We have four gangs working outside and this year they will be renewing or upgrading their cards and doing NVQs in fencing so, for example, green card fixers will apply for the Red card to register for the NVQ 2 and work towards being a lead installer (Blue Card), and our lead installer who does not have his card will also do the NVQ training working towards his Gold Card.
The aim is always to have everybody fully trained. Contractors were told in 2003 that people would have to have cards to go on site, but even now not everyone in the industry has them.
I have a green card that expires this year so I’m hoping to get my platinum card in May, Chris has re-taken the Health & Safety and awareness course for managers and taken the Touch Screen Test, he is now waiting for his platinum card to arrive . One of our Fencing Supervisors has renewed his Gold card and the other supervisors are booked to renew their gold cards this May. Their mates already holding the green cards will apply to do the NVQ2 in Fencing. When I suggested the NVQ to them, they were pleased and said they would do other courses as well.
Our Estimator Gary Nodwell has just done his health and safety managers course to gain his platinum card. Chris Hartley, our workshop manager will be going for his platinum card as well. We have two fabricator/welders - one will renew his green card this year while our driver/yardsman will be going for his first green card. We also have a lad of 17 working in the workshop carrying out general duties, he seems keen to learn and if he is happy to further his skills and do the training, we could put him in for a welding course, which is one day a week at college.
Those who need the training have done other courses such as fork lift truck handling, First Aid, Emergency Aid, HIAB for seven-tonne truck arms, abrasive wheels, welding, scaffolding, aluminium towers and dumper truck training. Plus there are regular health and safety refreshers for FISS cards.
When Dad worked in the business he always wanted the fencers to be trained to be the best they could be. Training is an investment but it’s worth it. Nowadays you have to fill out health and safety questionnaires for contractors and you have to provide training details to show your people are competent to do the job. Our teams are more confident because they are well trained.
Our customers, who include local authorities like Lancashire County Council, are stricter now and recognise the FISS cards, which is why there’s a mad rush among other firms to get them!
Peerless has been going such a long time we have a reputation, people know our standards, so they come back to us. Training is also about retention. You have to want to do this job because it’s hard work and two of our Lead Fencing Installers have been with us more than 10 years.
We are also one of a group of chartered contractors for Betafence fencing products - you have to be in the group to be able to offer the 10-year guarantee and every job is inspected by an independent auditor. We are happy we have the quality of staff to do that work, so training and experience help.
In January we were successful to register with Constructionline database for pre-qualified suppliers in which you have to prove your company’s competence. We made the move because customers like councils and building contractors want suppliers to follow the same standards and health & safety guidelines, enabling contractors to look online and view company details, this is also why we became CHAS accredited last July.
