In safe hands: Portsmouth firms wins accreditation for health and safety excellence

An expanding firm in Portsmouth has been recognised for its commitment to health and safety excellence.

McAndrew Martin  has been awarded accreditation by Safecontractor after a stringent vetting process.

Safecontractor is a national third-party accreditation scheme, which recognises high standards in health and safety management amongst UK contractors.

McAndrew Martin, the chartered surveyor, architect and engineer, demonstrated rigorous procedures and a strong track-record for safety.

The latest success comes after recent expansion at the Fairway Business Centre company and as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Bill McAndrew, managing director of the 18-strong firm, said: “Our expert and experienced team have worked hard to achieve this latest accreditation.

“It improves on our already robust procedures and further underlines our continuing drive for excellence and the highest levels of customer service.

“This recognition will substantially help attract more business as we can prove to clients that we have the very best health and safety standards in place.”

According to the Health & Safety Executive, an estimated 646,000 workers had an accident at work in 2012/2013. Figures state that 231,000 of these injuries led to more than three days’ absence from work and 175,000 to more than seven days.

Those companies meeting the high Safecontractor standards are included on a database, which is accessible to registered users via a website.

More than 210 major, nationwide businesses have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors for services such as building, cleaning, maintenance, refurbishment or electrical and mechanical work.

It enables them to vet potential contractors before they even set foot on site.

John Kinge, technical director of Safecontractor said: “Major organisations simply cannot afford to run the risk of employing contractors who are not able to prove that they have sound health and safety policies in place.

“More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that McAndrew Martin has done.

“The firm’s high standard has set an example which hopefully will be followed by other companies within the sector.

“Safecontractor plays a vital role in supporting our clients in meeting their compliance needs, whilst working with their contractors as they progress through the accreditation process.”

McAndrew Martin and its staff already hold membership and accreditations with such organisations at The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Chartered Building Consultancy, the Portsmouth Property Association and British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE).

Other companies with Safecontractor accreditation include Jaguar Land Rover, BT, Lloyds TSB, Fitness First, Agusta Westland and Debenhams.