News and Updates

Arco, the UK and Ireland's leading provider of safety products and services, has signed up to a new charter calling for inclusivity in workplace PPE.

The Protection for Everyone Charter, launched yesterday by health and safety news publisher SHP, calls for well-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) to be seen not just as best practice, but as the minimum standard for all.

Arco is one of the first organisations to sign up and support the charter, along with UK industry names such as National Highways, IOSH, Vodafone and Heathrow Airport.

Those who sign the charter are signing up to the following commitments:

• To uphold the value that all workers deserve access to well-fitting PPE to work comfortably, with the understanding that standard sizing of PPE is not a one-size fits all.
• To proactively source suitable and correctly fitting PPE to meet the individual needs of any employees who require it, with the understanding that PPE may need to be sourced from more than one supplier.
• To work with any individual employee that has concerns or issues with the PPE provided to allow us to provide a suitable and well-fitting alternative To provide inclusive PPE for all as part of our dedication to the health, safety and overall wellbeing of our employees.
• To lead by example and share best practice with our contractors and suppliers.

Despite improved availability of PPE designed for women in recent years, research carried out last year by the National Association of Women in Construction (Yorkshire) found that 59.6% of women surveyed were still not being provided with it.

Arco has previously pledged its support for SHP's Protection for Everyone campaign, which aims to shed light on the importance of well-fitting PPE and advocate for meaningful change on a governmental level.

Guy Bruce, chief executive of Arco, said:

"At Arco, we understand that PPE is not 'one-size fits all', and we firmly believe everyone should have access to the right PPE to ensure they can work comfortably and safely.

"As the UK and Ireland's Experts in Safety, our core purpose is to keep people safe at work, and this means all people.

"We fully support SHP's Protection for Everyone campaign and are proud to be among the first to the sign the charter. We encourage our partners and customers to do the same, and help to ensure safety really is for everyone."

Katy Robinson, PPE campaigner and co-chair of the National Association of Women in Construction Yorkshire, said:

"It's fantastic that there are so many companies that have already pledged their support by signing this charter.

"It is a huge step forward in ensuring that all workers are provided with PPE that fits, to make the industry not only a safer place, but a more inclusive place, too."

Find out more about the Protection for Everyone charter and campaign

See Arco's range of women's PPE and workwear

Arco has secured a place on two valuable frameworks to provide PPE, workwear and other supplies to public sector organisations in the UK and Ireland.

The UK and Ireland's leading safety supplier has been selected as an approved supplier as part of the "Framework Agreement for Supply of Healthcare PPE" for the Health Service Executive (HSE), Ireland's public healthcare system.

Under the framework, which is worth a potential €15m over the next three years, Arco can supply hand sanitiser, nitrile gloves, eye protection, body protection and masks to the HSE.

Separately, Arco has also been chosen as an approved supplier for the "PPE, Workwear, Janitorial and Site Equipment Supplies Framework" by EEM, a non-profit organisation that provides simpler procurement processes for the public sector in England and Wales.

EEM's membership consists of 360 public sector and third sector organisations, including housing associations, local authorities, education providers, NHS trusts, emergency services, charities and government agencies.

The EEM framework agreement, which lasts for two years, is divided into four "lots", with Arco successful bidding to join three of those lots: PPE, workwear and janitorial.

The range of products that Arco can supply through the framework include:

PPE: Breathing apparatus, eye and face protection; fall management; head protection; hearing protection; respiratory protection; hand protection; safety footwear; body protection; first aid

Workwear: Trousers; polo shirts sweatshirts; t-shirts; fleeces; thermal wear; jackets; hi-visibility clothing; weather wear.

Janitorial: Janitorial supplies; washroom hygiene

Simon Allan-Brooks, Arco's chief commercial officer, said:

"Arco has decades of experience working with public sector organisations and we look forward to helping the members of these frameworks keep their people safe over the coming years.

"This is the first time Arco has secured a place on the HSE framework, and we are very excited about the opportunities this will open up for us in Ireland.

"This further demonstrates our unrivalled status as Experts in Safety and a trusted and responsible choice of safety partner to businesses and organisations across the UK and Ireland."

What is a framework?

Procurement frameworks enable buyers to place orders for goods and services without the need for multiple tenders.

Framework agreements are put in place with a list of pre-approved providers for a given timeframe, with agreed terms and conditions and legal protections.

Buyers can procure their required goods and services via a direct award to a supplier or by running a "mini-competition" within the framework.

See Arco's full range of safety products

Arco, the UK and Ireland's leading safety provider, has once again been awarded a gold medal for sustainability by the world's largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings.

After thorough examination of its sustainability performance by independent experts at EcoVadis, Arco has retained its "Gold" status for 2024, improving on its overall score since the company's last assessment.

The gold rating means Arco is ranked in the top 5 per cent of more than 120,000 companies assessed by Eco-Vadis.

EcoVadis singled out Arco's leadership on environmental sustainability as "outstanding" in comparison with its peers.

Arco's sustainability initiatives over the past year include the launch of a new Responsible hi-visibility clothing range, as well as the installation of more than 2,300 solar panels on the roof of the company's National Distribution Centre in Hull.

Jim Harbidge, head of sustainability at Arco, said:

"At Arco, we continually review and improve practices across the business to ensure we deliver best practice in sustainability.

"We are extremely proud of this award and what it means for our products, those who make them and our customers who share our aims and values.

"We still aspire to achieve the 'Platinum' award and will continue to find new ways to differentiate ourselves as a responsible choice of safety partner."

EcoVadis measures sustainability performance across the four themes of environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

Its rating methodology measures the quality of a company's sustainability management system through three management pillars of policies, actions, and results.

A team of international sustainability experts analyse and cross-check companies' data in order to create reliable ratings, considering each company's industry, size and geographic location. EcoVadis reviews its performance rating approach each year in support of best practice in sustainability.

Find out how Arco is taking action for a safer tomorrow

The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported an outbreak of E. coli, with over 100 confirmed cases and dozens hospitalised with food poisoning. The outbreak is believed to be linked to contaminated nationally distributed food, but the source has not yet been confirmed.

How E. coli spreads

E. coli can contaminate meats, food crops, water, and unpasteurized milk and cheese. It can spread through:

• Contact with contaminated food or water
• Human carriers who don't properly wash their hands after using the toilet
• Pets and zoos that are contaminated

Symptoms of E. coli infection

Symptoms of E. coli infection typically appear within 3-9 days of consuming contaminated food and include:

• Severe stomach cramps
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Complications

Complications can include thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a life-threatening condition.

Prevention measures

To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal infections and prevent the spread of the infection:

• Wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water, especially after using the toilet and before preparing food
• Follow food hygiene measures, such as washing fruit and vegetables and cooking food properly
• Use disinfectants to clean surfaces that may be contaminated
• Avoid preparing food for others if you have diarrhoea and vomiting
• Do not visit people in hospitals or care homes if you have diarrhoea and vomiting

View all our cleaning and hygiene products

Preventing cross-contamination for food environments

To control and reduce the risk of E. coli in your business, you must comply with food hygiene legislation and ensure all work areas, surfaces and equipment for raw and ready-to-eat food are adequately separated and all areas are cleaned and disinfected. Staff must wash their hands to a high standard. You must follow specific legal requirements to ensure that food is safe. Food safety e-learning courses are available online and on demand from our Arco Professional Safety Services team. See below the list of relevant options available.

• Food Safety & Hygiene (Level 1)
• Food Safety & Hygiene (Level 2)
• Food Safety & Hygiene (Level 3)
• HACCP Level 2

Click here to view all courses

What to do if you have symptoms

If you have symptoms of E. coli infection, do not return to work, school, or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped. If you are worried or experiencing severe symptoms, call NHS 111 or contact your GP surgery.

Important notes

Many people recover well from E. coli infection, but some individuals, such as young children, can become very unwell. It is crucial to take steps to prevent the spread of the infection and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or persist.

Sources:

https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/e-coli

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/e-coli-advice-issued-amid-rise-in-cases

Kind-hearted Arco staff have carried out almost 1,000 hours of voluntary work over the past year.

Since July last year, 169 Arco colleagues have contributed a total of 966 hours to volunteering in their communities, supporting many different organisations, including Age UK and the Royal British Legion.

Everyone who works for Arco is encouraged to take two paid days out of the business each year to volunteer for causes that matter to them.

In April, Arco staff dedicated one of their volunteering days to supporting Mires Beck Nursery in North Cave, which provides work experience and social therapeutic horticulture for adults with learning difficulties.

The volunteers helped replant hawthorn trees, added fresh coats of paint to the office building, and worked in the perennials garden.

Arco project manager Nicola Litten said:

"There were many daily tasks to complete, so we split into small groups to work alongside the service users and their staff to crack on with painting the outside of the building, pot on perennial plants or work in the tree section to tidy up hawthorn saplings.

"It was a very rewarding and insightful day to be able to support a local charity and get some fresh air out of the office! I would highly recommend it to any other Arco colleagues."

Another volunteering day saw a group of staff help tidy up Humber Bridge Country Park in Hessle.

Arco has lined up a number of different volunteering opportunities for staff this month, including helping plant a new wildlife garden for east Hull charity EMS -Environmental & Management Solutions, and sorting stock for Dove Hose Hospice charity shops.

Next month, volunteers will help long-standing Arco charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support reinvigorate a patient garden space at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham.

Di Hopper, chief people officer at Arco, said:

"This Volunteers' Week, we'd like to thank all the amazing individuals from Arco who have given time to support charity or community projects in need of valuable time and help.

"It is lovely to hear just how much our colleagues have enjoyed, learnt and taken away from the experience, as well as how much the organisations have benefited.

"We encourage all our staff to take two volunteering days a year, as part of our commitment to being a responsible choice of employer and expert safety partner.

"We hope our volunteers inspire many more people make a difference over the next 12 months."

This Week is Volunteers' Week (June 3-9), a chance to recognise, celebrate and thank the UK's incredible volunteers for all they contribute to local communities, the voluntary sector, and society as a whole.

Volunteers' Week, first established in 1984, is celebrating its 40th anniversary, in the same year Arco celebrates its 140th.

Find out more about Arco's corporate social responsibility initiatives