News and Updates

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

A team of fearless work-at-height trainers from Arco Professional Safety Services have taken second place in a gruelling rope rescue competition.

The Prusik Rope Rescue Event 2024, held at the Avonmouth Dock in Bristol on May 18, featured nine teams from around the UK taking part in rescue challenges while sharing knowledge and learning in technical rope rescue.

The Arco team, made up of work-at-height trainers Rob Messenger, Jack Ball, Peter Hancock, Nat Smart, Bartek Biela and Ian Moss, faced stiff competition, including teams from emergency services and other private rescue providers.

Each team had to pass three rescue "evolutions", facing challenging scenarios such as rescuing a casualty from a narrow walkway suspended at the end of a shipping crane.

The teams had 60 minutes to complete each evolution. If a team declared they could not manage the rescue, the clock stopped and it became a training exercise, with the assessor coaching the team through the rescue.

Rob Messenger, Arco's team leader on the day, said:

"When the teams assembled on the quayside, it quickly became apparent they were all highly capable and well-drilled in technical rope rescue.

"Prior to each rescue, the team leader was given four minutes to brief the team on the scenario, rules, or restrictions.

"We decided that, when our briefing time was up and the rescue time started, we would not rush away, but instead confirm understanding and then conduct the rescue."

Putting their skills and expertise to the test and passing all three challenges, the Arco team were overjoyed to be named overall runners-up.

The top three teams were awarded a kit bag donated by Never Let Go.

Rob said the event was great for the team's continuing professional development, as their technical rescue knowledge and expertise was bolstered with lessons learnt.

He said: "We spoke to many of the other teams, looking at how they used their equipment and how we have rigged ours.

"Our product knowledge was improved too, with workshops provided by the suppliers and distributors. Some of the innovations had a clear role within some of our customers' workplaces.

"When we were announced as second place, we were chuffed to bits. It really felt that our efforts and personal time spent training had been rewarded."

Arco Professional Safety Services' complete range of workplace environment solutions includes comprehensive management of working at height challenges.

Arco's expert trainers ensure people have the proper preparation to do their jobs safely, catering for most industry sectors.

Their working at height training expertise includes:

• Rooftop safety
• Telecoms climber
• Rescue from height
• Fall protection
• Industrial rope access
• Ladder safety
• Rail
• Warehouse safety

For more information, visit arcoservices.co.uk

Arco Professional Safety Services have completed the installation of fall protection systems on the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster- brand new Hyperia!

Due to open on Friday 24 May, Hyperia is the newest ride at Thorpe Park in Surrey.

Built by Mack Rides, the new attraction stands at an intimidating 72m (236ft) and will reach speeds of over 80mph.

The safety systems installed by working at height specialists from Arco Professional Safety Services provide a continuous safe connection on the rollercoaster, allowing maintenance crews to carry out routine and reactive tasks with confidence.

Arco installed Two MSA Latchways BridgeLatch fall arrest and restraint systems along the entire 111m (364ft) incline and crest of the rollercoaster, allowing workers to access the lift portion of the rollercoaster safely.

They also fixed MSA Latchways Mansafe fall arrest systems along the station return brake platform and the station exit maintenance platform.

Matthew Glass, fall protection manager at Arco Professional Safety Services, said:

"We were thrilled to be a part of this project for the Hyperia coaster, the latest attraction at one of the UK's top theme parks.

"This installation is the latest in a longstanding partnership with Merlin Entertainments that has allowed Arco, the Experts in Safety, to demonstrate our expertise in working at height safety and love of (safe) thrills.

"I know I speak on behalf of the whole team when I say we are looking forward to getting to experience the UK's new tallest and fastest ride when it opens."

Dan Warwick, health and safety director at Thorpe Park, said:

"Arco have been an instrumental part of the team, assisting us with the installation of working at height lines - a vital element of the Hyperia ride construction.

"With the ride standing at an epic 236ft tall, these lines will be used to safely enable our engineering team to get up and down the incredible lift hill for all maintenance and daily pre-opening checks.

"The lines will also be used by our staff and guests in the event of an evacuation being required on the ride. As part of this, the Arco team worked closely with us to ensure we have well-planned and expertly curated evacuation plans, which form a critical part of the overall project."

Arco Professional Safety Services provide consultancy, training, services and equipment to manage the most complex and high-risk, high hazard scenarios, specialising in working at height, confined spaces and respiratory management.

Find out more at arcoservices.co.uk

Arco has pledged to donate a share of profits from its hard hat sales to the Mental Health Foundation, as part of a new partnership to "protect heads inside and out".

From next month, the UK and Ireland's leading safety experts will donate 10% of all profits from sales of own-brand hard hats to the UK's leading charity for mental health.

Arco announced the partnership today as part of Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May), underlining the company's commitment to keeping people safe at work, and its preventative approach to physical and mental well-being.

Guy Bruce, chief executive of Arco, said:

"Everything we do is focused on protecting people. We are Experts in Safety, and alongside the physical aspects of safety, we are increasingly aware of how important mental wellbeing is to keeping people safe.

"That is why I am delighted to embark on this partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, supporting their focus on protecting people's mental wellbeing.

"Prevention is at the heart of everything we do at Arco, and this completely aligns with the Mental Health Foundation's approach.

"Our collective fundraising activities will help the Mental Health Foundation work to prevent mental wellbeing problems and support people with understanding and achieving better mental health.

Arco will be organising activities and events throughout the year to further support the Mental Health Foundation's efforts to educate and build people's mental resilience.

The company is encouraging its staff to take part in the charity's challenge events, with Guy and his executive team leading the way by signing up for a 25km fundraising hike in the Peak District.

Mark Rowland, CEO of the Mental Health Foundation, said:

"We are delighted to be launching this partnership with Arco.

"The Mental Health Foundation are the leaders in good mental health in the UK, and Arco's support will help our work with some of the most vulnerable communities all over the country."

The theme of this year's Mental Health Awareness Week is "Movement: Moving more for our mental health".

Throughout the week, Arco will be providing its staff with daily updates and resources to support their personal and collective mental health, as well as holding a company-wide step challenge.

Find out more about Arco's corporate social responsibility initiatives and view our range of Arco Safety Helmets

Arco chairman Thomas Martin has been honoured with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his "exceptional contribution to the safety and health industry over almost four decades".

He was bestowed with the award at last night's Safety and Health Excellence Awards, part of the three-day Health & Safety Event, where Arco, the UK's leading safety company, has made its return for 2024.

Also on the night, Arco, which is celebrating its 140th anniversary, was commended in the Distributor of the Year award, with judges recognising the company's commitment to customer satisfaction and its joined-up approach to safety products and services.

Thomas said he was honoured to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Thomas Martin, chairman of Arco, said:

"I've always surrounded myself with experts, and this has enabled me to make an impact on our industry. Market leaders earn the right to comment, and career learnings ensure this is done responsibly. The award celebrates the first 36 years, and there's plenty more to do; I'd better get on with it."

As the fourth-generation leader of the family business, Thomas started his journey in a London advertising agency before joining Arco in 1988. With a clear passion for the business, Thomas assumed pivotal roles within Arco, including Trading Director (Safety) in 1993, Supply Chain Director in 1998, and Joint Managing Director in 2002, before taking the helm as Chairman in April 2017.

Presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award, host Dara Ó Briain said during Thomas's time as Joint Managing Director and now Chairman, he had helped shape Arco into one of the "premier businesses in health and safety, by both scale and impact".

Testament to this, Arco has led the industry on responses to global emergencies and best practice, pushing for regulatory changes and championing expertise and corporate responsibility.

In 2007, Arco joined the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) an alliance of companies, trade unions and non-profit organisations that aims to promote respect for the rights of workers worldwide. Arco is the first and only safety distributor to join the ETI.

During the Ebola outbreak in 2015, Arco was the leading PPE partner in the UK's humanitarian response, supporting government agencies with advice on the correct products needed to keep volunteers safe but also in procuring and supplying the products to the front line.

Most recently, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Arco stepped up to secure additional PPE for frontline workers, while advising government bodies on PPE regulations and standard.

Following the crisis, Thomas gave evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on how the Government response could be improved for the future.

Learn more about Arco’s commitment to shaping the safety agenda