News and Updates

Everyone has a fundamental human right to go to work each day and come home to their loved ones safely. Nonetheless, statistics show that in the last year the Construction Industry was hardest hit by fatal injuries (40), followed by Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (20) and Manufacturing (15). This in a year of normal work activity.

Ben Haughton, technical director at Arco Professional Safety Services, speaks out about the escalating dangers industries may face as businesses deal with the ongoing fall-out of COVID-19.

Which Industries Are in Danger of Becoming More Susceptible to Workplace Risks?

Between April and June 2020 alone, over 32 million working days were lost to COVID-19 related absences. In addition, redundancies and fluctuating guidelines have made it increasingly difficult for organisations to provide their workers with training. Movement restrictions, company policies and lockdown have all contributed to a reduction of training over the summer months. Businesses are doing their best to catch up but with the threat of a second wave and tighter restrictions coming into force, it is hard to see how they will keep up with training requirements. Reduced training and a reduction in task based activity (those who have extended time in furlough) will result in skills fade. The possible consequences of this in the high risk industries of confined spaces and working at height are plain. If we are to maintain skill levels in industry, we need to look at other ways of achieving it.

How Can Businesses Manage Rising Threats to Safety?

Alongside contingency plans and 'back to work' responses, health and safety training must be boosted to ensure that a restructured workforce can cope with high-risk environments and inevitable skill gaps that can occur.

It's vital that this training provides workers with the right balance of knowledge and practical skills to be able to deliver their work safely. It is all too tempting for companies to provide their workers with theory only training when social distancing and movement restrictions are in place however the shortfall in practical skills could have severe consequences.

This is not to say that there is no place for training in the virtual world, there is a balance to be struck where it is safe to do so. The workforce needs the confidence to manage their day-to-day tasks safely but also not to be exposed to the increasing risk of contracting COVID-19 by receiving training in the normal classroom setting. We've launched several video conference courses and we are developing VR tools to help organisations keep its workforce safe whilst also maintaining the recommended social distances during COVID-19.

How Has COVID-19 Impacted Training Centres?

We understand that managing health and safety risks can be complicated, time-consuming and demand a level of technical expertise - and resources - that businesses may not have internally. COVID-19 shouldn't stop organisations reaching out for help, equally it doesn't mean that training should stop. Providing practical skills is essential in high-risk industries and so we have adapted our centres to provide attendees with a safe learning environment and the reassurance they need to join critical training programmes.

We've introduced new precautions at all our training centres, such as pre-start COVID questionnaires, non-contact body temperature checks, staggered break times to minimise unnecessary people movement and mixing and the use of larger rooms equipped with enclosure screens to ensure adequate social distancing. Where the physical element is indispensable, in height rescue training, for example, we can still find ways to cut proximity and limit the time spent in close contact with trainers.

As a Result of the Pandemic Has There Been Anything You've Had To Do Differently?

There has been a stark increase in demand for all types of Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare workers and all first line Covid-19 responders, with a particular focus on Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE). Working with this equipment requires face fit testing and for many, this will be a new procedure, but a critical one, as research has found mask protection can significantly improve with fit-testing and one-to-one training on mask use, providing all correct procedures have been adhered to.

In normal circumstances our national network of face fit test providers can deliver testing at an organisation's site, dramatically reducing the amount of employee down time. However, during the current situation, our team has also been focussed on supporting the NHS, first line responders and other key workers, providing face fit testing, whilst adhering to social distancing and the revised HSE guidelines for providing this service.

We conduct two forms of face fit testing, qualitative and quantitative, both provide an indication on whether a fit has been achieved, the quantitative test being the more sensitive of the two tests. Matching an individual's face shape with a compatible mask and teaching wearers how to ensure a tight seal is achieved is significantly helping to protect frontline workers during this period. We are also looking to utilise some of our 44 retail stores as drop-in clinics to support care workers, dentists, ambulance crews etc with face-fit testing.

For further information, visit Arco Professional Safety Services.

£500,000 Northern Training Facility Has Opened

UK safety expert Arco Professional Safety Services has unveiled its new Safety Centre in Linlithgow, Scotland, expanding its presence in the UK and supporting the safety and welfare of businesses in the region. The new Safety Centre will provide delegates with realistic, practical training that simulates real-life hazards in a controlled environment.

Ideally located between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the new centre offers purpose-built training facilities for multiple high-risk working environments including:

• Working at Height
• Confined Spaces

The centre boasts facilities ranging from a 20-metre-high outdoor mast for Working at Height Training, to an internal confined space training labyrinth including more than 30 metres of traverse capability and a variety of entry points. With a suite of fully equipped training rooms the centre can also accommodate both large and small groups for training, seminars and meetings, including health and safety training, respiratory training and face fit testing.

Arco Professional Safety Services recognises the importance of training delegates in a safe but realistic working environment. Training is relevant and learning in this way is identified as a requirement in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).

The additional centre forms part of Arco's growth strategy, bringing the number of its specialist training centres up to four, with further safety centres in Enfield in the South, Stafford in the Midlands and Warrington in the North West.

Jamie Sadler, Commercial Director, Arco Professional Safety Services, commented on the launch of the Northern Safety Centre:

"You can prepare for the risks you know about. But what about those you don't? We're on a mission to bring about real, long-term cultural change. The launch is a celebration for all us at Arco because the bigger our geographical presence is; the more organisations we can keep safe."

To learn more about the new Safety Centre visit Arco Professional Safety Services or watch the video.

2020 has seen unprecedented demand for PPE, and at Arco we've implemented changes at pace to ensure we deliver on our core purpose, to keep people safe. As a business, we've done everything in our power to ensure continuity of supply for our customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article offers a look behind the scenes to demonstrate what we've been doing for our colleagues. Jo Heselton, our Group Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Manager outlined the steps we took as a business to protect our workforce during the pandemic.

Responding at Pace to Official Advice

From the start of the pandemic, the Safety, Health and Environment team constantly anticipated and followed advice from all relevant bodies, including the Government, Public Health England, the NHS and World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure we operate in-line with the latest advice.

Assessing the Risk and Implementing Control Measures

Arco conducted thorough risk assessments for all our sites and implemented the suggested control measures immediately to prevent the risk of spreading the virus, and to protect our colleagues. Floor decals and signage were installed to support social distancing, hygiene advice posters were fitted and following Government advice, colleagues were advised to wear face coverings whilst moving around, or in communal areas. We installed hand sanitiser stations across our sites as well as one-way movement systems around buildings and protective barrier screens (where appropriate). Shift patterns were reviewed at our National Distribution Centre to leave 30-minute gaps between shifts to reduce exposure and contact. Enhanced cleaning regimes were established, with areas being cleaned on an hourly rota as well as a full deep clean each evening. We continue to monitor our cleaning processes with the introduction of fogging and surface swabbing in November to determine the efficacy of our cleaning protocols. In addition to steps taken at our sites, face masks and hand sanitiser packages were sent to all employees' homes to protect them and their families.

Communicating Change

With over 1600 employees, communication is vital to advise colleagues of new procedures as well as listening to their own queries, suggestions and concerns and addressing these.

"The most important factor was keeping our colleagues up to date with the latest advice as well as opening a dialogue for colleagues to express concerns to us."

Arco has a dedicated internal comms team which has shared tailored advice for colleagues across all sites, with specific information relevant to their team and way of working.

All updates were shared via email, as well as a dedicated Coronavirus information point on Arco's intranet. The comms team created accessible guides for colleagues with disabilities, as well as translating information for employees whose first language isn't English. Guides were also specifically prepared for colleagues to share with friends and family and Managing Director, David Evison, provided several updates via video link.

Working from Home

Preparations and planning for colleagues working from home began in March, with over 100 laptops purchased prior to Matt Hancock's "work from home if you can" speech to the commons.

Arco's infrastructure team rapidly implemented new remote working technologies, ensuring there was no disruption for customers with colleagues able to work from home. In just 2 weeks, an additional 200 new laptops were sourced, configured and delivered to colleagues working from home alongside monitors, headsets, keyboard/mouse sets, power adapters and network cables.

By the end of March, virtually all office staff were working remotely. 4G Wireless access points and contracts were arranged for colleagues without a suitable home connection, and we have developed an ongoing scheme enabling colleagues to request additional kit, including desks and chairs, to enable them to work from home effectively and safely.

Getting Back to Work

Once retail stores were permitted to reopen, we ran a one-week re-boarding for retail staff, pausing, and taking the time to ensure that the correct procedures were in place to protect colleagues and customers. A member of the SHE team also conducted separate phone calls with all 43 retail stores to enable a virtual COVID secure check before re-opening.

All colleagues returning to Arco sites will be required to be re-boarded back to the business, to ensure we can continue to operate safely, and in turn keep our customers safe.

Colleague Wellbeing

Arco recognises the challenges that come with working from home including caring for dependents, home schooling and balancing work and personal life. Mental health and wellbeing have always been a priority, but this was a priority once colleagues were no longer physically working together.

Arco already had 100 trained mental health first aiders spread across all areas of the business. Jo commented "implementing our mental first aiders scheme was a big focus for us last year and they've been brilliant at supporting colleagues throughout the pandemic, listening signposting them to information and further support." Arco keeps its wellbeing hub updated with mindfulness tips, FAQs, and contact information from our Occupational Health Advisors, Health Assured with our Employee Assistance Programme offering confidential phone-line support, a service which is available to all Arco colleagues as well as immediate family.

What Arco Has Learned, and What's in Store for the Future

As Health and Safety experts, colleague as well as customer wellbeing is something we take very seriously, and we ensure one does not come at the cost of the other.

We are constantly updating our policies in-line with the latest advice to help keep colleagues safe. With a new head office under construction in Blackfriargate, Hull, we're designing office layouts and work rotas to ensure that social distancing can be maintained when the government advises it's safe to return to working from a shared facility.

SHP have announced Arco as the winners of their award for the Most Influential Team in Health & Safety.

The award recognises the team that has worked together most effectively to improve occupational health, safety and/or workplace wellbeing within the industry, society or in health & safety profession more widely.

Arco was chosen as the winner from a list of six finalists for SHP's Most Influential Team Award, by the SHP Awards judging panel.

Arco's NDC2 became operational on 10 February 2020. On 11 March the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic and a week later the UK went into lockdown. PPE was in short supply and while the government looked to solve the stock shortage - Arco, with critical worker status, got to work fast, ensuring the National Distribution Centre was fully operational and, importantly, that it was COVID-secure.

Arco chartered 10 aircraft and 35 special airfreight shipments full of vital equipment and their operations team went from a 24/5 working pattern to 24/7 in less than two days to manage increased customer demand. The team successfully distributed 300 pallets a day with 8,000 parcels, distributing over 140m face masks, 18m gloves, over 0.5m coveralls and 0.5m hygiene products.

The judges also called out the leading work which Arco's Quality Assurance team undertake at their independently accredited laboratory, with the team identifying non-compliant PPE and educating other bodies. The panel noted this is something that Arco have been relentless about even pre-pandemic. Arco experts sit on a number of key committees including the BSI British Standards, CEN European Standards Committee and the ISO International Standards Organisation who work tirelessly to uphold the standards of the profession and raise awareness around the dangers of fake PPE, including encouraging those in need of critical supplies to ask for the correct supporting documentation and providing advice on how to do so.

Arco continues to play a leading role advising and supporting public bodies, as well as customers in critical industries, on the testing and supply of quality PPE. Arco has recently submitted a 10-point Position Paper following its own experiences during the COVID-19 crisis and the lessons learned, focussing on the need for better coordination and engagement with external stakeholders, including suppliers and those procuring equipment across the UK safety industry.

Alongside its commitment to supply customers with PPE over the course of the pandemic, the judging panel picked up how Arco has donated pallets of hygiene products to a local charity working with residents, community groups and local businesses to alleviate food and fuel poverty, particularly prevalent over the last 6 months. The company also recently announced a £250,000 donation to the National Emergencies Trust to help support future national disasters, as well as 42 grants of £1,000 donated to local charities nominated by Arco colleagues.

Neil Griffiths, Divisional Director of Logistics said:

"We are delighted to be honoured with SHP's award for the Most Influential Team in Health and Safety. The response from our logistics team throughout the pandemic has been tremendous. They have worked tirelessly, working additional shifts, weekends and bank holidays with COVID-secure measures to ensure we were able to protect our customers and front-line responders. This award and the recognition is truly a testament to their dedication to keep people safe.bThank you to SHP, the judges, HSE and IATP for your comments and for the acknowledgement of Arco's work."

David Evison, Managing Director said:

"Receiving this award is a great honour for Arco, and recognises both the expertise and the contribution that we have made throughout the pandemic. Our expertise is evidenced throughout every stage of the PPE supply chain and I've been impressed by the way the whole company has worked together. Colleagues have gone the extra mile to keep people safe and support local communities. Our thanks to SHP for endorsing our work to keep people safe, guide the Health and Safety industry and support the communities which we operate in."

With the Government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic coming under growing parliamentary scrutiny, Arco, the UK's leading provider of personal protective equipment (PPE), has published a Position Paper: Personal Protective Equipment and the Government's Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. With a right and responsibility to comment, Arco's report offers insight into their experiences dealing with Government bodies and other agencies as part of the PPE supply chain. It proposes a 10-point set of recommendations to prevent a repeat of the high-profile issues that were seen during the first wave of the crisis and to ensure the country is better protected in any future pandemic.

With over 135 years of safety experience, its own UKAS-accredited product assurance lab, a 400,000 sqft National Distribution Centre and a team based in China, Hull-based Arco has been at the forefront of the most significant recent global emergencies, including the response to both SARS and Ebola outbreaks. When the Covid-19 pandemic was declared in the UK, the company played a key role in the response, navigating the global supply chain restrictions that led to an international shortage of certain types of PPE. Arco's product and supply chain specialists worked quickly to source, procure and distribute over 140 million face masks, 18 million gloves, over 50,000 coveralls and 5,000,000 hygiene products to the NHS, ambulance services, other public health bodies, local authorities and critical industries.

The first stage of the crisis saw a severe global shortage of PPE at a time of exceptional demand and a poor centrally coordinated response. Early in the pandemic there were many examples of a broken supply chain with frontline workers left without critical PPE. A number of suppliers, like Arco, were holding stock but unable to work with the Government and its agents to supply PPE where it was needed the most. More recently, a National Audit Office Report has highlighted examples of PPE supply contracts being awarded opaquely to organisations with no history of PPE manufacture and supply, who were ultimately unable to fulfil orders. In some cases, non-compliant products were supplied that increased the risks to the public, care home staff and NHS workers. Much money was spent unnecessarily.

To address these issues and ensure future preparedness, Arco has developed a set of recommendations based on its experiences during 2020, set out in its Position Paper.

Key Highlights Include:

1. Registration of competent PPE suppliers to be allowed to supply Cat II and Cat III products, ensuring product compliance and quality. The Department of Health and Social Care to conduct a thorough review and stress test of its systems from the perspective of suppliers and buyers.
2. Reform of the Government's purchasing portal to screen out unsuitable, or unqualified, companies.
3. An education programme to upskill NHS Trusts, local authorities and care home procurement officers in how to understand PPE standards and source and purchase suitable equipment.
4. The Government to publish a roadmap for the full reimplementation of the PPE Regulations, to reduce the likelihood of poor quality or ineffective products entering the UK.

Thomas Martin, Arco's Chairman said:

"2020 will be a year that none of us forget. It has been a year of sadness and uncertainty for so many people. Our core purpose is to help keep people safe and we responded immediately the pandemic was declared, working 24/7 to help make sure those at the frontline of the response were properly protected.

From the outset, we were both frustrated with the procurement system and deeply concerned by some of the simple mistakes made across the UK through a lack of experience of procuring the PPE needed. The NAO report and findings very much reflect this experience. As an established safety business, we feel it's our duty to report on our experiences and to support the Government in continuing to help deal with the pandemic. We urge the Government to act on our recommendations to ensure we can all be better prepared for any future emergencies."

See the full report.