News and Updates

• Calls on Government to improve regulation and guidance for procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• A robust PPE stockpile should be created to mitigate supply chain risk
• The Government should develop the ability to source additional PPE at scale and improve domestic production of PPE

The UK Government's National Risk Register has assessed another pandemic as the most significant risk to the UK's safety, security and prosperity, with a 5 COVID-19 25% possibility of another pandemic striking over the next five years. Responding to the Government enquiry into emerging diseases, Arco, the UK's leading provider of safety products and services has published a whitepaper: Pandemic Preparedness and Business Continuity: Preparing effectively for emerging diseases with a set of recommendations to build resilience for the future.

Arco has been at the forefront of responding to global health emergencies and crises such as Foot and Mouth Disease, swine and Ebola, COVID-19 and most recently, avian flu.

Thomas Martin, Arco Chairman said:

"As the UK's leading safety expert, Arco has a right and responsibility to share our experiences and make recommendations for future preparedness. We've been vocal about improving pandemic preparedness for some time now, and we felt a responsibility to share our experiences and expertise to improve the UK's response to emerging disease threats."

The company is now urging the Government to act and enhance preparedness for future PPE challenges posed by the spread of new diseases with pandemic potential.

The six key areas with recommendations are:

1. Improve national guidance and procurement of PPE.
2. Develop national healthcare guidelines for recommended methods and frequency of face fit testing for respiratory protection, and training of testers.
3. Ensure guidance and practical training is provided for all PPE.
4. All PPE should be sourced from an ethical supply chain.
5. Create a transparent and robust PPE stockpile.
6. Establish a resilient supply chain ensuring continuity of manufacture and supply of PPE.

Guy Bruce, CEO of Arco, said:

"This whitepaper establishes our experience in responding to global crises and includes our evidence and recommendations for the future.

"These focus on the key areas of pandemic planning, guidance on respiratory face fit testing, PPE compliance, ethical sourcing, PPE stockpiling and building a resilient supply chain. Whilst the recommendations are made to government, they include actions that are relevant to all industry to ensure resilience and business continuity, should another pandemic occur. We urge the Government, Healthcare leaders, critical infrastructure and industries plus businesses generally to act on our recommendations to ensure we can all be better prepared for any future emergencies and help make our world a safer place."

To read the full paper, visit: https://www.arco.co.uk/shaping-the-safety-agenda/pandemic-preparedness

As we start the new year, the most recent statistics from the Health and Safety Executive serve as a stark reminder that Health and Safety initiatives must remain a priority for businesses in 2024, as we see an increase in workplace fatalities, the number of working days lost and the annual cost of work-related ill health and injury.

At Arco, we believe everyone has a fundamental right to return home from work each day safe and well.

Compared to pre-pandemic levels, more workers are suffering from work-related ill health and long-term health conditions are costing lives and resources. Despite this, there has been a reduction in workers experiencing non-fatal injuries and significantly fewer working days have been lost when compared to the 2019/20. As we return to the working practices of pre-COVID, safety must reemerge as the utmost priority for businesses as we work towards eradicating workplace fatalities and reducing injuries to a minimum.

With nearly 140 years of safety expertise, businesses can seek professional training and expert advice from Arco to keep their business and their people safe.

We are delighted to announce that Arco has been awarded the prestigious 'Recycled Product of the Year Award' at the 2023 MRW National Recycling Awards, recognising the innovative 'Arco Responsible Hi-Vis' clothing range created to tackle excessive waste in a niche and difficult to recycle segment of the clothing industry.

The 'Recycled Product of the Year' category required the product entered to exemplify the best of sustainability that must have been designed with careful consideration of resources and incorporate recycled content.

Through a partnership with polyester recycling company, Stuff4Life, Arco's Responsible Hi-Vis garments are designed to last longer, made from certified recycled and responsibly-sourced materials, and developed with end of life in mind, focusing on the recyclability of materials.

Once a garment comes to the end of its life, it can be recycled using Stuff4Life's patent-pending chemical recycling solution that’s currently in development, with the recovered materials from the recycling process becoming valuable raw materials that can be transformed back into new polyester yarn for garment production over and over again.

Dalvir Sarkaria, Product and Procurement Manager said:

"We are delighted to have been awarded 'Recycled Product of the Year' for this range. This is an incredible achievement for Arco under our own brand and further enhances our focus on working towards a circular approach to product development."

Jim Harbidge, Head of Sustainability at Arco said:

"This award confirms our view of a future where the value of textiles is preserved through the process we have developed. As we and our customers begin to move away from thinking about these items as 'disposable', we have been able to incorporate other aspects of design to offer comfort, durability, recycling ease and of course lower life-time costs. Our aim is to make the most sustainable items also the lowest cost choice. Our new range is already available to customers who are working with arco on their journey to circularity."

John Twitchen, Co-Founder of Stuff4Life said:

"This award is the result of all the hard work and commitment Arco has made in developing these exceptionally well-designed products. Nearly 90 per cent of the 33 million workwear items provided to workers annually currently end up in landfill1 or are incinerated but this workwear range is fit for the future, a future where materials have multiple usages and longer lifecycles.

We're pleased to have played a role in challenging conventions and championing change, and of course we look forward to recycling these fantastic products back into new stuff when they have served their purpose."

Our new store in Belfast is now open and is packed with the best gear. Come and join the celebrations this week to benefit from:

• Unmissable exclusive offers from brands such as MASCOT, Snickers, DeWALT, Berghaus
• FREE Berghaus bag for first 100 customers to make a purchase
• Meet Experts in Safety: Our Hose and Vending experts are on hand offering help and advice, plus experts from brands you know and trust from Berghaus, Snickers and MASCOT
• On-Site Face Fit Testing: Face-fit testers are on-site throughout the opening week and 30-minute appointments can be booked for just £50 ex VAT with a FREE Sundstrom SR 900 Half-Face Respirator Mask with P3 Filer Kit upon completion. Simply give the store a call to book a slot that's convenient for you.
• PLUS a Charity Prize Draw and food and refreshments throughout the launch day.

The new Safety Store has been enhanced to better serve the community, offering 2,000 products in stock to choose from and over 22,000 additional products available through a click and collect service.

The store stocks a range of personal protective equipment and workwear from the biggest and most trusted brands like TROJAN, MASCOT, Snickers, DeWALT, Berghaus, with exclusive discount prices throughout the opening week.

Arco inventory managed solutions experts will be on site all week to discuss vending machine and asset locker solutions, along with Arco’s hose and reels expert on the 20th and 21st of November. Product experts from Berghaus, Snickers and Uvex will also be available on site on opening day to support customers with advice on selecting the right products for their needs.

The new store features customer seminar rooms for bespoke training sessions and provides accredited Fit2Fit Face Fit testing enabling customers to test their face masks to ensure they provide the necessary respiratory protection. Throughout the opening week, customers can call ahead and book a 30-minute Face Fit Test appointment for £50 ex VAT with a free Sundstrom SR900 Half-Face Respirator Mask and P3 Filter Kit worth £47 inc VAT given upon completion.

You can find the Belfast store: 10 Mayfield Link, Newtownabbey, BT36 4AW, five minutes away from its previous location on Trench Road.

To find your nearest Arco store, click here.

Arco, is relocating its Belfast Safety Store on Monday 20th November to 10 Mayfield Link, Newtownabbey, BT36 4AW, five minutes away from its previous location on Trench Road. The new store will be unveiled by Northern Irish local and World Snooker number four, Mark Allen.

To mark the occasion, Arco will be giving away free Berghaus bags with the first 100 purchases made in store, hosting a charity prize draw and providing on-site safety experts for consultations. Heavy discounts will be applied throughout the opening week on clothing and testing services.

The new Safety Store has been enhanced to better serve the community, offering 2,000 products in stock to choose from and over 22,000 additional products available through a click and collect service.

The store stocks a range of personal protective equipment and workwear from the biggest and most trusted brands like TROJAN, MASCOT, Snickers, DeWALT, Berghaus, with exclusive discount prices throughout the opening week.

Arco inventory managed solutions experts will be on site all week to discuss vending machine and asset locker solutions, along with Arco’s hose and reels expert on the 20th and 21st of November. Product experts from Berghaus, Snickers and Uvex will also be available on site on opening day to support customers with advice on selecting the right products for their needs.

The new store features customer seminar rooms for bespoke training sessions and provides accredited Fit2Fit Face Fit testing enabling customers to test their face masks to ensure they provide the necessary respiratory protection. Throughout the opening week, customers can call ahead and book a 30-minute Face Fit Test appointment for £50 ex VAT with a free Sundstrom SR900 Half-Face Respirator Mask and P3 Filter Kit worth £47 inc VAT given upon completion.

Des English, Country Manager at Arco, said:

"The opening of our new Belfast Safety Store is an important milestone for Arco as it will provide our customers with a one-stop-shop for all their safety needs. As experts in safety, we understand that each business faces its own unique and complex challenges and to manage workplace health and safety, we need to provide joined-up safety solutions to help our customers in all aspects of their business.

"The new Belfast Safety Store will offer customers the best possible selection of products and services with our own in-store experts available to offer advice and training, ensuring an effortless customer experience. In addition to providing both products and services in one place, we are confident that local tradesmen will enjoy the new location within the busy industrial estate."

To find your nearest Arco store, click here.