News and Updates

Engineering students at Hull's Ron Dearing UTC have been learning all about workplace safety, thanks to the experts at Arco.

As part of the city centre school's Engineering Safety Week [September 9-13], the UK and Ireland's leading safety specialist held workshops for students, including an interactive display area based around virtual reality (VR) and a competition focused on working at height safety.

Arco's Brian Grunes, Louise Brown and Nerys Knight ran back-to-back sessions throughout the day, with groups of students ranging from Year 10 - 13. Students took part in a competition to see who could put on a safety harness and correctly fasten it in the quickest time, featuring a 'Top Gear' style leaderboard and a £50 Arco voucher for the winner.

The students were then introduced to a range of working at height scenarios using VR headsets. They experienced the fall potential and safety considerations of working at height, with virtual settings including Blackpool Tower and Hull's own landmark The Deep.

Brian Grunes, technical lead for confined spaces at Arco Professional Safety Services, said:

"The students seemed to really enjoy our virtual reality experiences, which allow learners to experience the dangers posed in high-risk working environments, but in a safe and engaging way.

"Many asked questions and appreciated the opportunity Arco provides as a future employer. The day was a huge success and we're all looking forward to returning in the future."

Kayleigh Whitehead, 17, who is studying double engineering, maths and physics at the UTC, said:

"It was a great experience that allowed us to see how the health and safety work we do at the UTC is used in industry and its importance to people's everyday life."

Arco has been a major partner of Ron Dearing UTC since the college opened in 2017, helping the college address the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) skills gap.

Earlier this year, Arco donated personal protective equipment (PPE), including lab coats, safety footwear and safety glasses, for students to wear during their workshop training, as well as branding the UTC's workshop and digital lab space.

Glenn Jensen, senior assistant principal at Ron Dearing UTC, said:

"Health and safety awareness is one of the fundamental threads that flows through the different engineering pathways at Ron Dearing UTC.

"Having a prestigious sector leader such as Arco showcasing at the UTC is amazing for our students and further enriches our fantastic employer-led curriculum."

Arco, the UK and Ireland's leading safety company, welcomed MSP Fiona Hyslop to its industry-leading Linlithgow Safety Centre this week..

The Linlithgow Safety Centre opened in the West Lothian town in 2021, providing consultancy, training, services and equipment to manage complex, high-risk, hazardous working scenarios.

Specialising in working at height, confined spaces, respiratory, and health and safety training, the Arco Professional Safety Services team delivers cutting-edge training for those working in situations with highest risk of serious injury.

During her visit, Ms Hyslop was shown around Arco's purpose-built facilities, which provide realistic, practical training environments. Ms Hyslop observed Arco's industry-leading training procedures for these specific working environments, and then took part in a Q&A session focused on training solutions for dangerous working scenarios.

Ms Hyslop was shown around Arco's facility by Steve McIver, Arco's training and consultancy team lead, who has 40 years' experience in the clean water and wastewater industry, and who also sits on the Water Jetting Association Technical Training Committee.

Steve said:

"We were pleased to welcome Ms Hyslop to our Safety Centre in Linlithgow, which provided an opportunity to showcase our expertise and commitment to customer safety in the region in the most challenging of environments."

Throughout the day, Arco's team and Ms Hyslop discussed the continuing partnership with NHS Scotland and Scotland Health and Social Care in relation to pandemic preparedness. Over two years during the Covid-19 pandemic, Arco supplied 200 million surgical masks, seven million FFP3 masks and 10 million visors, meeting around 87% of Scotland's healthcare needs. Arco also provided face fit testing to over 40,000 frontline staff across Scotland.

Fiona Hyslop MSP said:

"I was pleased to visit Arco's Safety Centre in Linlithgow on Monday. I was keen to hear about the history of the company and an update on where they are now.

"It is clear to see that safety is the number one priority at Arco, offering a vast range of health and safety training, including confined space training, training at heights and high-pressure water jet training. As well as providing physical PPE, Arco also ensures those receiving the PPE have had the appropriate training to use it.

"I was also interested to hear about the role Arco played in the Covid-19 pandemic, with the majority of NHS Scotland's requirements for PPE being fulfilled by the company."

For further information about the joined-up safety solutions offered at Arco's Linlithgow Safety centre, visit: www.arcoservices.co.uk/linlithgow-safety-centre

Safety specialist Arco has launched its own range of working at height equipment, designed and developed with experts from its safety services division, along with its fall protection manufacturing partners.

The new range introduces an own brand offering to add to the wide selection of fall protection equipment Arco already offers from some of the biggest brands in the safety industry.

The range features 17 products, including safety harnesses; anchorage slings; arrest, restraint and positioning lanyards; and self-retracting blocks, all designed to keep workers safe when carrying out tasks at height and in confined spaces.

The harnesses and lanyard are used together to prevent accidents when there is a risk of a fall from any height. The self-retracting blocks are designed for lower-height applications, instantly locking on impact to prevent falls.

Arco Professional Safety Services experts are already using the new equipment in the field and when delivering training courses at the company's five safety centres across the UK.

Mike Clayton, technical lead for working at height at Arco Professional Safety Services, said:

"The new Arco working at height equipment range has been designed, developed with help from our own experts to bring total assurance and quality to the safety products market.

"Arco leads the market in working at height expertise with our joined-up safety solutions tailoring the perfect combination of products and services.

"Bringing our own working at height product range to the market furthers this offering, with another avenue for our core purpose, keeping people at work safe."

Falling from height is the most common cause of death in the workplace, accounting for 36% of fatal injuries in 2023/24, according to recent HSE statistics¹.

As a trusted safety provider with 140 years of experience, Arco offers working at height equipment for sale and hire, as well as safety solutions such as consultancy, training and equipment maintenance services through its Arco Professional Safety Services division.

See the new Arco working at height equipment range

Find out more about Arco Professional Safety Services' working at height solutions

¹HSE statistics: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm.

Arco has landed two contracts, worth a total of almost £200,000, to supply PPE and workwear in the education and waste sectors.

After a competitive tender process, the University of Huddersfield awarded Arco a contract to supply its PPE and uniforms for the next two years. The deal, worth around £80,000, also has potential of extension for up to three additional years.

Arco, the UK's leading safety supplier, secured the contract based on the price and quality of its product offering, as well as assurances of continued stock availability. In addition, Arco was able to provide a number of specific products not offered by other suppliers.

The bid was also supported by positive references from a number of UK universities that Arco has worked with for several years.

In the waste sector, Arco has secured a contract worth more than £110,000 to supply PPE and workwear to a major energy-from-waste (EfW) operator.

Energy from waste plays a valuable part in the UK's circular economy and waste management solutions, aligning with Arco's commitment to sustainability and being a responsible choice of safety partner.

EfW facilities are governed by some of the world's strictest environmental regulations, and required to meet or exceed stringent standards on emissions controls.

See Arco's full range of safety products

A dozen hardy hikers from Arco have completed a 25km trek through the Peak District to raise funds for the UK's leading mental health charity.

Six members of the Hull-based safety company's executive team, along with six internal sales managers, took part in the Peak District Ultra Challenge on Saturday, in support of the Mental Health Foundation.

The two teams set off from Bakewell basecamp and walked a 25km loop, taking in some of Derbyshire's stunning scenery and sights, including Chatsworth House.

With "true team spirit" on show, the exec team completed the challenge in just over five hours, with the sales team finishing in six hours and 20 minutes.

Jimmy Wright, internal regional sales manager at Arco, said:

"We came into the challenge not knowing what to expect. This was a test that was both physically and mentally challenging.

"We went through the mill, but it didn't dampen our spirits. We had some music playing and were singing and dancing right until the end.

"I'm so proud of the team, I can't really put it into words. I would like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who has donated and sent messages of support to us; it definitely helped us get through this challenge."

In total, the teams have so far raised more than £8,400 from the Peak District challenge. Anyone who wants to donate can do so via the links below:

• Exec team (JustGiving)
• Internal sales (JustGiving)

Di Hopper, chief people officer at Arco, said:

"It was amazing to be out walking for such a well-known and important charity as the Mental Health Foundation.

"We filled the five hours with some great team-building chats, plenty of banter and lots of fun. It was worth the physical pain we all felt for the following 48 hours!

"We talked about how, by getting out and working on our physical fitness, while embracing the countryside, the fresh air and the atmosphere of the event, we really felt we were contributing to our own mental wellbeing, while raising money to help others with theirs.

"But the most rewarding part was knowing how much money we had raised and how many individuals we can reach indirectly, helping them get support when they need it."

As part of its partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, Arco is also donating 10% of profits from sales of its own brand hard hats to the charity.

The charity partnership is part of Arco's commitment to creating social value in communities across the UK and overseas.

Find out more about Arco's corporate social responsibility initiatives.