Managing contractor competence

In an assertive move to lead the way, the company-wide implementation of Reset will give ENGIE the tools to ensure that its contractors across the UK are competent and compliant, in line with HSE and CDM regulations.

ENGIE’s HSEQ director for UK & Ireland, Andy May, said: “I want to lead a wider change in approach to safety management and that must reach as far as every worker doing the job on site. ENGIE is committed to continuous improvement in health and safety and this is an important part of our broader safety management program. We always aim to have the right contractor doing the right thing at the right time. ENGIE is committed to continuous improvement in Health and Safety.

“Going forward, our goal is to work even closer with our contractors. Their safety is as important to us as our own direct employees, but we all must have the same objectives and culture. Everybody must ‘do their bit’ to help keep everybody else safe.

“We have always accepted the responsibility for checking contactors’ competence, but this can be an onerous and time-consuming task.  Working relationships with our contractors are very important and imposing unwieldy systems and processes on them can be restrictive and costly to both parties.  I personally looked long and hard for something that would help our contractors work with us safely and efficiently but importantly, on our own terms. From contractors just starting the journey through our approvals process to our longest-standing contractors. Reset provides such a service.

“Safety management should be about reducing risk for everyone, not just ticking boxes. Sometimes I feel, as a sector, we lose sight of this as we aim for compliance on paper. Reset brings a refreshing solution that can help us achieve this. It is a well thought-out system that isn’t too onerous or expensive for our suppliers and is suitable for large and small contractors alike.

“Reset provides a range of solutions that allow us to maintain control of contractors and of their individuals working on our sites. We can check their competences based upon our own needs and requirements at a fraction of the time conventional checks would take. Partnership is the key to effective Health and Safety and Reset will form part of the partnership with our contractors, helping us to manage them effectively but not in a confrontational way, as other schemes do.”

May added, “Reset is easy to understand, explain and use.  It is cost effective for our contractors and gives them useful admin and HR management tools too, not just a badge on the wall.  With the information shared via Reset we can swiftly work through any issues together and this allows us to spend more time focusing on our higher-risk contractors.” 

“Reset is proud to partner with ENGIE”

Gary Duce, MD of Reset, said, “We are very proud that ENGIE have selected Reset to help manage the competence and compliance of their contractors’ in the UK.

“Reset was developed following over 30 years’ experience in contracting and site training where we saw at first hand the issues and frustrations that existed. After listening to the needs of the sector, together with a detailed understanding of the legal duties to both the client and contractor, we have developed a range of solutions to meet both their needs.

“It is clear from working with Andy May and his UK team at ENGIE just how serious they are about the health and safety of each and every person working on their sites. We are delighted to be working with them and look forward to a long and successful association.”