Water & Wastewater Treatment

38 | NOVEMBER 2014 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk In the know Skilling up: Health and safety the Verify audit so far. We had to spend some time explaining to our suppliers why we are insisting on these new arrangements, but most suppliers, once put in the picture, have been engaged and willing to comply. The vast majority have been shown to be fully compliant with the health and safety standards we demand as a minimum. Many, particularly the principal contractors, were already up-to-date with their UVDB pre-qualification and Verify check; others were found to be UVDB pre-qualified already, so for them it was just a matter of upgrading via the completion of a Verify audit. Switching to a Verify-based system is already yielding many benefits for Thames Water. There has been a step- change in the depth of health and safety information we are gathering about our suppliers and because Achilles operates automatic on-site auditing, we can be sure that the information we have reflects actual practice rather than just on-paper compliance. Perhaps most importantly, it seems risk is being reduced and safety increased. In the 12 months from August 2013 when the new arrangements started, reportable contractor health and safety incidents fell by half compared to the preceding 12 months. Moreover, administration processes are smoother and, for suppliers that already have Verify accreditation (either because it is their policy to do so or because of their work with other utilities), Thames is able to get them on to jobs in a matter of days, rather than having to go through typically four to six weeks of internal checks. And with Achilles now doing the legwork on health and safety assurance, Thames Water's own health and safety team have been freed up to push supplier standards to new frontiers. For instance, they are now conducting detailed behavioural assessments on contractors and using the data Achilles provides to analyse implications and hone corporate health and safety strategy. Supplier benefits There are many benefits, too, for suppliers. Those who already have UVDB and Verify accreditation because of other interests no longer have to duplicate their efforts to satisfy an internal Thames Water audit. For those who don't, going through the process with Achilles is an educa- tion on best practice in health and safety, and can highlight areas that could be improved to the benefit of the whole. In fact, the higher health and safety standards can be driven through initiatives such as Thames Water's adoption of the Verify standard, the more benefit will flow to the entire utility buying/supplying community. Buyers will have a growing pool of ready-checked suppliers to choose from and will be able to set them to work quickly and efficiently. For suppliers, attaining UVDB and Verify accreditation will open doors to work with other companies in the utility sector; a high Verify score tells the world they are responsible, trustworthy and a good choice to employ. Thames Water is the biggest water company in the UK. We hope that by stepping up and insisting on the highest standards of health and safety throughout our supply base, we will not only achieve best practice as a company, we will also shine a light on the issue and drive higher standards throughout the industry. Workers on a £17.5m Thames Water flood alleviation scheme at Abbotts Park, Maida Vale, London

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