Assurity Consulting is the UK’s leading independent consultancy specialising in workplace health, safety and environmental solutions. Our services reflect the needs of organisations like yours, where changing regulatory requirements place new demands on you and your people, but also open the door to new opportunities and efficiencies.
Assurity Consulting is the UK’s leading independent consultancy specialising in workplace health, safety and environmental solutions. Our services reflect the needs of organisations like yours, where changing regulatory requirements place new demands on you and your people, but also open the door to new opportunities and efficiencies.
Assurity Consulting is the UK’s leading independent consultancy specialising in workplace health, safety and environmental solutions. Our services reflect the needs of organisations like yours, where changing regulatory requirements place new demands on you and your people, but also open the door to new opportunities and efficiencies.
2 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Assurity Consulting is the UKs leading independent consultancy specialising in workplace health, safety and environmental solutions. Choose us as your partner in compliance management and you will reap the benet of our more than twenty-ve years experience of helping customers of all sizes from across all sectors manage their compliance responsibilities as efciently as possible. Our services reect the needs of organisations like yours, where changing regulatory requirements place new demands on you and your people, but also open the door to new opportunities and efciencies. Our strength and value to you lies in our independence. It is this guarantee of impartiality, together with our in-depth technical expertise and award winning customer service, that has led customers from across the UK and Europe to choose us as their trusted partner. We invite you to do the same to make sure your organisation is fully protected. As a company we hold ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 for the provision of workplace auditing and consultancy. With our certications you can be reassured that we are audited to international standards for our process and procedures, we are committed to environmental concerns and that we focus on constantly improving our performance for you. ISO 9001:2008 FS 24510 ISO 14001:2004 EMS 84550 Introduction 2013 customer satisfaction survey results from respondents 67.5% Excellent 32.5% "We have worked with Assurity Consulting for over ten years and regard them as one of our most trusted partners. Throughout the period we have worked together we have received a consistently high level of professional advice and support and an exceptional level of customer care." Julie Kortens Head of Corporate Services Channel 4 Television Good Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 2 3 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | By partnering with us, one of the rst things youll notice is our commitment to building and maintaining long-term relationships. Our consultants all direct employees will guide you through our ndings and provide all the help, advice and information you need, giving you reassurance that you are in control of your compliance. As an independent consultancy, with no ancillary products or services to promote, our impartial advice makes sure that every last penny of your compliance management budget is used to best efect. It is our aim to provide the support and advice that will identify areas of potential cost savings. Our in-depth technical expertise is a quality that really sets us apart. Our team includes certied specialists in disciplines including occupational safety and health (NEBOSH, OSHCR), access audits (NRAC), asbestos (P402), plus experts in areas such as re and legionella, making us the preferred compliance management partner of so many organisations. To give you the added security you need, our company is accredited by UKAS for the sampling and analysis of your air and water samples in our own laboratory, and we are also accredited by UKAS for our legionella risk assessments to BS 8580:2010. We understand the challenges of health, safety and environmental compliance in managing premises and have designed Assurity Plus, a compliance management solution, to help you simplify the way you work, and demonstrate greater compliance control. Our aim is to build mutual trust and respect, both short term and long term. In doing so you will receive a service that goes above and beyond simple legal compliance giving you the peace of mind that your organisation is totally compliant.
1150 0330 Our approach "I consider that Assurity Consulting provide the absolute reference advice and service for Facility Managers who are seeking a truly independent professional service. The service is impartial, timely and always provided at reasonable cost. The use of both independent and in house laboratory facilities shows the breadth of service. Assurity Consulting have been our partner for 13 years and that association will continue because of the excellent service ethic." Roger Wragg Head of Premises N M Rothschild & Sons Limited Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 3 4 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Real estate, property and facility managers face many demands. New and changing legislation, increased accountability for cost control, more evidence of good corporate governance and the need to constantly demonstrate value to their organisation. Assurity Plus delivers complete visibility of every aspect of your organisations safety, security, risk and compliance. We will deliver real time information to help you proactively manage compliance in individual buildings or portfolios of premises on a regional, national or international basis. This means that whatever the geographical spread of your property, everything is covered for you at one central location. By upgrading your compliance management operation to Assurity Plus you will have useable management reporting and enhanced visibility of risks. You can simplify your operation and focus resources on areas of greatest need, saving you time and money. Your Assurity Plus solution will match your requirements, and will focus on compliance issues that are relevant to your organisation. You will have the condence to know you are dealing with the right issues at the right time. Everything about your Assurity Plus solution is focused on making it simpler for you to efectively manage your workplace compliance. You will be assigned a fully competent and suitably qualied consultant dedicated to understanding and meeting your workplace compliance requirements. Your consultant has the experience and knowledge to help you make decisions that increase the efciency and efectiveness of your compliance management tasks. They can also call on the additional resources of a large team of consultants, all directly employed by Assurity Consulting. This means that all of your workplace compliance requirements can be met by one team. SMART workplace compliance solution Assurity Plus is a package of protection that delivers ve main areas of expertise. Systems management We assist you to create management systems that help you maintain compliance, quality and control in all areas of your workplace. Management review We help you to measure where you are to provide an overview of performance, allowing you to focus your resources efectively. Audit We challenge your existing arrangements to give you the reassurance you are in control. Risk assessment We help you to consolidate and enhance your performance in controlling your risks. Training We help you to educate your people so that they understand why they are doing things, as well as what you need them to do. With Assurity Plus we are able to cover the broadest range of compliance solutions for you. From asbestos and re safety risks, to energy and environmental management, and all your general health and safety management challenges. We can provide the peace of mind to demonstrate that you are in control. Each solution has been designed to make it easy to access concise real time management information, supplying you with the practical evidence of your compliance. They are built around your particular property portfolio and management needs, thereby ensuring shortest payback and maximum return on investment.
Assurity Plus workplace compliance solution Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 4 5 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | Your personalised service is delivered through a web-based system accessible from any device. All the information you require is only three clicks away and your consultant is personally available through a dedicated help desk facility. You can take a big picture view or drill into groups of properties or individual sites. And instant access to associated reports, compliance statements and outstanding actions, will allow you to review your overall performance and measure your success. A clear and simple online user interface, allows you and your team be they building managers, engineers, bursars, facilities managers or upper management to easily reach the information they need quickly and intuitively. Management information dashboards with intuitive trafc light systems provide clear, at-a-glance status reporting, while a helpful email module provides alerts to make sure all of your compliance matters are actioned. An essential document folder acts as a central storage area for all of your compliance information, including your contractor reports. So you wont have any more lost or mislaid reports, everything will be to hand quickly and easily. There is also straight forward and efcient management of any actions arising from your Assurity Consulting reports, with a fully searchable archive of past and present reports. You will have a full history of your compliance giving you the full picture, saving you time and providing you with comprehensive protection. Assurity Plus can be personally branded with your organisations identity so it sits comfortably alongside other in-house applications and tools. Its your solution, your information alongside our expertise. You will receive free access to all the benets of the online compliance management system for the full term of your contract with us. Since rst working with Assurity Consulting in April 2010, I have found their approach to health and safety to be straightforward and practical with their online management tool, Assurity Plus. Its very easy for our team to operate ensuring our continued compliance across our portfolio of properties in the UK. Mark Rayner Interim Facilities Manager Royal College of General Practitioners Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 5 6 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Our compliance management services are designed to ensure the correct levels of data, information and knowledge pass across the organisation and so create a positive, cost efective and condent workplace for you. With so many responsibilities at board, departmental and team level, employing the most relevant policies and monitoring systems can be a complex task.
Access audits Asbestos management Assurity Plus workplace compliance solution Carbon and energy management Computer room environment management Environmental management Fire safety management Food hygiene management Health and safety management Indoor air quality assessments Legionella management Occupancy comfort assessments Safe school assessments Waste management Water hygiene management Workplace environmental assessments
Our services include: Our services Whether it is with single service support or more comprehensive integrated management, Assurity Consulting can provide the answers and solutions tailored to you and your organisations requirements. Assurity Consulting have provided air and water quality assessments for us for over twenty years. They are passionate about service, quality and independence. I can highly recommend them. Stacey Collins Health, Safety and Environment Manager Freshelds Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 6 7 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | The basis of every service provided is the Assurity Consulting management loop. Every aspect of an organisations strategy, policy and operations are reviewed and each element of the loop can be undertaken in isolation or as part of a fully integrated approach. We review all existing protocols and buildings to understand what is successful and what can be improved. We identify all policies to ensure they are relevant and up to date. We conrm who takes responsibility for policies so that everyone is clear how it afects them. We develop risk assessments to help you prevent potential problems and their consequences. WRITTEN SCHEMES RISK ASSESSMENTS THE ASSURITY CONSULTING MANAGEMENT LOOP RESPONSIBILITIES POLICIES REVIEW RECORDS CHECKING INSPECTING MONITORING IMPLEMENTING CONTROLS TRAINING We provide written schemes documentation so that you know who does what, when and why. We provide training aimed at raising understanding in compliance and legislation issues. We guide you on your controls to ensure they happen. We help you to monitor relevant practices to ensure they continue to protect. We ensure your records provide practical evidence of your compliance. Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 7 8 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Property management Successful property management requires a careful balance of resources between landlord, asset and tenant. Over the years we have provided specic health and safety compliance solutions for managers of extensive property portfolios, together with landlords and tenants. Understanding the responsibilities and requirements of each is the key to successfully meeting all their needs. Since working with Assurity Consulting, I have found them to be professional at all times and they ofer support and reassurance to assist in our working day. Their approach is practical and the reports issued are easy to understand. We will continue to work with them, value their advice and congratulate them on providing an excellent service. Paula Bone Building Manager Strandbrook Limited We have experience of working with customers from just about every sector. So, whether yours is an organisation with international workplace concerns, an educational establishment looking to secure the safety and wellbeing of students and employees, or an environmentally aware charity, we have the experience to help you achieve your aims. Corporates Managing corporate workplace compliance is about meeting your legal obligations and delivering tangible and efective solutions in tandem with the wider business needs. Assurity Consulting can help you take care of your workplace compliance, and CSR concerns, in a cost efective and clear manner, so allowing you to focus on developing your core activities. Our sectors Assurity Consulting continue to provide Westeld with excellent support and guidance in relation to legionella and air quality risks. They provide cost efective solutions ensuring that the interests of our business are met at all times. Their employees are always pleasant and knowledgeable and they consistently deliver clear and concise reports, which are easy to understand and action. Will Stanbridge Head of Risk Management Westeld
Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 8 9 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | Education From independent schools to university campuses, wellbeing and pastoral care in educational environments present a wide range of diferent challenges, risks, and opportunities. At Assurity Consulting we can help you demonstrate the right levels of compliance, cost efectiveness and care, and demonstrate those qualities to staf, students and parents. Charities We understand that corporate responsibility, legislative compliance, ethics and environmental issues are all high on the agenda for most charities, but so is cost efectiveness and value to your sponsors and supporters. Assurity Consulting solutions allow you to focus more on delivering in the areas of your key activities, safe in the knowledge that you have the right levels of compliance management in place supporting the organisation. The University of Greenwich selected Assurity Consulting to carry out legionella risk assessments across our three campuses due to their depth of knowledge, expertise, cost competitiveness and exceptional customer service. We value highly their independence and we have reassurance that we are spending our capital in the right place. Their consultants are always on hand, efective and competent. Nigel Heugh Building Services Manager University of Greenwich For over 20 years Assurity Consulting have provided legionella risk assessments and workplace environmental assessments for the organisations I have worked for. More recently they have completed asbestos risk assessments and registers for the Institute. They have always provided an efcient, professional and independent service. I will continue to use their services as a means of assurance of compliance with current legislation and regulations. Steven Surridge Director of Operations The Institute of Cancer Research
Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 9 10 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Access audits Our team of access auditors are all registered with the National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC). They have a broad range of building services knowledge making them completely qualied to deliver the most efective access services for your premises. They will provide you with independent, impartial advice on how your workplace can be most cost efectively and reasonably adjusted, giving you reassurance that your property is both inclusive and welcoming for all. By being inclusive, your organisation will have an enhanced reputation and will be fullling its moral responsibilities. Our independent access audit services include: Strategic level access audit management reviews Access policies and access statements Access audits Equality, diversity, inclusivity and accessibility training The Equality Act 2010 is anticipatory legislation that requires employers, service providers, educational and other qualifying bodies to make reasonable adjustments to their premises and environment. There is also a need to provide auxiliary aids as necessary for people with disabilities. What represents reasonable adjustment now or in the future depends on the diferent circumstances of each organisation and each building, as well as the associated cost of the proposed adjustment. Asbestos management Managing asbestos is about the long-term demonstration of compliance and that forms the basis of the service we ofer. Our team of qualied asbestos consultants (minimum P402), have been at the forefront of proactive asbestos management in partnership with our customers since before the 2004 regulatory changes. We can also guarantee to give you an independent view and impartial advice you can trust, as we do not ofer any removal or remedial services. Our independent asbestos management services include: Strategic level asbestos management reviews Asbestos management surveys Asbestos risk assessments Asbestos management systems Asbestos condition assessments Asbestos training for both management and awareness Specic duties are placed on those responsible for running or occupying buildings, as well as on those who remove asbestos. Having the right support in place is therefore critical to both your short and long term management success. The information you are required to hold must be up to date and available to anyone who may work or disturb asbestos (or presumed asbestos) containing materials (ACMs). This means your strategy and your management systems must be active and include regular reviews and condition assessments. Training of all relevant personnel is another specic requirement and is the responsibility of the duty holder.
Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 10 Slaughter and May
Slaughter and May the
business that believes in compliance Slaughter and May is regarded as one of the most prestigious law rms in the world. They advise on high prole and groundbreaking international transactions and have an excellent and varied client list that includes leading companies, organisations and governments. In the beginning Since 1992 a trusted partnership has been established between Slaughter and May and Assurity Consulting. At that time Slaughter and May wanted reassurance that their contractors were delivering on workplace legal compliance. A tailored solution to audit their buildings environments was developed by Assurity Consulting and the support began with independent workplace environmental assessments (air quality, comfort conditions and water quality) across several of their London buildings. The partnership continued when they opened their new head ofce in 2002 and Assurity Consulting carried out further legionella risk assessments and set up a site-specic water management system to help them demonstrate compliance in water management. Moving forward In 2008 Slaughter and May progressed the working relationship and instructed Assurity Consulting to carry out a re risk assessment. We have used Assurity Consulting ever since we took occupation of One Bunhill Row, for our environmental and water monitoring, and have always received excellent service and advice. Therefore it seemed a logical step to ask them to undertake the re risk assessment. Allan Fitzgerald, Senior Premises Manager. A team was assigned to review this process, demonstrating a proactive approach to compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and fullling employers responsibility. Working together, Assurity Consulting and Slaughter and May produced an in depth tailored re safety management system. The future Assurity Consulting has developed a strong relationship with the Health and Safety and Property Management teams at Slaughter and May over the years. This has been achieved by understanding the customers needs, and personalising existing systems to meet them. Slaughter and May understand their responsibilities and the need to comply with legislation. They work closely with Assurity Consulting and see us as a vital part of their team. 11 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 11 12 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Carbon and energy management To best support you, we have spent recent years actively participating with government departments and enforcing agencies responsible for reducing carbon and managing energy. We have provided direct support through the BIFM Sustainability Special Interest Group engaging with members, and also have a member on the BCO's Environmental Sustainability Research Group in our team. Our energy consultants provide supportive consultancy, collaborating with a wide range of customers in various sectors, reporting to diferent stakeholders including commercial landlords, tenants and owner/occupiers. So, if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, improve performance, drive down energy costs and also enhance your organisations environmental reputation, our energy consultants can help you achieve it. Our independent carbon and energy management services include: Carbon reduction reviews, helping you to reach the best standards and benchmarks for your organisation BREEAM In-Use assessments Display energy certicates (DECs) both for public sector (legal requirement) and private sector (voluntary) buildings From a regulatory perspective (CRC, mandatory greenhouse gas reporting), as well as that of sustainability, corporate responsibility and cost, carbon management information is becoming an increasing part of the compliance mix. Having up to date, veriable and accurate information to hand is now recognised as essential for any organisation. Computer room environment management Computer room uptime is critical for all organisations today and at Assurity Consulting our consultants have over 100 years collective experience of working in these environments to help you demonstrate efective control. Our specialist assessments provide you with detailed data on the environmental performance of your computer rooms, from air quality to zinc whiskers. We interpret the individual results and consider the trends developing as a consequence of any changes within the suite to help you maintain the up time and availability of your computer room resources. Our consultants can provide the best advice, training and guidance for working in and maintaining a safe, clean and so optimally, operational computer rooms. Our independent computer room services include: Accurate performance data reports including: Air quality / particulate analysis (circulating, supply and make up) Temperature and humidity proles (circulating, supply and hardware variances) Room cleanliness and management validation Room layout and design assessments Room pressurisation testing Maintenance and air handling system environmental performance Zinc whisker assessment Computer rooms have changed dramatically over recent decades, but the need for secure information on demand remains the same. Guaranteeing uptime and keeping core power running is essential in todays organisations and, while fail-safes are factored in at design stages, it is often ongoing checks on the operating environment that can get forgotten.
Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 12 13 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | Environmental management Assurity Consulting can provide you with our specialist environmental skills. As a long time certied ISO 14001 company, we understand what companies need to do and the structure they need to adopt in order to implement the right solution. We have also spent years as active members of groups such as the EIC, BIFM and the BCO, working with them and various government departments looking at what the real issues are. Our independent environmental management services include: Strategic level environmental management reviews BREEAM In-Use assessments and certication Environmental policy review / drafting ISO 14001 consultancy and training: our team have the right experience in all relevant areas Environmental awareness training Water continuity management reviews Flood risk assessments Oil storage risk assessments With environmental considerations high on the agenda for most stakeholder groups, your activities need to be credible, efective and t the business need. The best organisations recognise this and base their management on the reality of their environmental impacts, not the perception. When considered as a whole and properly assessed and managed, good veriable environmental management can also add value by complementing your risk and business continuity processes too. Fire safety management The risk of re is a concern for all organisations. Careful management of that risk relies on addressing life safety issues, and having a re strategy in place to cover all your other assets including buildings, information and critical equipment. Our experienced team of consultants, have completed 100s of risk assessments. They are Fire Safety College trained, and have NEBOSH re safety and risk management certication as a minimum, together with a thorough understanding of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. This means that we know what you need to know in demonstrating compliance and keeping your people and buildings safe. Our independent re safety management services include: Fire safety management reviews Fire risk assessments Fire management documentation systems Fire warden training (awareness, duties, evacuation and re extinguisher training) Fire evacuation drill support The requirements of the legislation cover everything from proactive re management, through risk assessment and arrangements, to drills, procedures, system checks and training. With potentially a range of contractors as well as employees and others (landlords, tenants, consultants) all involved in the process you need to ensure your re management is robust, cohesive and inclusive. Your strategy needs to reect this and have mechanisms of feedback in place to give you the peace of mind that you are proactively in control of your re management.
Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 13 Food hygiene management The provision of food in most organisations today is an outsourced or contracted activity, yet where are the risks most likely to be realised? Our team incorporates consultants who are appropriately qualied with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) up to Level 4 Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering ofering you proactive advice and support with your food safety management. As we have Environmental Health Ofcer experience within the team, we can let you know what to expect if an enforcing authority calls. We can also help you to make sure your decision making on your catering provision is good for you, as well as the supplier. Our independent food hygiene management services include: Catering facility audits and assessments Food safety management documentation Catering supplier food safety management review The provision of food is a key element of looking after employees. Even if catering is contracted out you are still ultimately responsible for the food hygiene at your premises and dealing with any issues that could arise. At best, food can aid performance and enhance employee loyalty; at worst, it can be a threat to employees health. Health and safety management With a wealth of experience and qualied support, our services are an investment in practical and realistic health and safety management, without vested interest or compromise. The key to this is rigorous and professional analysis of your activities. Our health and safety consultants are all members of IOSH or IIRSM and our team also includes NEBOSH diploma qualied and OSHCR registered consultants. Coupled with decades of experience and colleagues who are specialists in their own right in areas such as re, access, asbestos and legionella, weve most likely helped someone successfully in the same work environment to you. Our independent health and safety management services include: Strategic and operational level reviews/assessments of your health and safety management Compliance based gap analysis Workplace risk assessments (COSHH, DSE, manual handling, expectant mothers, etc.) Comprehensive health and safety training (including, awareness for responsible persons, DSE, manual handling, legislation, risk assessment, etc.) Senior management health and safety briengs Sensible risk management briengs Health and safety policy and meeting support Liaison and support with enforcing agencies Health and safety legislation impacts on the vast majority of business operations, although how compliance is achieved can vary considerably. So whether it is about knowing where your organisations own processes need supplementing or if specialist intervention is required, we make sure support is integrated where it is needed. This sees compliance become more of a value added activity as opposed to just identifying non compliance or gaps in your processes. 14 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk
of the workplace BNP Paribas is one of the six strongest banks in the world according to Standard & Poors and the largest bank in the eurozone by deposits. With a presence in more than 80 countries and more than 200,000 employees, including 160,000 in Europe, BNP Paribas is a leading European provider of nancial services on a worldwide scale. In the United Kingdom, BNP Paribas 8,000 employees deliver a wide range of nancial services to institutions, corporations and individuals through their diferent businesses: BNP Paribas Corporate and Investment Banking, Investment Solutions and Equipment Solutions. Assurity Consulting has over a 20 year history supporting BNP Paribas in the provision of workplace environmental assessments, legionella risk assessments and awareness training, asbestos surveys and re risk assessments. At the start of the working relationship Assurity Consulting was commissioned to provide expert advice on the provision and design of wet cooling systems for their new headquarters. The organisation was having recurrent problems with water treatment management (cooling towers etc) which if unresolved, could have potentially disrupted their business operations. Assurity Consulting were approached to provide independent monitoring of the existing water treatment programme. After extensive discussions, Assurity Consulting guided them through many complex issues to reach a practical, workable and efective solution. Credit control The Building Services Manager and his team have the responsibility to satisfy the needs of a demanding workforce and to demonstrate statutory compliance. Areas of perceived high-risk included legionella, air and water and they recognised that BNP Paribas have a strong brand reputation to protect. The working partnership with Assurity Consulting has helped them to provide a safe and comfortable environment for all employees across all corporate ofces. They also have the reassurance that all their wet cooling and domestic systems are under control. They receive independent verication that all major contractors (maintenance, catering and vending) are performing in line with agreed standards. Assurity Consulting has also provided web-based reporting tools that enables BNP Paribas to seamlessly view and manage all reports and actions. Realising their investment Our knowledge of our own water systems has grown appreciably. We are now able to manage more efectively and make informed decisions regarding our resources. Assurity Consulting has provided us with a safe pair of hands acting on behalf of and in the interest of BNP Paribas. They provide timely and concise professional advice allowing us to respond quickly and efectively to workplace environment issues identied during regular Assurity Consulting visits. John Baldwin, Building Services Manager. BNP Paribas proactively manage their building compliance management. Assurity Consulting provide them with customised and bespoke management plans that enable them to focus resources in appropriate areas. They are also able to promote their achievements in facilities management across their organisation. BNP Paribas 15 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 15 16 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Indoor air quality assessments We all know it is there, and at times occupants can be unhappy with it, but more often than not we cannot really qualify whether our air is good, bad or indiferent. At Assurity Consulting, we can - and across a range of areas in your buildings. Our team includes chemists, microbiologists and laboratory scientists with decades of experience in indoor air quality management. We process all our own site samples around 35,000 a year and our ISO 17025 system covers on site sampling, transportation and testing of our air samples. Our in house laboratory is UKAS accredited for analysis of our air samples giving you the reassurance that your results will be totally accurate. Our independent indoor air quality assessments include: Indoor air quality testing and assessment Indoor air hygiene policies Indoor air management reviews Indoor air awareness training, which itself can cover: Ventilation systems and air quality requirements Air handling units Air quality legislation Air quality control factors Risks associated with mechanically ventilated buildings Legal requirements for air quality Aspects such as dust and microbiological contaminants together with the impact of various groups of gases afect air quality, all of which are inuenced by the standards of cleanliness and maintenance of your ventilation systems. Compliance with COSHH, Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) and DSE Regulations are just some of the other considerations too. Legionella management Accredited, successful and award winning are just three facts you could use to describe over 25 years of helping organisations achieve compliance and peace of mind in legionella management. UKAS accredited to ISO 17020 for our legionella risk assessments, our market leading management support combines specialist building services knowledge, together with our own UKAS accredited in house laboratory, means we have total control of the process from risk assessment and sampling strategy to presenting our ndings to you. This helps factor in accuracy and reliability, and factor out error. Our independent legionella management services include: Strategic level legionella management reviews Legionella risk assessments UKAS accredited to ISO 17020 Legionella risk assessment reviews Water management documentation (policy and procedure) Water quality assessments Bespoke legionella awareness and management training based on your systems management Legionella is one of those premises issues that can have a dramatic impact on people and the organisation in a very short space of time. You must be sure your risk assessment, scheme of management, training and feedback processes are robust and efective. You have to be able to identify the long term trends, not just the short term changes. When you can contract out the tasks, but not the responsibility, you have to be able to fully trust what you have in place.
Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 16 Queens College London 17 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | We work with Queens College London to ensure the school not only complies with legal requirements but that it also ofers a safe and healthy learning environment for pupils and employees. The challenges posed by the school were complex as it is housed in several Grade 2 listed buildings in Central London, however we were more than capable of meeting the requirements of such a unique environment. Moving Forward After an initial review, where we worked closely with the customer in order to fully understand their needs, we devised a route map which helped Queens College establish and begin to achieve their health and safety priorities. Developing a partnership As a result of this, we were asked to develop a bespoke health and safety management system, including comprehensive re, asbestos and water management systems. We undertook a complete overhaul of all health and safety documentation, policies and procedures and carried out a full staf training programme, tailored to individual requirements. A New Focus The clarity of our reports alongside the changes implemented by us have allowed all levels of Queens College staf to focus more on health and safety issues. This has led to more efciencies in the way issues are dealt with, which means there has been a reduction in the health and safety workload. The Assurity Consulting reports have given us independent verication that our systems and numerous contractors are actually performing to agreed service levels, and this has given me vital time to address other strategic issues. Simon Turner, Bursar.
18 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Occupancy comfort assessments Many employees spend a large percentage of their daily time in their ofce environment. Ensuring they are comfortable can reap the multiple benets of employee satisfaction, loyalty and enhanced performance, as well as reduce complaints to premises and facilities managers. Our team of consultants has a wide range of experience in dealing with workplace comfort issues across a variety of buildings. We accurately measure and report on performance, and look more broadly at how building services can afect the results, for example the overlaps with DSE, air quality, and other compliance / occupier issues. The outcome is you know exactly how you are performing and where, if at all, you need to be investing to make improvements. An independent, quality assured, occupancy comfort assessment includes: Temperature and relative humidity proling Airow velocity testing Noise checks Noise risk assessments Light level appraisals If concerns with occupancy comfort were easily solved, they wouldnt raise the problems they so often do. For example issues with ambient air temperature could be the result of poor building control, bad design, building orientation, poor space planning, high humidity or a combination of any of the above. Factor into this the additional inuence of airow, and occupation levels, which may be compounded by noise levels and lighting, and it becomes increasingly complex to identify the real cause. Without an accurate analysis of the building you may only ever manage the symptoms. Safe school assessments As a Bursar or Estates Manager, having the responsibility for managing health and safety is only one part of your very broad job role. With changing legislation and the volume of health and safety compliance necessary for a school, there is always so much for you to consider. Targeted specically to the school sector, our safe school assessment audits your compliance in terms of health and safety management and veries that appropriate policies and procedures are in place. Our DBS checked consultants have a breadth of expertise across a wide area of subjects and they all have a broad understanding of the built environment, which they need to give you the cost efective and rational recommendations you need. You will be advised on exactly what you need to do and how to do it with a recommended priority of actions. With prioritised actions you can focus your time and resource and get them completed. The outcome will help you to demonstrate a proactive health and safety management strategy for your school. Our independent safe school assessment is based on: A thorough inspection of the premises Examination of available documentation Interviews with appropriate academic and support staf Concise reporting with clearly prioritised actions where needed Support with Governor or staf training across a range of subjects from asbestos and re to risk management and responsibilities Schools must set out health and safety arrangements in a written health and safety policy. This should cover the building related measures as well as processes, such as laboratory activities and school visits. Good, well implemented health and safety should enable educational activities to be done safely, not stop them.
Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 18 19 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | Waste management Is your waste management about the information you get back from the contractor who takes it away, or a more holistic approach, from procurement of items right through to their disposal? Either way, we can help. Our waste management reviews ofer independent verication of your performance and provide a strategic, as well as an operational improvement plan. These improvements can deliver reduced costs for your waste transport, storage and disposal, and we can help you to reduce your overall wastage. All of which, of course, means less time invested for a greater return for you and more prot for your organisation. Our independent waste management services include: Strategic level waste management reviews Waste stream assessments Waste management training All departments have an impact on the waste streams you produce and need to manage and most people are now familiar with the 3 Rs" reduce, reuse and recycle. Successful waste management takes a more holistic approach, looking at the whole of the process from the purchase of items right through to their disposal. Your waste management strategy, when properly integrated will inuence procurement.
The service we receive for our assessments is second to none. I am extremely pleased with their reports and their friendly and professional attitude. Richard Paulin Building Services Manager QVC We carry out assessments every year and Assurity Consulting provide us with very detailed information about the condition and output of our plant/systems. They also serve as an independent review of the planned preventative maintenance work carried out by our building services contractors. Richard Mills Head of Facilities esure Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 19 20 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Water hygiene management Whether for people or process, water is an integral part of all our buildings; so good water hygiene management is an essential aspect of workplace compliance. Our consultancy is unique in that we ofer UKAS Accreditation to ISO 17025 for our on site water sampling and testing together with the laboratory analysis. This guarantees an accurate and independent service for thousands of samples that we take on behalf of our customers every year. Our independent water hygiene services include: Water quality testing (drinking, domestic, process and legionella) Hygiene and quality assessments Management policies, reviews and systems Water hygiene training Once through the water meter, whatever it serves, the quality of water in your premises is your responsibility. It is also covered by legislation as diverse as, the Water Supply (Water Quality) and Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare), Regulations not to mention any process or private water supply requirements you may have. Understanding the systems and services - pumps, pipes, tanks, valves and outlets - that this water serves is another important element in properly assessing the quality of water. Other inuencing factors include temperature, hardness, chemical control, conductivity and pH levels. Workplace environmental assessments If you needed to rely on just one report to provide you with an objective, factual appraisal of your workplace, this is it. Our workplace environmental assessments are tailored to cover some or all of the variables you may encounter with your air, water, hygiene, computer room and occupancy comfort to provide you with valuable and denitive information you need on your workplace performance. That is why, every year, our consultants carry out thousands of independent workplace environmental assessments, all with the backing of relevant and extensive accreditation - our ISO 17025 system covers on site sampling, transportation and testing of your air, water and occupancy comfort. We provide you with valuable and denitive information you need on your workplace performance to help to enhance employee satisfaction, loyalty and productivity. Our independent workplace environmental assessment reports can: Establish your position in relation to your legal requirements Provide asset and building performance information for internal and external customers, enforcers, insurers, investors and regulators Assess aspects of the building you cannot always see Explain accredited compliance data Protect your budget from unnecessary remedial work Place individual aspects of the workplace environment within an overall picture Every workplace is a complex environment of many, interdependent factors. Some are governed by regulation and others through best practice or guidance, whatever applies though you need to be able to produce reliable, qualied data if asked.
Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 20 CBRE 21 www.assurityconsulting.co.uk | Assurity Consulting and CBRE a winning partnership CBRE is the world's leading commercial real estate advisor, with over 300 ofces in more than 50 countries. It employs around 2,000 people in the UK and its services encompass a wide range of activities, including property and asset management, building consultancy, landlord and tenant services, development, facilities management and planning. The rm places a key emphasis on fullling its duty of care, loyalty and good faith to its clients and business partners, so a key objective for its asset management divisions is to provide a safe and healthy working environment for tenants across its varied investment portfolio covering the whole of the United Kingdom. The impact of the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) regulations that emerged during the mid- eighties created a specialised challenge to business and building management. Although COSHH covers the handling of potentially dangerous chemicals it also covers elements such as water safety and hygiene, for instance regarding the prevention of legionella bacteria, which could apply to any commercial or ofce building. Recognising its moral and legal obligations, in 1989 CBRE instructed Assurity Consulting to support it in addressing this crucial building management issue. New programme Working in partnership, a long-term programme has been established to streamline site visits and increase process consistency. Assurity Consulting has undertaken legionella risk assessments for each property that proved a key factor for success. The risk assessments provide managers at CBRE with a risk prole and other vital information regarding the status of each of their properties. The reports provide a clear action plan for any remedial actions needed to either eliminate the risk of contamination from legionella bacteria, or reduce the risk using sound management practice. With our ever increasing portfolio of properties it is important that we know that all our properties have the appropriate risk assessments for water systems and the necessary water treatment regimes in place. Allison Connick, Director of Safety, Health and Environment. Assurity Consulting has continued to expand with CBRE. The scope of solutions ofered has grown, and now Assurity Consulting is their approved supplier for access audits. Competitive advantage By positioning workplace health and safety activities alongside core business activities, CBRE has not only gained competitive advantage, but has clearly demonstrated leadership in its eld with a commitment to providing a comfortable and safe working environment for its tenants.
22 | www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Investment in a safe workplace, healthy working environment and the wellbeing of employees pays dividends. By placing health, safety and environmental management at the heart of your business, you can enhance productivity, increase competitive edge and make a clear and a visible statement of your commitment to best practice. And by working with Assurity Consulting, you can achieve this while at the same time maximising the efciency of your budget. We will develop a true partnership with you, working as part of your team to give simple and impartial advice. To talk about your requirements, please call us on 0844 800 7705 or email us at info@assurityconsulting.co.uk Alternatively, for more information or to read our latest customer testimonials, please visit us at www.assurityconsulting.co.uk Compliance without compromise Assurity Consulting have worked with us for many years and are now seen as part of our team working together to ensure compliance in terms of water systems, asbestos and noise. The level of commitment shown by all representatives of Assurity Consulting means I would have no hesitation in recommending them to others. Carol Morrison Compliance & Supplier Relationship Manager Fujitsu Services Ltd Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 22 Notes Assurity Consulting Ltd 26 Redkiln Way Horsham West Sussex RH13 5QH t 0844 800 7705 e info@assurityconsulting.co.uk w assurityconsulting.co.uk @AssurityConsult Sa%!* L#+!)a+,)! R!-#*! 2013_La/',+ 1 10/04/2013 12:34 Pa"! 23 Assurity Consulting Ltd 26 Redkiln Way Horsham West Sussex RH13 5QH t 0844 800 7705 e info@assurityconsulting.co.uk w assurityconsulting.co.uk