Site-Equip and Loos R Us director joins Hire Association Europe Board of Directors

Site-Equip and Loos R Us are proud to announce that their director Sonia Gilbert has been elected to join HAE (Hire Association Europe) & EHA (Event Hire Association) board of directors. The annual general meeting saw the completion of the 2013 election of directors, seeing new faces upon the board and the departure of others.

The outdoor events industry has seen major growth over the last few years with the Environmental Agency and Health and Safety Executive evolving legislation, which means it, has become imperative that the EHA through its directors are at the forefront.

Sonia will be the only representative from the portable sanitation industry on the board of directors. She has vast knowledge of growing a business from the grass roots to a multi-million pound successful enterprise, overcoming all the day to day problems, issues and triumphs that all EHA members routinely experience and encounter in their own businesses. Sonia feels her three P’S of passion, preparation and perseverance will enhance the hire association member’s experience.

'Potty Training' for drivers at Site-Equip Ltd...

The Portable Sanitation Association Europe (PSE) has recently announced the launch of the:

National Sanitation Qualification (NSQ) scheme

For the Event Organiser, this scheme solves Health and Safety headaches. The NSQ card means drivers arriving on site to service toilets, have passed the requirements for foundation level on subjects such as Servicing, Manual Handling, Health and Safety, First aid and Slips, Trips and Falls and Loading and Unloading of Portable Toilets.   

The PSE is the trade association of Portable Toilet Companies in the UK, and it aims to raise standards across the industry. NSQ is accredited by ROSPA - the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. With Health and Safety always at the forefront for professional Event Organisers, it’s sometimes difficult to monitor visitors to site and know whether they are following guidelines. PSE members whose drivers have completed the course, will hold their NSQ cards with them when on site.

Here at Site-Equip Ltd we are excited to announce that all our employees are trained to this higher standard, enabling them to be accredited to the scheme and to carry NSQ cards. We want the events that we service to run as smoothly as possible and the scheme helps us to achieve that.

HSE gets Hot over Hot Water Handwash

The Health and Safety Executive recently asked Site-Equip to attend their head office in Basingstoke regarding the provision of welfare facilities on site. The meeting was attended by HSE offices from all over the UK and Northern Ireland. The aim of the meeting was to show the HSE officers the types of toilet and welfare facilities available to hire to the Construction Industry. The Managing Director of Site Equip, Geoff Gilbert, took a welfare unit to show the standard that could be achieved and the scope of products available on the market, which can be hired. The HSE approved the welfare unit as fully compliant with all aspects of health and safety. The HSE are now looking for compliance with their own guidelines on sites. An improvement notice will be given if the guidelines are not met upon an inspection. Furthermore if they fail to provide facilities within the timescale they will be prosecuted with a hefty fine.

A construction site should provide:

·         Clean and working toilets

·         Washbasins with hot and cold running water

·         Soap and towels

·         Sinks large enough to wash face, hands and forearms

·         Somewhere to change dry and store clothing

·         Drinking water and cups if needed

·         A rest area to sit, make hot drinks and eat food.

You must also keep your welfare facilities warm and well ventilated, with lighting if necessary.