2016ANNUALCONFERENCEREVIEW
MY THANKS AND REFLECTIONS It's Martin Baggs
Institute of Water Conference Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Thames Water
we do best
As chairman of this year’s Institute of Water Conference, I would like to thank everyone who attended. I hope you found the conference both useful and entertaining, and that it provided a platform to network with colleagues and find out more about our great industry. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the speakers and conference exhibitors, for sharing their ideas, experience and innovations with us. My final, but very important thanks, goes to our sponsors for their generous support – which made the event possible. The conference highlighted the immense pride we should all have in working in such a vital industry and in the service that we deliver for our customers every day. The ‘Meet the Leaders’ session on the Wednesday afternoon was a great opportunity to both hear from 16 of the industry’s CEOs, MDs and senior managers and ask a variety of challenging and thought-provoking questions. The talks, exhibits and interactive sessions across the two-day conference gave us a platform to look at a variety of topics across our sector. We put the focus on our core business of delivering high quality water and
wastewater services to customers 24/7, the challenges and opportunities ahead of us and how innovation and great customer service will help us deliver a world-class service in the future. Our sector has a significant impact on society, through developing talent and providing opportunities for all. I’m passionate about developing people and know that many delegates commented on how fantastic it was to hear from John Waywell of United Utilities – someone who has recently joined the industry and as a result has opened up a whole new career. Having worked in the industry for 30 years, I know that what we deliver is sometimes taken for granted but there is a huge amount of work that goes behind this. Everyone should be enormously proud of what we do. I hope you all enjoyed the conference as much as I did, and that it reminded you, as it did me, what a fantastic industry we are all a part of.
Contents 3 Introduction 4-6 At the Conference Day 1 8-10 At the Conference Day 2 14 President’s Dinner and Awards
With thanks to our sponsors Meet the Leaders and AGM
Clancy Docwra
Thursday conference
WRc, Black & Veatch, Costain
St. Gobain mystery evening
St. Gobain PAM
Friday conference
Kier, Skanska, Murphy
President’s awards and dinner
Morrison Utility Services
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At the Conference Day 1 Cathryn Ross Ofwat – 2020 vision for the water industry The first speaker of the conference was Cathryn, talking about the 2020 vision for the water industry (how do we do it better). Cathryn spoke of the collective efficiency challenge we all face, which will require us all to do more with less, and the new thinking required to best use the scarce resource that is water. She reminded everyone that the regulator does not provide the service however the regulator must push the sector as a whole to do the correct thing. She was positive about the work done in the first 12 months of water 2020, stating there has been huge progress. For the regulator there are three main steps to ensure the regulated perform: de-regulate (ex-ante), where they only intervene where required; focus on what really matters (ex-post); and provide assurance that the market does as is required (assurance). In order for this to continue the regulator must allow for new thinking and innovation such as regulating for new water use and regulate and reward sludge re-use. Cathryn closed by reflecting on where we stand against the water 2020 vision, set out in 2015. We have already taken the required steps to build trust and confidence within the market; however there are still steps we have to take before we can progress further and preview what 2025 will look like.
John Reynolds Castle Water – Differentiating ourselves in a competitive market John Reynolds was next up providing a great insight on not only being a new entrant to market but more importantly how to differentiate within a competitive market. He started off outlining what he felt a good (ethical) company was: to John this was one that is compliant and values the customer’s respect, one that keeps promises and does as they say. John began to talk about the real challenge that comes with the market opening up in
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2017. The retailer has to install confidence within the customer; they have to ensure the customer can identify the correct option and understand what they are signing up for. Castle Water has achieved this by focusing on the client with direct engagement, solving all issues with one call, and giving the customer more control over meter reads and switching. Concluding, John reminded us all that, when given the chance, customers will change; over 5000 customers in one quarter in Scotland alone demonstrated this. Lastly he asked the regulator to ensure credit terms are not used to discriminate against new start-ups – as they are often run and funded differently from the more established household names.
on leaving behind a legacy, a legacy that is essential to the vision of the company. A ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ that would reconnect the capital to its river. This includes creating more open space, letting people enjoy the river, re-educating people about the Thames, increasing transport as a motorway in the middle of London, while both attracting and increasing the talent pool within the industry.
Thames Tideway Tunnel – Building for the future
‘You only get one chance to start something’, Andy stressed the importance of ensuring the company and projects aims are delivered by all. This is achieved by providing a 5 day induction for all workers that included ‘epic day one’. This educates and involves all workers on why the work is being carried out and its importance in ultimately creating the correct working mind-set; setting the expectations and standards from day one.
From pipedream to reality and success to date, Andy spoke next about the better future being built through the Thames Tideway Tunnel. Andy made no attempt to hide the fact that the project has more than one goal as they plan
Finishing off, Andy reminded everyone that throughout the years the ability to handle and treat waste has been the backbone to London’s growing success. It is not only important to Thames Tideway Tunnel to provide a long term
Andy Mitchell
2016ANNUALCONFERENCEREVIEW With thanks to our Rising Stars for their write up of Conference Day 1 and Day 2. Find out more about our Rising stars at www.instituteofwater.org.uk/rising-stars
and sustainable solution to handle waste but to leave a lasting legacy.
Nick Ellins Energy and Utility Skills Group – Investing in people The last speaker on Thursday morning was Nick talking about investing in people. Nick started off his session speaking about his pride in the sector, in our collective ability to ensure the vital resources for both UK health and economy are available 24/7, 365 days a year. He acknowledged the common skills shortage being faced by the industry, which has not been aided by things such as the National Infrastructure delivery plan for 2016-2021 as this does not detail or provide support for the skills. Ultimately this has resulted in there being no formal national plan for skills meaning each company must draft a business plan to address their own issue – a common issue. EUSG has seen this challenge and intervened: working with companies to attract, develop and assure a high level of competency in
applicants, ensuring that where possible skills are transferable. The result is an increase in skills within the industry and individuals which ensures they are in demand, well after initial infrastructure contracts are complete. Nick was followed by Aiden speaking about the recent success had by the company in their key objective of highlighting youthful engagement and recruitment by the sector for the sector. Their success can be seen in one scheme which started as a pilot in the North West for those furthest from the job market and it became a national scheme within 18 months and resulted in 73% of those 200 involved gaining employment. Lastly Nick welcomed John to the stage, someone who has been greatly aided by the EUSR. John had studied at college with little focus and motivation which lead to him dropping out and thinking he had no real future career prospects. The EUSR helped him with a 2 week life skills course and 2 placements before John found both a job and a passion for work.
Sean Mahdi PWC - Innovation Sean kicked off the afternoon session on Day One by giving his own interpretation of innovation which he described as “the process of turning ideas into reality, to achieve new or improved business outcomes”. Sean explained that innovative organisations consistently outperform their peers as they have a clearly defined strategy, are prepared to experiment, collaborate outside their organisation and show radical improvement. To embed innovation into the workplace you need sources of creativity, structure and culture. You also need to have the mind-set to do something differently, and persist even when others tell you not to. An example of how PWc successfully drive innovation is their immersion workshops. During these workshops a number of employees from different organisations work together in the same room to rapidly generate new ways of thinking. With innovation, you need to accept that things will fail, but the important factor is to learn and build on this for the future.
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At the Conference Day 1
Karl Simons
Piers Clark
Thames Water – Safety, health and wellbeing
Isle Utilities - Research
Karl gave an insightful view into the positive changes in Health and Safety culture at Thames Water along with a picture of himself enjoying the lambing season. He discussed how the consequence of an action causes us more concern as opposed to the safety risk. An example Karl gave was that we would drive at a slower speed to ensure we do not receive a fine or lose our license as opposed to the consequence of being involved in an accident.
In this last session, Piers spoke about how the new concepts which we feel we are dealing with as an industry are, in fact, not new at all. There are truths from history which still apply today which Piers reminded us of and how we must challenge established wisdoms as Snow and Faraday once did.
Karl talked about how ‘repetitive gains’ has helped to change the way people approach health and safety in Thames, which has prompted positive behaviours to drive down accidents and sickness over the past five years. Thames Water has an online portal which they use to share the importance of health and safety and lessons learnt to each employee. This portal is available to anyone, so make sure you take a look at www.healthandsafetyhub. co.uk.
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His truths focused on the importance of the role the government takes in making change and that without them change cannot happen, that water competition is not new and must be carefully managed to prevent the system collapsing, customer service has always mattered and isn’t a new concept, and catastrophic events drive change. Piers illustrated each of these points with examples of innovations which are currently being used to tackle these not so new challenges.
2016ANNUALCONFERENCEREVIEW
Saint-Gobain PAM UK raises £1800 for WaterAid This year’s Institute of Water Annual Conference took place in Birmingham in May, and its theme was: “It’s water we do best.” All of the money raised from ticket sales has been donated to Wateraid, a charity working to promote and secure poor people's rights and access to safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation.
With the focus firmly fixed on delivering high quality water and wastewater services to customers 24/7, the conference provided insights into how the water industry can deliver a world-class service through innovation and great customer service. The event considered water industry resilience not only for customers but also the future protection of the environment. One of the notable highlights of the conference each year is the ‘Evening with Saint-Gobain”. This event is held at a mystery location, which is not revealed to the attendees until they are en route to the venue. This year’s evening event took place at the Hotel du VinSG inBiozinalium Birmingham after a champagne SG Biozinalium where, 180x130 140320 AW2.pdf 180x130 140320 AW2.pdf reception and a wine and water-tasting quiz, guests were served a buffet dinner, before rounding off the evening with dancing.
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Mark Esling, Business Development Director at Saint-Gobain PAM UK, comments: “Once again we are gratified to have raised a considerable sum of money for such a worthwhile charity, while at the same time being able to gather together like-minded people for an enjoyable event. People know that each year the night will be unique, but will always provide another great opportunity for networking in a very sociable setting. It was great to see our guests 02/06/2014 11:30 and we look forward to 02/06/2014 11:30 enjoying themselves, the 2017 event and surprising people with a new, exciting venue.”
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20/3/14 09:57:15 09:57:15 20/3/14
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At the Conference Day 2 Jim Hall Oxford University- The Climate Change Challenge Jim opened proceedings on day 2 to discuss The Climate Change Challenge. He spoke to delegates regarding the current challenges posed by our changing climate and how the water industry is responding. Climate change acts alongside many drivers, which in turn has a major impact on water resources. As we see a change in the pattern of rainfall and as the uncertainty for these predictions increases, the water industry must respond in ever more innovative ways. Jim touched on some of the ways the water industry could respond such as efforts to reduce demand, leakage targeting, effluent reuse, desalination and groundwater recharge. The main focus of response from the water industry was on modelling and prediction. Jim highlighted how more simulations, monitoring and data will strengthen links with academia and provide a more complete understanding of system resilience. He also commented that while governments and regulators recognise the risk and reforms are in progress it is not enough and more major reform is needed of the methods for water resource planning.
Adrian Johnson MWH Global - Working with our changing environment ‘Is the Paris agreement a catalyst for change?’ asked Adrian. With the agreement making many newsstands in 2016, COP21 sets out long term goals for Greenhouse Gas Reductions (GHG) and recognises the need to adapt to climate change. However, there was a stark reminder that for this agreement to reach its targets we will need to reduce global GHG emissions by 55% which will require the efforts of 55% of the population. This highlights the need for a collaborative effort to ensure that the Paris Agreement is implemented. The Water Industry has a role to play in the agreement by challenging our processes and the way we operate.
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Fortunately, Adrian gave us some examples of things we can do differently to reduce carbon but which may also provide a catalyst for other changes such as Health and Safety. Building smarter structures with offsite fabrications can not only reduce carbon footprint but the time spent on site and the time needed for a schemes construction. This provides us with a lower cost and lower risk option. We need to start thinking circular; closing the loops of water, heat and by-products.
Adrian McDonald University of Leeds - Working with our changing environment Adrian kept those science scholars amongst us on their toes with a poem to start his session. He then left us with a number of quotations which reflected the key messages in his presentation, notably that by Niels Bohr, ‘Prediction is difficult especially if it’s about the future.’ Adrian discussed some of the changes our industry is facing, briefly commenting on those raised by the two previous speakers.
His addition to this list is how our changing demographic is affecting more than just our economy and health care system; it is changing our basic demand for water. In a future where the majority of children will live to see their 100th Birthday, how will we provide sufficient water? What will their water needs be? Adrian suggested, in similar response to that of Jim Hall, one effective way to adapt would be to drive demand down using a Cap and Trade approach. This would require a big cultural change but could potentially offer the solution we need.
Brian Weston Institute of Customer Service- What is ‘great customer service'? A very hard question to answer in a 20 minute presentation but Brain touched on a number of key objectives for companies to provide great customer service. Of all aspects the most significant value needed to provide this service is trust. Companies with higher trust were proven in
2016ANNUALCONFERENCEREVIEW
surveys by the Institute of Customer Services to also score best in overall satisfaction. This has a great deal to do with the service they receive by individual staff in a company, sometimes an experience and perception of a company will be formed from interactions with one staff member. It’s not surprising therefore to also hear from the survey’s that the highest customer priorities were people related. The people skills, knowledge and staff attitude were all ranked high priorities for customers and it’s easy to see why. However, in contrast to this, customers of the future are clearly showing the appetite for greater customer services through selfservice. Artificial intelligence and web/app based interfaces will play a bigger role in customer interaction and so the industry will need to rapidly adapt to changing customer expectations. Brain left us pondering what we do over and above the basic role of the company to ensure our customers get the best service we can give. But will this be enough to maintain customers in a competitive market?
Ian Jones Royal Mail - Delivering great customer service Customer service was the main theme of this mid-morning session and a lot can be learnt from Ian Jones’ ability to drive change whilst still providing great customer service, delivering 13bn. letters, 1 bn. parcels, 6 days a week to 29 million addresses. However Ian will be first to admit he has still more to learn about customer service. Ian gave a short background of Royal Mail from its origins in 1516, when King Henry VIII knighted the first Master of the Posts, to the explosion in online shopping, the Hooper Report and the Postal Service Act 2011 which was the dawn of a new regime. When Royal Mail was privatised in Oct 2013, employees were able to buy discounted shares which resulted in 11% of it being owned by employees. This was a great opportunity to engage with employees and it helped to increase customer service. Ian’s Blueprint for Transformation has four key elements: drive
through product innovations and service improvements (challenge the status quo!); enhance your capabilities and leverage your assets; invest in technology and drive operational improvements to support pace of change; and accelerate cost saving and efficiency programmes.
Louise Beardmore United Utilities - Delivering customer service, no matter what Louise gave a captivating account of the cryptosporidium incident that United Utilities (UU) faced in August 2015 which affected 320,000 customers, resulting in an investigation by the DWI. The UU customers affected from Blackpool to Preston had a boil notice for up to 5 weeks. Louise said that this was the first significant incident where the power of social media emerged and the UU social media team increased from 4 to 40 working 24/7. Management of the incident was key to protecting the public and finding a solution
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At the Conference Day 2 quickly. To achieve this, a Strategic Coordination Group was set up consisting of multiple agencies including the police and local councils. Managing this group required daily face to face meetings and was vital to the successful management of the incident. The importance of owning and mastering your own data was made clear, never letting others communicate on your behalf, as you are accountable for public health.
science of change such as redesigning the infrastructure for change, and the art of change such as behaviours and leadership. For successful change implementation Angrez discussed this should be a balance of 30% ‘Science’ and 70% ‘art’- which is often not the case. Angrez feels change should be considered as creative problem solving involving the right people at the right time combining objective and subjective behaviours and including disruptors who will invigorate the idea generation process.
Louise emphasised the importance of knowing and supporting all your customers. Their vulnerable customer’s database was not enough; they had to go the extra mile and had 80 flatbed trucks delivering bottled water every day. Louise finished with the point that customers have an amazing thirst for information and you will need to be ready to balance this locally and nationally if you are to retain the trust of your customers.
The key message from Angrez is to create a change journey to achieve change within an organisation – plan this journey at all stages, from acceptance to final evaluation and get everyone on board from the offset. Without this, change will not equal success. Martin Baggs concluded the session with his experience of working with Angrez discussing that including a big disruptor and not aiming for perfection are essential for success.
Barbara Frost WaterAid & Alice Hardy, RedR - The essential service overseas Barbara opened by highlighting the importance of water and sanitation for health and well-being. In the UK it costs the average person £1/day for their water supply and this is taken for granted. On the other hand, in Papua New Guinea, one of the poorest places in the world, people pay the most for their water. There are currently 650m without safe water and 2.4bn without adequate sanitation. Barbara highlighted that sanitation had been forgotten in the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development but has his since been included and aims for safe drinking water and sanitation for all by 2030. Since 1981 there are now 23m more people with safe drinking water and 21m people with improved sanitation. Barbara celebrated these successes which are due to organisations such as WaterAid. Alice gave a brief background to RedR, an organisation which many of us were unfamiliar with, who provide disaster response. They are a charity who train aid workers and provide advice and support in 40 different countries. After a disaster they will help locals manage water, sanitation and hygiene. They give
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practical hands on experience, teaching new skills, supervising drilling, pumping tests, sampling etc. RedR provide workshops on groundwater theory, borehole design and groundwater monitoring, they also carry out national needs assessments and training schemes. By training trainers, it creates a ripple effect in knowledge sharing. The RedR expert panel can check water supplies and confirm if safe to drink within 48hrs of a disaster. She finished by thanking Arup who provide technical input pro bono.
Angrez Saran 8works – Managing change With the water industry on the brink of significant change Angrez Saran delivered a compelling interactive session discussing change management in the Water Industry – with his narrative recorded on stage by a live artist! The view from the delegates was assessed throughout the session to capture the emotions in the room: from the feeling towards impending change to the imbalance between change and success. Angrez proposes that the approach to change should be considered in two key layers – the
Andrew Reaney Thames Water - Competition Another interactive session was brilliantly delivered by Andrew Reaney, reengaging the delegates at a late session with a live voting poll for the best Water Pitcher Challenge video. Following this light-hearted introduction to the presentation Andrew focussed on the competition facing the water industry and the importance of the role of branding. Andrew untangled the term ‘brand’ when applying this to the water industry, with the three key elements of a brand being Service, Product and Image. As our brand is service based, the image is primarily delivered through conversation and perception. Therefore any interactions must be consistent and relevant, with careful consideration made to not just to what is said but how. Andrew concluded that brand is not just a logo or a slogan; everyone has a role to play within brand perception ensuring that every point of customer engagement, from conversations to the digital environment, creates consistent experiences for the customer.
2016ANNUALCONFERENCEREVIEW
Protecta-Line…now even bigger Already the UK’s leading barrier pipe solution, Protecta-Line now provides further benefits for end users with its large diameter sizes.
The development is in response to customer feedback, which revealed an increasing requirement for a need to transport large volumes of water in brownfield sites as demand for building increases, particularly in urban areas. While smaller sizes continue to be the most popular, the introduction of the range up to 630mm provides designers, contractors and end clients with more flexibility when selecting pipeline products and ensures GPS continues to provide solutions to meet the needs of every installation. Commenting on the product expansion, Sophia Zhang, GPS PE Pipe Systems’ product manager said: “We continually undertake customer research to gain insights, which help drive our
product innovation strategy and enhance our product portfolios to ensure we continue to deliver value to our customers. “Our Protecta-Line system is the preferred choice for many UK water companies so it is important we continue to develop the product range to meet the changing needs of the industry. By increasing the size range of the system we can now provide a complete pipe and fittings solution for large volume projects.” The number one choice for barrier pipe, Protecta-Line is an award winning, fully integrated barrier pipe and fittings system. Its tough multi-layer construction incorporates an impermeable aluminum barrier layer wrapped onto a central core of PE80 or Excel (PE100) pipe. Its innovative design ensures that any contaminants remaining in brownfield sites and former industrial land cannot permeate into the water supply.
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Protecta-Line system is Kitemarked to WIS 4-32-19 Proven barrier against all recognised brownfield contaminants Suitable for corrosive conditions – avoid the cost of expensive soil sampling Long-term security of supply NOW All the installation benefits of polyethylene AVAILABLE Reduced leakage larger diameter Excellent lifetime cost savings 630mm
Continually innovating 20/7/15 14:23:42
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JD7 PIPE CONDITION ASSESSMENT TECHNOLOGIES LAUNCHED Pipeline inspection specialist JD7, part of the Aquam group, has launched its PipeScan+ structural condition assessment technology. The multisensor ultrasonic sonde system has recently completed verification with a number of large UK utilities. PipeScan+ can be inserted into live water and wastewater pipelines, allowing pipes to be scanned while the network remains in service. A full dimensional survey can be achieved on any pipe material including multiple wall-thickness measurements, corrosion and flaw identification, along with calculation of lining thickness. JD7’s technical director Daniel Krywyj said, “The verification trials showed that PipeScan+ can secure a much broader understanding of pipe condition than exhuming a small pipe section and sending it to a laboratory. It provides much more detail over a much longer range.”
Accurate assessment
JD7 PipeScan+ comprises a multi-sensor scanning head with ultrasonic transducer, high-definition closed circuit television and a 512Hz sonde
JD7’s PipeScan+ system can acquire thousands of measurements in minutes, allowing accurate assessment of the life expectancy of a pipe over a 100m length. PipeScan+ is mounted on a 100m semi-flexible umbilical cable and can be inserted into live pressurised pipework through most models of valve and fire hydrant.
the condition of 305-610mm (12-24”) diameter lines.
A portable electronic drive system controls the feeding-in and pullback of the scanner. Pipescan+, which was originally conceived for 100150mm (4-6”) pipelines, is now proven to pipe diameters of 76-305mm (3-12”). The innovative Derby-based company is now developing a small-bore diameter system, down to 50mm (2”) and a system to capture
JD7 has also been working closely with UK utilities to deliver bespoke software for all its technologies that can be imported directly into their existing platforms.
Krywyj said, “PipeScan+ provides better corrosion maps than laser profiling. It not only gives average internal and external wall-thickness readings, it also can also measure metal-loss and life expectancy. It is the only system that offers full structural condition assessment.”
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Clean & wastewater pumping Selwood is the UK’s leading supplier of high quality contractors pumps for rental and sale. Our range of pumps are specifically designed for sewage, sludge, wastewater and clean water applications, built to cope with arduous conditions and offers maximum performance and reliability. Our rental fleet has one of the largest selections of diesel surface pumps and hydraulic, electric and explosion-proof submersible pumps in the UK. This is backed by some of the most qualified and experienced staff in the industry and a commitment to outstanding customer service. Call us today to find out how we can help with your pumping requirements.
2016ANNUALCONFERENCEREVIEW
71st AGM There were only two changes to the Board at this year’s AGM which was attended by 77 members. Dermot Devaney and Chris Loughlin were replaced by Simon Cyhanko, Northumbrian Water, who was elected as Vice Chair, and Thomas Faulkner, Executive Vice President, Skanska UK, who was elected as Vice President. Martin Baggs was to succeed Peter Simpson as President however, after announcing he would be leaving the industry sometime this year, Martin had declined the position of President. Martin was happy to continue to organise the Conference and remain on the Board until his departure from Thames. Thankfully Peter was willing to serve a second year as President and this was well received by the Board and members present.
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The Institute of Water Board now comprises:
Peter Simpson, President Thomas Faulkner, Vice President Sam Phillips, Vice President Engineering
Water Quality Support
Ian Barker, Vice President Environment Robin Price, Vice President Science Natalie Akroyd, Chair
Emergency Response
Simon Cyhanko, Vice Chair Lynn Cooper, Chief Executive Martin Baggs, Board Member Tim Boldero, Board Member
Water Quality Engineering
Ian Limb, Board Member
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Heidi Mottram, Board Member
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Tim Wagstaff, Board Member Marie Whaley, Board Member
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Institute of Water President’s Dinner and Awards 2016 4
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2 On 13th May the Institute of Water held its annual President’s Dinner and Awards at the Council House, Birmingham. Sponsored by Morrison Utility Services, the evening saw a number of awards presented including: Institute of Water National Innovation Awards 2016 Sponsored by MWH 1
Institute of Water Annual CPD Award 3 Winner - Thomas Kelly, Kelda Water
Energy and Utility Skills and CABWI Water Industry Skills Champion Award for 2016 5
Winner - South East Water, Use of eDNA – Managing Risk with Forensic Science
Runner up - Darragh Hoban, Mott MacDonald
Winner - Martin Baggs, Thames Water
2nd Place - Catchment Team, Dwr Cymru Welsh Wate, WaterSource: Weed Wiper Partnership – Brush the Rush 3rd Place - Northumbrian Water and South Tyneside Council, Partnership Working on Flood Risk Alleviation Scheme in Fellgate, Jarrow
Institute of Water Allen Bolton Award 2 Winner - Michael Fowle
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Runner up - Colin Hinge, Anglian Water
Institute of Water President’s Cup 4
Energy and Utility Skills and CABWI Water Industry Skills Employer of the Year for 2016
Winner - South East Area
Winner - United Utilities and South West Water
WaterAid Award for Outstanding Achievement
CABWI Water Industry Training Organisation of the Year for 2016
Winner - Alistair Baker, Northumbrian Water
Winner - Merit Skills and Watertrain
Confined spaces and working at height – stay safe with Arco “Disturbing figures released from the HSE for 2014/15 year suggesting that falls from height are the most common cause of death in the workplace, highlights a serious need for professional training” said: Nick Marshall, Divisional Director, Arco Training and Consultancy.
Typically accessed via a vertical shaft, many confined spaces in the water industry present two major safety challenges – compromised air quality from a build up of toxic substances, and the requirement to work from a height. Safety expert Arco is working with professionals across the water and waste industry to equip them with the adequate training to combat these serious mortal risk issues. A significant number of people are killed or seriously injured in confined spaces each year in the UK. This happens in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, sewage work and agriculture. Those killed include both those working in the confined space and those who try to rescue them without the correct training and equipment. In fact, around 40% of confined spaces deaths involve people trying to rescue those already trapped or injured.1 Despite stringent health and safety measures across most workplaces, these statistics highlight that confined space working still poses a considerable threat to employees today. Arco’s recent acquisition of specialist confined space, health and safety education and support services provider Confined Space Training Services Limited (CSTS) builds on Arco’s growing Training and Consultancy division. This now enhances its own Award Winning mobile confined space training offering and working at height solutions delivered by Total Access, now also part of the Arco family. Practical training covers entry (vertical and horizontal), suitability checks (i.e. for claustrophobia), selection and use of equipment, developing a safe working system and the initiation of self-rescue or full rescue. Simulation exercises give trainees the necessary skills and confidence needed to work in confined space environments. Refresher training will be required periodically and its timing will depend on the continued experience after initial training. Additionally, personnel will need training on the use of equipment involved
in safe confined space entry such as gas monitors, breathing apparatus and personal protective equipment. For those working at height, highly experienced instructors from Total Access can simulate realistic working environments at their site in Staffordshire. They can provide advice on the correct equipment to use, and how to use it, together with practical training which can be taken back to real life situations. Employers have a legal obligation to safeguard the health and safety of employees. This is clearly a major consideration for those employees working at height or in confined spaces. Our managed service approach is designed to allow the employer to focus on their core business rather than burden over stretched resources with these requirements. It has the additional benefits in that our technical expertise and test facilities will ensure that the original performance specifications are maintained and the PPE retains its physical integrity to ensure wearer's safety.
Arco offers courses which are accredited by City and Guilds, or bespoke training. Courses can be theoretical or practical and can be delivered either on site via a fleet of mobile training units or in specialist facilities. Supporting services such as facefit testing and breathing apparatus training can be offered simultaneously. Arco also provides 24/7 dedicated standby rescue teams and specialist confined space rescue consultants who are highly experienced in confined spaces safety and provide both 'entry' and 'non-entry' rescue solutions to businesses. Arco’s range of confined space cleaning services includes cleaning services for culverts, tanks, vessels, silos and pipes. For further information, please visit: http://safetyservices.arco.co.uk/
Securing National Infrastructure
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LPCB Security Doors & Window Bar Sets Steel and GRP Buildings and Cabinets Tested to LPS 1175 SR2 and SR3 and SR4 Please refer to Red Book Live for full listings
LPCB Security Doors & Window Bar Sets for the Rail Industry
Morgan Marine Ltd., Llandybïe, Ammanford, Carms SA18 3GY Steel and GRP Buildings and Cabinets Telephone: 01269 850437 Email: sales@morgan-marine.com Web: www.morgan-marine.com Tested to LPS 1175 SR2 and SR3 and SR4 Please refer to Red Book Live for full listings