Moortown Group

SAFETY-ASSURED

SUCCESS

Moortown Group is an expert in civil engineering and groundworks. With more than 25 years in the trade, the company has a keen understanding of how to maintain a successful business. HSQE Director Jonathan Milnes explained more, in an exclusive interview with Inside Sustainability. Report by Imogen Ward.

Health and safety have always been a top priority for Moortown Group. The Bradford-based Civil Engineering expert continuously invests in its people to ensure it provides the very best service by managing and mitigating risk.

“People’s health, safety and wellbeing are a priority for Moortown, ensuring people go home the same way they arrived at work each day,” said HSQE Director Jonathan Milnes. “Construction is a highpressure, high-risk industry and it only takes a second for something to go wrong.”

Building from the ground up

With over 25 years’ experience, Moortown has developed an impressive portfolio of projects, amassing a turnover of £75 million. Initially established at its base in Bradford, the group later branched out to explore new opportunities in London. Now, having worked in the capital for 14 years, the group has recently expanded its operations by laying down roots further afield with a new office in Billingham.

“Our regional offices are perfectly placed to allow us to strategically target key areas within the UK where the demand for construction work is growing,” Mr Milnes explained. “The new office in the North East enhances our ability to provide a first-class service and enables us to maintain a focus on the region. It also removes unnecessary and excessive travelling, allows us to build up our workforce and provide valuable employment opportunities and upskilling to the region.”

Today, Moortown relies on its workforce of 550, to offer civil engineering and ground

works and reinforced concrete works throughout the UK, with a lot of work focused on in situ concrete structures. The group also offers its services as a principal contractor, allowing it to work directly with the developers and provide a fully rounded package.

“Although we provide a comprehensive package for our customers, our busiest area of operation is sub-contracting,” said Mr Milnes. “Because we are collaborative with our clients, and we have developed a can-do attitude, they like to work with us and have confidence that they will be left with solutions for existing projects.

Equally, they value our ability to plan and assist on-site.

“We have worked hard to develop our reputation; it is vital this is maintained and is a core value of the business.”

Prioritising the people

Health and safety are top priorities for many businesses, and Moortown is no different.

The group goes above and beyond to ensure its staff have the best toolkit.

“My role within the business is dedicated to health, safety and wellbeing,” Mr Milnes continued. “Every day, my aim is to ensure

t hat everyone goes home safely. It’s a mantra that is strived for, we don’t just do it to tick a box. We truly believe that health, safety and wellbeing are pivotal in the suc cess of our business and the continued protection and support of our workforce.”

Moortown already utilises an online induction portal, which features modules that are interactive to ensure everyone who starts their journey at Moortown has the right approach and knowledge to succeed.

“Once the induction is complete, there are various checks on newcomers’ skill sets, to

make sure that they can be put to work safely and also to identify and skills gaps,” said Mr Milnes. “There’s also an additional section on the portal which enables them to stay up to date with changes to safety, environment and quality standards and company procedures.”

The group has also developed an app, which it uses as an electronic way of working, to ensure transparency throughout the business.

So far, the app has been very successful, leading Moortown to invest in it even further. The group has developed a new QR reporting system, called Speak Up! Speaking on the new feature, Mr Milnes said: “It’s all about continuous feedback. The new system is great, because it enables anyone to scan a QR code and provide vital feedback allowing us to continually improve as a business.”

The new system is now being promoted amongst Moortown’s employees, to really encourage its use within the workplace, and reduce the likelihood of unsafe practices.

Following on from a recent trial at Moortown on people and plant interface, the business is committed to installing the Safety Shield AI System which provides added protection for the workforce and enhances the current control measures on site.

The system helps ensure the safety of everyone involved in Moortown’s operations.

“As technology has advanced , the software has developed and improved to a point where we can see the benefit of using it within our business,” Mr Milnes continued.

Supporting sustainability

The group also dedicates a lot of its time to improving the environmental impact of its operations. According to Mr Milnes, this is an area where Moortown’s supply chain plays an important role: “We work with national businesses, and we endeavour to partner with companies that are responsible with their material sourcing. Our steel suppliers are CARES certified, our major concrete suppliers are all BES 6001 certified, and our timber procurement policy means all our timber must be from a sustainable background – whether that be FSC or PEFC. ”

Moortown also contributes to the community, working closely with charitable organisation Cash for Kids.

“We have been working with Cash for Kids for a number of years,” Mr Milnes explained. “We provide donations throughout the year, and we carry out challenges to raise funds for those that need it most.

“We are also a Principal Contractor on a site in Leeds, which has allowed us to play an instrumental role in the development of a sensory garden for a primary school. Moortown also facilitates student site tours to give them a better understanding of construction and the various roles that are available within the industry.”

In support of its community, the group also donates to local foodbanks, promotes recycling campaigns and has held charity football matches to raise funds for the health care sector.

As it heads through 2024, Moortown Group intends to continue its important work within the community, the group

also plans to further progress its commitment to HSQE.

“We have just joined the Utility Strike Avoidance Group, which promotes industry-wide best practices to avoid damage to utilities and prevent harm to workers,” said Mr Milnes. “We also plan to increase drug and alcohol testing as this is a major problem in the industry, and we take that very seriously. It’s not a case of dismissing people, we recognise that some employees may have issues and we are

committed to supporting them through difficult times. We work with a lot of heavy plant and equipment, so ensuring people’s safety and wellbeing is a top priority.

“We strive to support our staff and our customers in every way possible. Each day brings with it a new challenge, which provides the perfect opportunity for growth and development. There’s no better feeling than being involved with people, and seeing their progress come to fruition.” n