Hallett Silbermann Ltd – Going for Gold

Hallett Silbermann Ltd are based in Welham Green and supply Low Loaders and Hiab vehicles to the construction sector, with many years of experience within the haulage sector, we move anything from small standard pallets to 100 tonne piling machines. We’ve been taken over by R Swain and Sons Ltd in 2014 says Jon Hugill – Director. Hallett Silbermann, as part of the Swain Group are reinvesting heavily back into the business, Using the FORS standards as a benchmark the board have again seen that the good practises and health and safety of FORS GOLD are extremely important and good for customer relations and that professionalism is a benefit to all of our customers.

FORS dovetails our business principles and ethics. When we looked at the requirements and benefits of joining the scheme, we saw that they fit perfectly with our ethos of improving safety whilst complementing our drive to improve fuel efficiency and reduce our environmental impact.

Our experience with FORS bronze assessments were very positive, it gave us an opportunity to get all of our systems, and procedures centralized and helped us define our responsibilities within each department. Once we’d passed the Bronze Standard we were actively encouraged by our auditor that we had everything in place to become FORS Silver compliant. FORS did help us by providing training and tools that improved the policies and procedures.

The performance management toolkit really helped us set our targets for reducing our carbon footprint and improving our MPG. FORS has helped us improve our filing systems and procedures. Using these systems can generate cost saving as well as an enhanced safety focus.

‘FORS has helped us achieve compliance and safety.’ – Jon Hugill – Director

All our drivers have completed their Safe Urban Driving course. We have also invested heavily in vehicle safety systems cameras, nearside proximity sensors and audible alarms for all our vehicles. All our drivers have also completed FORS E-Learning modules as well.

‘We have increased our fleet by 50% since our baseline year.’ – Jon Hugill – Director

We have managed to reduce our Parking fines and accidents/incidents down 19% compared to our baseline year. We achieved this by making sure we always selected the best route possible to all our sites and we plan ahead before leaving the yard.

• We get all my drivers to complete a comprehensive Occupational Medical on a annually basis even though the FORS Standard states once every 5 years. It’s also mentioned in the drivers handbook that if they at any point in time start suffering from a medical condition they need to notify the company ASAP as well as if they need to start taking medication prescribed by their GP or over the counter drugs. We will then investigate it to see if it’s still safe for the driver to be driving for the company and we may even ask the driver to get a letter from his doctor informing the company if he is still able to drive for the company. We will then start doing more driver assessments on the driver to make sure he isn’t a risk to the company or anyone on the road.
• The Swain Group has a multi-faceted approach and strategy to the recruitment and development of drivers and support staff across all operating centres and fully recognises the importance of having a skilled and motivated workforce. Each operating centre/depot operates within this strategy utilising Group assets to support where necessary and also undertaking local initiatives. Hallett Silbermann sits within this framework and as a principle unit within the Special Projects Division participates in a number of initiatives as outlined below and evidenced within this submission.
• We only have 1 Operating centre and we use it for parking our lorries. We don’t do any loading/ unloading on site and all our servicing is done by main dealers at their sites not ours. The only noise generated is when my lorries are idling so we can carry out our defect checks. All my lorries have white noise reversing alarms fitted to them.
• We carry anything from a Pallett to 100 tonne Pilling Rigs to construction sites across the whole country. As we rely on our customers asking us to deliver to various construction sites across the whole country, we never know where we are going until they need us. Therefore we can’t afford to try and move anything via barge or train as we collect all the equipment from building sites and there is no other method than using a lorry and we then asked to deliver anywhere in the country. So using a Lorry is the most cost effective way of moving our clients goods. We are replacing all our lorries with Euro 6 engines as and when they are due for replacement. We have looked at electric vehicles and because of the weights we carry and the fact that our lorries have specialist equipment fitted no manufacture have produced an alternative fuelled vehicle that can carry the weight we do and go over the same terrain we do.

We will continue using what FORS has taught us to improve our MPG and reduce any wasted idling we might have and keep reducing our Parking fines and Charges.

Gaining FORS Gold Accreditation will show how dedicated we are as a company to improving road safety and the safety of all vulnerable road users in London as well as nationally. We will continuously use what FORS has taught us to help reduce our carbon footprint and make the roads so safer for everyone that uses them. We have also managed to make a significant saving by reducing our fuel usage and improving our MPG.