Section 1- Introduction
Pyramid Builders Ltd are a specialist brickwork, blockwork and stonework subcontractor, specialising in new build, restoration, refurbishment, and heritage works. The company has been trading since November 1994, we take pride in employing tradesmen and operatives who live local to our projects. Our head office in Wembley serves as a base for our logistics department, where we are able to provide a Just in Time approach to delivering materials and resources to our live projects and achieve our complex delivery deadlines.
Over the years of trading the company has achieved various certifications and accreditations such as, but not limited to: ISO9001:2015, ISO14001:2015, ISO45001:2018, RISQS, Constructionline Gold, CHAS Gold, Achilles, CLOCS etc.
We are also members of the CIRAS, FIRAS and Considerate Constructors Scheme.
Section 2- How did you hear about FORS, what prompted the company to join and how long have you been a member
The company initially became a FORS Bronze member in November 2013 and progressed to Silver in March 2015. Since becoming a FORS member, the company management has concluded that the emissions and general vehicles performance needs modernization, we proceeded towards replacing our older fleet with newer vehicles and modified some of the existing vehicles on the fleet, this has helped us significantly improve not only our emissions performance, but also the time loss due to defects and road breakdowns.
Since becoming members, we also benefitted from the FORS training courses, where we aim to provide training for all our drivers, covering more than the minimum requirements.
We ensure that drivers are attending all modules which are relevant for the areas of operation and nature of the business, such as: Cycle Safety, LoCity, Pedestrian Safe, Security and Counter Terrorism and many more. These are particularly important for the London urban areas where our business is trading.
Pyramid Builders also benefits from the various toolkits which are published and regularly updated on the FORS website.
All the above helped us improve our CO2 footprint and reduce the number of road related incidents and fines, which is vital for our business operations. It improved our employee’s morale and reduced the staff turnover significantly over the years.
Section3- What was your experience of the initial FORS Bronze Audit?
The initial FORS Bronze auditing was awakening and at the same time inspired us to make some important decisions regarding our fleet and the way we were managing it.
We modernized the fleet, introduced many new policies and investigated procedures which helped our business not only with the roadworthiness of the fleet, but also significantly improved the efficiency and reduced the delivery costs by about 10% within 12 months of the new additions to our Management System.
Section4- What was your main reason(s) for you to progressing?
When we realised the benefit FORS Bronze brought to the business, we then decided to progress towards FORS Silver and looked at it as an investment. The company was ready to adopt all recommendations and requirements the FORS Silver had to offer. In 12 months since introducing the Silver standard within the business we had 90% reduced levels of incidents and no accidents. The PCNs were reduced by 95% and the business received more driver’s job applications than ever before.
Section 5- Explain how you made use of the benefits FORS Provide?
Following our FORS accreditation we immediately began to use the online FORS toolkits, toolbox talks and guidance notes across the business.
We ensured that at least two members of the current staff are FORS Practitioners and drivers training needs are assessed regularly to ensure that whenever new training is required, Pyramid Builders Ltd provides training in a timely manner.
All the above helped the business improve its reputation, reduce the cost of services, limit road related accidents and enabled us to tender for jobs which would have not been accessible without the FORS membership.
“Whilst before the business was struggling to find reliable drivers, now we have managed to recruit and keep the same drivers for years. This speaks volumes of how attitudes and morale within the business have been keeping our valuable staff aboard since FORS accredited.”- Liam Clear, Managing Director
“The number of fines and incidents has dramatically reduced since we became FORS accredited. I consider the regular FORS training a huge factor in the improved safety performance” – Iulian David, Transport Manager
Section 6- What improvements have you made?
|
|
MPG |
Incidents per 100,000 Kms |
CO2 | NOx | PM10 | Number of PCNs |
Proportion of fleet that uses alternative fuels |
| Year 2020-2021 | 12.39 | 0 | 10.65 | 32.95 | 0.49 | 0 | 0% |
| Year 2019-2020 | 11.44 | 0 | 14.50 | 41.47 | 0.62 | 0 | 0% |
| Percentage improvement | Increase 8.30% | N/A | Decrease 26.55% | Decrease 20.55% | Decrease 20.97% | N/A | 0% |
Driver health and fitness review- all drivers complete health and fitness declaration (including HAVS) every 6 months. All drivers must go through external medical examination (D4) every 12 months and an internal eyesight check is done every 6 months.
Outcomes from the above checks and examinations are reviewed by our Transport Manager and whenever a concern is raised, we arrange for further examination and after care before the operative is fit to return to work.
- Recruitment of drivers– Since introducing the FORS standard within the business we have been lucky enough to keep our existing drivers without a need to recruit new drivers. We, however, have got a recruitment procedure in place which would be strictly followed when a new driver is recruited within the business
- Noise Assessments
- Our operating centre is situated in an industrial zone. All neighbouring properties are business centres, without any residential dwellings in the surrounding area. Our Noise Champion, Iulian David is monitoring the noise levels regularly to ensure that we do not cause nuisance
- Deliveries are taking place within the agreed working hours
- We comply with our clients Noise Pollution Procedures when on their property
- Drivers are expected to switch engine off while waiting to enter premises, do not use their horns, unless when necessary, turn off music/ radios while making deliveries and switch off the reversing alarms (as and when required)
- Modal Shift and alternative vehicles – at this stage of the alternative vehicles technological progress, it cannot be a working option for us, as the company delivers pallets of concrete blocks and covers distances which could not be facilitated by any alternative electrical vehicle on the market.
We are, however, constantly researching and will be considering the options as soon as there is such on the market that works for the nature of our business.
Section 7- What are your future plans?
Our future plans are to keep upgrading our current fleet of vehicles to meet technological progress and reduce the carbon footprint so that we leave a better Planet for future generations.
We also plan to grow the client base and maintain our drivers training compliant with the current company needs and FORS requirements
Section 8- What evidence do you have of positively promoting FORS at requirement G7?
We advertise FORS through signage on the company vehicles. During the vetting stage we give priority on suppliers who are FORS accredited. We advertise our accreditations via our company website.
*Please note: All published FORS Gold case studies have been submitted by the accredited company named above and transcribed verbatim