Martin Grant Homes brought THSP on board in August 2018 after a search for a health and safety partner involving eight potential suppliers.
Adrienne Massey, then Managing Director of THSP, talked with Ian Wand, Health and Safety Manager of Martin Grant Homes, to establish how Martin Grant have benefitted through working with THSP.
The Challenge
Martin Grant Homes are a housebuilding company with projects throughout the Southern Home Counties, stretching from the South Coast to Northants. With around 90 staff and many more subcontractors working across 13 sites at any one time, it is hard work for one man to cover his team’s health and safety needs.
Ian was looking to partner with a company that had the ability to deliver all aspects of health, safety and environmental assistance they needed. This would enable him to have the support he required to maintain a safe and healthy work environment for Martin Grant’s employees and contractors. Quality is extremely important to Martin Grant Homes, and Ian is aware that getting the project right first time saves them money in the long term.
He was also keen to assist his site managers with the managing mental health of their workers, which was high on THSP’s offering.
As most of the sites that were active when THSP came on board are close to completion, Ian is keen to ensure THSP are now involved from the outset in new sites, assisting them to comply with their Client/Principal Designer duties.
The Solution
Martin Grant Homes engaged THSP to carry out Site Visits, as well as getting Chris Ivey to deliver overviews on Mental Health and Corporate & Personal Responsibilities at a Production Meeting in February. Staff had been proactively asking for help with Mental Health issues and the company has now joined the Building Mental Health Charter.
The Corporate Responsibilities session was a real wake-up call for the Company’s Directors who found it invaluable. They were extremely pleased with the informative and engaging way this rather heavy subject was presented.
Martin Grant have had their staff trained in FaceFit testing, scaffold inspection and the CITB Site Management Safety Training Scheme. They have booked their management on the IOSH Safety for Executives and Directors training course. “We are extremely happy with the practical delivery of training to our staff,” said Ian.
With new sites starting in November 2019, Ian has requested early intervention from THSP with CDM Advisor assistance as they have some challenging civil engineering tasks to complete as part of the project.
The Results
Ian Wand was pleased to admit that working with THSP has not just had a “massively positive impact”, but also saved the company money. “Safety has now been pulled up to a standard where we need it”, said Ian.
“We have access to all the information we need across the sites and THSP’s IT Manager, Tony has been fantastic in making this work how we want it.
“The staff and contractors are benefiting from the change in attitudes to Mental Health issues and people are now talking about their problems,” Ian said.
He is keen to get the company’s environmental aspects up to the same standard and will be looking to THSP to provide the necessary advice and assistance to significantly reduce the current cost to Martin Grant Homes of their environmental impacts.