The benefits of the SafeHire Certification Scheme were highlighted in two workshops at the Hire Convention in September.
They were showcased by the Hire Association Europe and Event Hire Association (HAE and EHA) with the goal of improving all areas of company operations from CSR policy, quality management, health and safety, environmental management and customer service standards.
SafeHire will become a prerequisite for HAE EHA membership from 1 January 2018, meaning all members must successfully complete the certification process by that time.
Several big players in the hire sector, including A-Plant, Brandon Hire, Hire Station, Hirebase, HSS, Travis Perkins and Speedy Hire, have already gone through the audit process and are reaping the rewards of certification.
Graham Arundell, HAE EHA managing director said: 'SafeHire has already had a hugely positive impact on businesses that have completed certification and our aim at the Hire Convention was to continue to widen awareness of SafeHire so that people better understand the importance of certification for the industry.
'There's been a steady recognition, from the wider industry, of the need to work with partners who have the appropriate certifications; but there's more that needs to be done to push the message. SafeHire has the potential to become the trusted mark of quality for the hire sector and to replace the myriad of PPQs demanded of members'
A key element to reaching HAE EHA's goal for SafeHire Certification will be inclusion as part of procurement tenders. This is something that is already gaining traction in the UK with a number of leading hire companies reporting that national clients, such as Network Rail, Balfour Beatty and Barratt Homes, are beginning to insist that their hire partners must be SafeHire certified in order to be considered for inclusion on preferred supplier lists.
