The Project
Yorkshire Water is a British water supply and treatment utility company servicing West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire and Derbyshire in England.
We have recently been appointed to undertake asbestos surveying and air monitoring services across Yorkshire Water’s commercial and residential property portfolio, including water treatment plants, reservoirs, farms, commercial and residential buildings.
Our Approach
We will be conducting a mobilisation meeting in the coming months and will be undertaking monthly progress meetings following project initiation. This will ensure continued communication and collaboration between our team and the client throughout the project.
Our P402 qualified asbestos surveyors will use The Electronic Asbestos Management System (TEAMS) on their handheld tablets to collect all survey data onsite/in real time. TEAMS is an integrated digital system that allows us to perform all asbestos tasks in one end-to-end system, from initial inquiry to quotations, job scheduling, data collection, report production, and invoicing. All information inputted into TEAMS is fully auditable/transparent.
TEAMS records all the survey information (including photos) and transfers it directly from site to our quality assurance (QA) team. Our QA team then validate the information gathered and use it to write up the final reports. We have provided Yorkshire Water with access to TEAMS, which allows them to access reports and monitor the entire programme, in real time, 24/7/365 (free of charge). TEAMS provides Yorkshire Water with visibility of all scheduled surveys as well as instant access to all survey reports/bulk sample analysis/air monitoring certifications. The portal clearly shows the real-time progress of any survey and is fully searchable by project, site address, and many other parameters to provide the client with absolute clarity on project progress.
Yorkshire Water will transfer data from their site via their platform, Rubix, to our system, TEAMS, enabling us to create comprehensive reports that can then be forwarded to the client. Our surveyors will gather samples, generate detailed reports, and upload them to Yorkshire Water's portal. This streamlined process ensures that all survey information is consolidated and easily accessible in one centralised location.
Additionally, we will conduct comprehensive site inductions to ensure safety protocols are clearly understood. To facilitate this, we will provide guidance to the trainer to undertake the inductions.
Due to the high-risk nature of the survey locations, our surveyors require additional, site-specific qualifications for the more complex sites. All surveyors are P402 qualified for surveying and P403 and P404 qualified for air monitoring. To undertake this work, our surveyors were required to obtain the following additional qualifications:
• NVQ LEVEL 2 award in entrant and entry controller for confined spaces (Medium Risk)
• EUSR CARD (Energy and Utility Skills Register)
The Challenge
A significant challenge arises from the unique site-specific hazards associated with Yorkshire Water’s commercial sites. For example, conducting surveys on water plants featuring narrow and confined spaces significantly increases the risk level at certain sites. This poses a challenge in ensuring that surveyors have the required equipment and qualifications for the job. To address this, we are proactively equipping our surveyors with experience in working within these high-risk areas. This hands-on exposure will enable them to navigate the unique challenges associated with high-risk environments safely and adaptively. Furthermore, maintaining open communication with the client is paramount in efficiently managing risks, particularly in these high-risk settings.
Our Achievement
We have established several key performance indicators (KPIs) for this project and have met each one so far. We have successfully completed two projects to date, with others currently in the planning stages and scheduled for the upcoming month.
Given the high-risk nature of the surveys, meticulous planning and extended turnaround times are essential to ensure a streamlined process. This planning process ensures that all parties have a comprehensive understanding of their responsibilities and are well-prepared ahead of the survey, allowing all deadlines to be met with sufficient time allocated to manage risks whilst undertaking surveys.
As part of our innovative process, we use the geocode system, what3words, to enhance our work by precisely pinpointing remote locations. This tool eliminates complications associated with accessing areas lacking specific addresses or postcodes.
We are currently developing our working relationship with Yorkshire Water and look forward to continuing working together over the remainder of the contract.
