ALWAYS SAFETY FIRST AT PRESTON HIRE
ALWAYS SAFETY FIRST AT PRESTON HIRE
Safety and the wellbeing of our staff, customers and all site personnel has always been a key priority for Preston Hire. Safety plays an important role in our Core Values and shapes many of the business decisions we make for our business.
Andrew Demos, WHS Coordinator for Preston Hire Australia, plays a lead role in ensuring our focus on safety is front of mind at all times and the standards, processes and accreditations that our customers expect from us are always maintained.
“The safety standards for the construction industry in Australia are of a high standard and it is imperative that businesses such as Preston Hire not only follow these standards, but also identify ways we can go over and above to deliver a safe and efficient environment for all,” explains Demos.
“We have two key areas of focus – Safety and Quality. In both domains, Preston Hire have formal compliance or accreditation at the highest level demonstrating our commitment to delivering and maintaining excellence in these fields.
“Firstly, our Safety Management System has been AS/NZ 4801 and ISO 45001 compliant since 2009 and has continued to be maintained as our business has grown. We always strive for best practice and take this compliance very seriously. Working with builders of all sizes across Australia, we constantly meet and exceed their comprehensive safety requirements providing required documentation and evidence during the tender process to demonstrate the value we can provide,” he said.
Being ISO 45001 compliant means Preston Hire’s Safety Management System consists of policies and procedures which provide a formal framework describing the way in which they manage safety and meet the requirements of the standard.
“Try and think of a safety management system as a business manual,” said Demos. “The safety management system outlines the systems used to record, manage and analyse safety-related data. With an effective system, everyone can see exactly where accidents and unsafe situations are occurring and take proactive steps to eliminate them.”
“The main objective of a AS/NZS 4801 and ISO 45001 compliant safety management system is to reduce workplace illness and injury across the board. I’ve no doubt this is a goal of all businesses as no one wants illness or injury for the individual or for business performance. The implementation of our safety management system has also helped to deal with ethical concerns, industrial relations considerations relating to workplace safety and has served a purpose in improving our financial performance. It ticks a lot of boxes and keeps a lot of smiles on people’s faces!” said Demos.
An effective Safety Management System protects employers, customers, suppliers, and other members of the public who may be impacted by the work environment. It is a crucial element for any business, thus why Preston Hire ensures it is always delivering above expectations.
“Delivering a culture of Quality and Safety across our business is a major priority and we engage our employees by ensuring information is constantly transferred to them through daily pre-start meetings and monthly tool box talks. Our safe working culture not only ensures their own safety, but that of our customers and the public too; making us a supplier of choice within our industry,” explains Demos.
In regards to Quality, Preston Hire is proud to be ISO 9001 Quality Certified and has maintained this certification since 2015.
“Being ISO9001 certified means our organisation is recognised as meeting international standards for quality management systems and we are committed to delivering world-class processes,” said Demos. “For our customers, this means they can rest assured knowing critical processes, documentation and systems relating to their hire will be of the highest standard.”
“There are many benefits of working with a business who value safety and quality. These benefits include:
- All personnel having confidence they are in safe hands and their wellbeing is a priority.
- Consistent, repeatable processes with a common understood system.
- Dealing with staff who are confident in what to do and how it is to be done.
- Time savings for customers thanks to efficient processes and systems; and
- A committed business continually improving and enhancing their offering to meet new standards,” details Demos.
It is clear that Safety and Quality play an important role in the business and under the guidance of Andrew Demos and the Leadership Team, Preston Hire can be relied upon for delivering an excellent customer experience that is thoroughly and meticulously planned.
“We are audited regularly by third party providers to ensure our accreditation remains current and we continue to be meeting the global standards that have been set. I am proud to report we continue to pass all audits as safety and quality have become engrained in our business,” said Demos. “You can COUNT ON US to deliver safety at all times!”
