A Safe Tomorrow is our strategic plan to help secure a safer future by being more sustainable in how we develop and deliver products and services and how we work with customers and partners.
How Arco Ensures Wimbledon Safety Systems are Championship Ready
With the eyes of the world on Wimbledon, the experts at Arco Professional Safety Services have been working to ensure the safety of people working behind the scenes.
Arco has been providing fall protection services and working at height training for the Championships since 2019, helping to ensure the safety of maintenance and cleaning staff, camera and lighting crews, and others working in areas where there is a risk of falling.
For the past five years, Arco's team of working at height specialists have been instrumental in installing and annually testing and recertifying vital fall protection systems at the world-famous All England Club, including on Centre Court and Courts 1 and 2.
In preparation for this year's tournament, Arco has meticulously inspected around a dozen different fall protection assets, including RoofSafe and 3M horizontal lifeline systems, Soll Pivitloc ladder systems, fall arrest anchor points, fixed ladders, and self-retracting lifeline fall arrest blocks.
Arco's highly skilled trainers have also provided training in rooftop safety and rescue from height, allowing the Wimbledon team to safely access the court roofs to maintain lighting banners and other equipment. Workers have to be retrained in rescue from height every year and rooftop safety every three years.
Matthew Glass, fall protection manager at Arco Professional Safety Services, said:
"By testing and certifying the fall protection systems and providing essential work at height training, Arco plays an important role in the smooth and safe operation of the Wimbledon championships.
"With our support, the Wimbledon team can focus on delivering a world-class sporting event, knowing that Arco, the Experts in Safety, are helping them meet the highest safety standards."
Arco Professional Safety Services provide consultancy, training, services and equipment to manage the most complex and high-risk, hazardous scenarios
Arco Helps LEGOLAND Build Safety into Thrilling New Rollercoaster
Working at height specialists from Arco Professional Safety Services have installed vital safety systems on a thrilling new rollercoaster at the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort.
The £10m Minifigure Speedway is the UK's first LEGO duelling rollercoaster, featuring cars that race to the end of a dynamic dual track before racing in reverse back to the start, reaching speeds of up to 35mph.
Arco worked with park operator Merlin Entertainments and ride manufacturer Zierer on the design, fabrication and installation of horizontal and inclined cable systems designed to provide reliable fall protection for LEGOLAND maintenance staff.
The fall protection solutions allow workers to safely conduct daily inspections, carry out essential repairs, and manage reactive tasks, including the safe evacuation of guests if necessary.
Matthew Glass, fall protection manager at Arco Professional Safety Services, said:
"We are proud to bring our working at height expertise to another exciting new rollercoaster, continuing our long-standing partnership with Merlin Entertainments.
"We are proud to have played a role in bringing this new experience to life for Legoland Windsor Resort, helping to ensure the ride is not only exciting but also meets the highest standards of safety.
"The fall protection systems will ensure workers can carry out their duties with confidence, knowing they are secured by a system that allows them to move freely and safely when working at height."
The inclined cable systems installed by Arco, supplied by MSA Latchways, are specifically designed to provide reliable fall protection for people working on sloped structures, including rollercoasters. In the event of a slip or fall, the BridgeLatch guided-type fall arresters lock on immediately, preventing a potential accident.
Stephen Cassidy, health, safety & security director at LEGOLAND Windsor, said:
"We have worked with Arco professional specialists on many projects at LEGOLAND Windsor as the safety of our workforce is paramount.
"Arco have provided robust ergonomic solutions for performing planned and reactive working at height maintenance operations and we continue to work with Arco for best practice guidance and for the maintenance and inspection of our fall prevention and arrest systems".
Falls from height are the most common cause of fatality and serious injury in the workplace, so fall protection is vitally important.
Arco Professional Safety Services' fall protection solutions help ensure the safety of workers and prevent accidents when working at height.
Arco Signs New Charter Calling for Inclusivity in PPE
Arco, the UK and Ireland's leading provider of safety products and services, has signed up to a new charter calling for inclusivity in workplace PPE.
The Protection for Everyone Charter, launched yesterday by health and safety news publisher SHP, calls for well-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) to be seen not just as best practice, but as the minimum standard for all.
Arco is one of the first organisations to sign up and support the charter, along with UK industry names such as National Highways, IOSH, Vodafone and Heathrow Airport.
Those who sign the charter are signing up to the following commitments:
To uphold the value that all workers deserve access to well-fitting PPE to work comfortably, with the understanding that standard sizing of PPE is not a one-size fits all.
To proactively source suitable and correctly fitting PPE to meet the individual needs of any employees who require it, with the understanding that PPE may need to be sourced from more than one supplier.
To work with any individual employee that has concerns or issues with the PPE provided to allow us to provide a suitable and well-fitting alternative To provide inclusive PPE for all as part of our dedication to the health, safety and overall wellbeing of our employees.
To lead by example and share best practice with our contractors and suppliers.
Despite improved availability of PPE designed for women in recent years, research carried out last year by the National Association of Women in Construction (Yorkshire) found that 59.6% of women surveyed were still not being provided with it.
"At Arco, we understand that PPE is not 'one-size fits all', and we firmly believe everyone should have access to the right PPE to ensure they can work comfortably and safely.
"As the UK and Ireland's Experts in Safety, our core purpose is to keep people safe at work, and this means all people.
"We fully support SHP's Protection for Everyone campaign and are proud to be among the first to the sign the charter. We encourage our partners and customers to do the same, and help to ensure safety really is for everyone."
Katy Robinson, PPE campaigner and co-chair of the National Association of Women in Construction Yorkshire, said:
"It's fantastic that there are so many companies that have already pledged their support by signing this charter.
"It is a huge step forward in ensuring that all workers are provided with PPE that fits, to make the industry not only a safer place, but a more inclusive place, too."
Arco Wins Place on Public Sector Supply Frameworks
Arco has secured a place on two valuable frameworks to provide PPE, workwear and other supplies to public sector organisations in the UK and Ireland.
The UK and Ireland's leading safety supplier has been selected as an approved supplier as part of the "Framework Agreement for Supply of Healthcare PPE" for the Health Service Executive (HSE), Ireland's public healthcare system.
Under the framework, which is worth a potential €15m over the next three years, Arco can supply hand sanitiser, nitrile gloves, eye protection, body protection and masks to the HSE.
Separately, Arco has also been chosen as an approved supplier for the "PPE, Workwear, Janitorial and Site Equipment Supplies Framework" by EEM, a non-profit organisation that provides simpler procurement processes for the public sector in England and Wales.
EEM's membership consists of 360 public sector and third sector organisations, including housing associations, local authorities, education providers, NHS trusts, emergency services, charities and government agencies.
The EEM framework agreement, which lasts for two years, is divided into four "lots", with Arco successful bidding to join three of those lots: PPE, workwear and janitorial.
The range of products that Arco can supply through the framework include:
PPE: Breathing apparatus, eye and face protection; fall management; head protection; hearing protection; respiratory protection; hand protection; safety footwear; body protection; first aid
Simon Allan-Brooks, Arco's chief commercial officer, said:
"Arco has decades of experience working with public sector organisations and we look forward to helping the members of these frameworks keep their people safe over the coming years.
"This is the first time Arco has secured a place on the HSE framework, and we are very excited about the opportunities this will open up for us in Ireland.
"This further demonstrates our unrivalled status as Experts in Safety and a trusted and responsible choice of safety partner to businesses and organisations across the UK and Ireland."
What is a framework?
Procurement frameworks enable buyers to place orders for goods and services without the need for multiple tenders.
Framework agreements are put in place with a list of pre-approved providers for a given timeframe, with agreed terms and conditions and legal protections.
Buyers can procure their required goods and services via a direct award to a supplier or by running a "mini-competition" within the framework.
Arco Awarded EcoVadis Gold Medal for Sustainability
Arco, the UK and Ireland's leading safety provider, has once again been awarded a gold medal for sustainability by the world's largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings.
After thorough examination of its sustainability performance by independent experts at EcoVadis, Arco has retained its "Gold" status for 2024, improving on its overall score since the company's last assessment.
The gold rating means Arco is ranked in the top 5 per cent of more than 120,000 companies assessed by Eco-Vadis.
EcoVadis singled out Arco's leadership on environmental sustainability as "outstanding" in comparison with its peers.
Arco's sustainability initiatives over the past year include the launch of a new Responsible hi-visibility clothing range, as well as the installation of more than 2,300 solar panels on the roof of the company's National Distribution Centre in Hull.
Jim Harbidge, head of sustainability at Arco, said:
"At Arco, we continually review and improve practices across the business to ensure we deliver best practice in sustainability.
"We are extremely proud of this award and what it means for our products, those who make them and our customers who share our aims and values.
"We still aspire to achieve the 'Platinum' award and will continue to find new ways to differentiate ourselves as a responsible choice of safety partner."
EcoVadis measures sustainability performance across the four themes of environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.
Its rating methodology measures the quality of a company's sustainability management system through three management pillars of policies, actions, and results.
A team of international sustainability experts analyse and cross-check companies' data in order to create reliable ratings, considering each company's industry, size and geographic location. EcoVadis reviews its performance rating approach each year in support of best practice in sustainability.
The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported an outbreak of E. coli, with over 100 confirmed cases and dozens hospitalised with food poisoning. The outbreak is believed to be linked to contaminated nationally distributed food, but the source has not yet been confirmed.
How E. coli spreads
E. coli can contaminate meats, food crops, water, and unpasteurized milk and cheese. It can spread through:
Contact with contaminated food or water
Human carriers who don't properly wash their hands after using the toilet
Pets and zoos that are contaminated
Symptoms of E. coli infection
Symptoms of E. coli infection typically appear within 3-9 days of consuming contaminated food and include:
Severe stomach cramps
Diarrhoea
Fever
Nausea
Vomiting
Complications
Complications can include thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a life-threatening condition.
Prevention measures
To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal infections and prevent the spread of the infection:
Wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water, especially after using the toilet and before preparing food
Follow food hygiene measures, such as washing fruit and vegetables and cooking food properly
Use disinfectants to clean surfaces that may be contaminated
Avoid preparing food for others if you have diarrhoea and vomiting
Do not visit people in hospitals or care homes if you have diarrhoea and vomiting
Preventing cross-contamination for food environments
To control and reduce the risk of E. coli in your business, you must comply with food hygiene legislation and ensure all work areas, surfaces and equipment for raw and ready-to-eat food are adequately separated and all areas are cleaned and disinfected. Staff must wash their hands to a high standard. You must follow specific legal requirements to ensure that food is safe. Food safety e-learning courses are available online and on demand from our Arco Professional Safety Services team. See below the list of relevant options available.
If you have symptoms of E. coli infection, do not return to work, school, or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped. If you are worried or experiencing severe symptoms, call NHS 111 or contact your GP surgery.
Important notes
Many people recover well from E. coli infection, but some individuals, such as young children, can become very unwell. It is crucial to take steps to prevent the spread of the infection and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or persist.
Arco Volunteers Give Up 1,000 Hours For Good Causes
Kind-hearted Arco staff have carried out almost 1,000 hours of voluntary work over the past year.
Since July last year, 169 Arco colleagues have contributed a total of 966 hours to volunteering in their communities, supporting many different organisations, including Age UK and the Royal British Legion.
Everyone who works for Arco is encouraged to take two paid days out of the business each year to volunteer for causes that matter to them.
In April, Arco staff dedicated one of their volunteering days to supporting Mires Beck Nursery in North Cave, which provides work experience and social therapeutic horticulture for adults with learning difficulties.
The volunteers helped replant hawthorn trees, added fresh coats of paint to the office building, and worked in the perennials garden.
Arco project manager Nicola Litten said:
"There were many daily tasks to complete, so we split into small groups to work alongside the service users and their staff to crack on with painting the outside of the building, pot on perennial plants or work in the tree section to tidy up hawthorn saplings.
"It was a very rewarding and insightful day to be able to support a local charity and get some fresh air out of the office! I would highly recommend it to any other Arco colleagues."
Another volunteering day saw a group of staff help tidy up Humber Bridge Country Park in Hessle.
Arco has lined up a number of different volunteering opportunities for staff this month, including helping plant a new wildlife garden for east Hull charity EMS -Environmental & Management Solutions, and sorting stock for Dove Hose Hospice charity shops.
Next month, volunteers will help long-standing Arco charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support reinvigorate a patient garden space at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham.
Di Hopper, chief people officer at Arco, said:
"This Volunteers' Week, we'd like to thank all the amazing individuals from Arco who have given time to support charity or community projects in need of valuable time and help.
"It is lovely to hear just how much our colleagues have enjoyed, learnt and taken away from the experience, as well as how much the organisations have benefited.
"We encourage all our staff to take two volunteering days a year, as part of our commitment to being a responsible choice of employer and expert safety partner.
"We hope our volunteers inspire many more people make a difference over the next 12 months."
This Week is Volunteers' Week (June 3-9), a chance to recognise, celebrate and thank the UK's incredible volunteers for all they contribute to local communities, the voluntary sector, and society as a whole.
Volunteers' Week, first established in 1984, is celebrating its 40th anniversary, in the same year Arco celebrates its 140th.
Arco Team Take 2nd Place In Rope Rescue Competition
A team of fearless work-at-height trainers from Arco Professional Safety Services have taken second place in a gruelling rope rescue competition.
The Prusik Rope Rescue Event 2024, held at the Avonmouth Dock in Bristol on May 18, featured nine teams from around the UK taking part in rescue challenges while sharing knowledge and learning in technical rope rescue.
The Arco team, made up of work-at-height trainers Rob Messenger, Jack Ball, Peter Hancock, Nat Smart, Bartek Biela and Ian Moss, faced stiff competition, including teams from emergency services and other private rescue providers.
Each team had to pass three rescue "evolutions", facing challenging scenarios such as rescuing a casualty from a narrow walkway suspended at the end of a shipping crane.
The teams had 60 minutes to complete each evolution. If a team declared they could not manage the rescue, the clock stopped and it became a training exercise, with the assessor coaching the team through the rescue.
Rob Messenger, Arco's team leader on the day, said:
"When the teams assembled on the quayside, it quickly became apparent they were all highly capable and well-drilled in technical rope rescue.
"Prior to each rescue, the team leader was given four minutes to brief the team on the scenario, rules, or restrictions.
"We decided that, when our briefing time was up and the rescue time started, we would not rush away, but instead confirm understanding and then conduct the rescue."
Putting their skills and expertise to the test and passing all three challenges, the Arco team were overjoyed to be named overall runners-up.
The top three teams were awarded a kit bag donated by Never Let Go.
Rob said the event was great for the team's continuing professional development, as their technical rescue knowledge and expertise was bolstered with lessons learnt.
He said: "We spoke to many of the other teams, looking at how they used their equipment and how we have rigged ours.
"Our product knowledge was improved too, with workshops provided by the suppliers and distributors. Some of the innovations had a clear role within some of our customers' workplaces.
"When we were announced as second place, we were chuffed to bits. It really felt that our efforts and personal time spent training had been rewarded."
Arco Professional Safety Services' complete range of workplace environment solutions includes comprehensive management of working at height challenges.
Arco's expert trainers ensure people have the proper preparation to do their jobs safely, catering for most industry sectors.
Their working at height training expertise includes: