PUBLIC SECTOR - Arco

Supplying thePUBLIC SECTORA guide to the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (P.P.E.),workwear and workplace safety products, either direct or throughPublic Sector framework agreements.

Arco: Working Togetherwith the Public SectorArco is the UK’s leading supplier of safetyproducts and workwear. With a strongheritage and expertise in supplyingthe public sector, Arco is proud to be amember of a number of key frameworkagreements such as the GovernmentProcurement Service (GPS), CrescentPurchasing Consortium (CPC), EasternShires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO)to name a few.This brochure provides an introduction to Arco and the keyagreements we work within. There are also case studiesthat illustrate how we operate with different customers tomeet their specific requirements.contentsIntroduction to ArcoCorporate Social Responsibility 3Arco Service 4Framework AgreementsGovernment Procurement Service 5Crescent Purchasing Consortium 6Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation 7N.H.S. 8Case StudiesDstl 9-10New College Nottingham 11-12University of Heriot-Watt 13Nottinghamshire County Council 14Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service 15-16Greater Manchester Police 17-18Trading with ArcoWe are able to work with the public sector in a way thatsuits you, predominantly either:1. Through Framework AgreementsWe are a member of a number of EU compliant frameworkagreements covering the public sector.2. DirectShould your organisation favour a direct approach,either via Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU)tendering or for lower value transactions, our sales contractteam can assist. Either way our branch network or salesmanagement team can help.Customers can access our extensive product range,comprehensive safety services and the widest choice ofdelivery solutions using either of these methods.There are three main ways to trade with us:• Trade Counter NetworkWe have the largest Trade Counter network across the UK,so we are never far away. We have over 40 branches aroundthe UK, each stocking 3,000 of our best selling products,providing a convenient and local ordering channel.• Sales Office NetworkWe have a nationwide network of 150 Account Managersand 250 Telephone Account Managers which manageaccounts from one of our 10 regional offices. Locatedthroughout the UK. Wherever you’re based we will havean office local to you.• Online at www.arco.co.ukAll Arco account holders receive a personalised onlineaccount enabling them to log on and order items 24 hoursa day. Customers can also request online invoicing soinvoices are emailed which helps to reduce waste.Arco is the UK’s leading supplier ofsafety equipment and workwear offeringa world-class range of over 170,000products. We provide expert advice andsafety solutions to organisations andtheir employees to protect them fromaccidents and illness at work.Founded in 1884, Arco is a family owned business witha heritage spanning four generations.With over 125 years’ experience of supplying companiesthroughout the UK and beyond, we have developed anunrivalled level of expertise and depth of knowledge.We are now regarded as the leading authority in workplacesafety, delivering expert advice and safety solutions to localbusiness owners and managers to protect themselves andtheir workforce.Headquartered in Hull, we reach our customers throughan extensive product catalogue and interactive websiteand regional sales offices and national network oftrade counters. We pride ourselves on great availability,performance and price. As Experts in Safety we arewidely recognised as a provider of specialist adviceand this is further supported by our Arco training andconsultancy division.We can supply over 170,000 products which means wecan offer you the premium brands in the industry plus awide range of own branded ethically sourced products.Our own brand is a guarantee that products have beenexpertly designed, tested and are fit for the job. It’s our aimto provide you with great availability, performanceand price.Core Purpose and ValuesArco’s mission is to keep people safe at workWe are committed to delivering this goal through our corevalues. Our values are more than just statements;they define our reasons for being in business and whatit means to be part of our extensive Arco family.With traditional family values at the heart of everythingwe do, our core purpose is to make work a better placefor people and we pride ourselves on our core values:• Respect for people• Hard work and enterprise• Excellence in reputationQuality Management SystemsArco continually strive to deliver excellence in both ourproduct and customer service. To achieve this we operatea Quality Management System that is measured to theBS EN ISO 9001 Standard. All locations have BS ENISO9001:2008. Head Office Group Departments, plus theNational Distribution Centre, and Hull Branch are nowregistered to BS OHSAS18001:2007 and together withthe Arco Clothing Centre all have registered to BS ENISO14001:2004Safety StandardsAny product which conforms to an EN standard is testedthrough the relevant certification process. In addition, ona yearly basis all Arco own brand products are put throughdue diligence testing to ensure continued conformity.As we are members of the BSIF Registered SafetySupplier Scheme you can be confident that we will supplysafety equipment which is genuine and compliant with therelevant standards and regulations. The BSIF monitor andregulate members of the scheme by conducting regularstandards audits.RS091151www.arco.co.uk2

Arco CorporateSocial ResponsibilityArco ServiceArco in the CommunityAt Arco we are dedicated to our Corporate SocialResponsibility programme and continually demonstratethis by supporting local communities and charities,donating in excess of 1% of pre-tax profits annually.We formed the Arco Group Charity Committee in 2003to lend a formal structure to our socially responsibleinitiatives. We support employees who are involved withtheir local charities or community groups, matchingindividual funds raised.We take an immense amount of pride in how active ourpeople are socially and the positive impact they havefor causes within their communities. As a business wesupport their endeavours – giving every member of stafftwo days paid time off for volunteering each year.Supply Chain ManagementWe have put many initiatives and processes in place toensure that we trade in a way that upholds our core values.We were the first distributor to become members of ETI andhave progressed to chair the General Merchandise CaucusGroup which helps to shape ETI policies and priorities. Wefully subscribe to the ETI Base Code and have incorporatedthis internationally recognised code of labour practice into ourown Ethical Policy.• Employment is freely chosen• Freedom of association and the right to collectivebargaining are respected• Working conditions are safe and hygienic• Child labour shall not be used• Living wages are paid• Working hours are not excessive• No discrimination is practised• Regular employment is provided• No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowedIn 2010 we became a member of Sedex, the SupplierEthical Data Exchange, a not for profit membershiporganisation dedicated to driving improvements inresponsible and ethical business practices in global supplychains. Being an ‘AB Member’ allows us to share ethicalcompany information in one place. We can also view oursupplier’s data so that we can ensure they meet the highstandards we work to.Fairtrade works to ensure a better deal for Third WorldProducers. The FAIRTRADE mark ensures small-scalecotton farmers in the developing world receive a betterdeal. Arco is proud to support this initiative and offersa range of cotton T-shirts and polo shirts within ourworkwear offer.Environmental ResponsibilityEnvironmental sustainability is also really important tous and we have a number of ongoing projects to helpus achieve our goals. These include initiatives to makeproduct packaging improvements as well as waste andenergy management schemes. For example 99% ofpackaging waste at the NDC is sent for recycling.The Arco National DistributionCentre (NDC)Our National Distribution Centre is a landmark in Hull; it is ahuge 200,000 square foot facility. The building won awardsfor its innovative design as it is externally supportedthrough the structure in order to eliminate internal columnsand thereby maximise space. The NDC opened in 2000and was further extended to double its size in 2005 as akey part of the Supply Chain Project that centralised Arco’sbulk stockholding. The building has 14,600 bulk storagepallet locations which is the equivalent to 561 lorry trailers.We hold approximately 18,000 SKUs in stock and theNDC receives up to 100 vehicles a day at goods receipt,including three 40 foot containers.The NDC operates 24 hours a day, five days a week.Two different teams work within the NDC; the day shiftpick, pack and send out orders and the night shift workthrough the night to replenish the stocks to ensure thereare products on the shelves. The NDC manages deliveriesto customers and Arco Trade Counters; over 16,000 orderlines per day are processed and on average 7,000 parcelsand 250 pallets are dispatched on a daily basis.The Arco Clothing Centre (ACC)In order to provide a fully integrated service to our customerswe have created our own state-ot-the-art Arco ClothingCentre (ACC) in Preston, the largest of its kind in the UK.This innovative approach ensures consistency of service anda fast track (next day) option. You can use our embroideryand badging service to brand workwear worn by youremployees, suppliers and customers. We decorate a widerange of clothing and accessories and can embroider poloshirts, T-shirts, fleeces, coveralls and caps. We can also heatseal hi-vis garments. Quality Assurance checks and highquality products are thorough and there is a returns rate ofonly 0.05%.e-Procurement and Systems IntegrationArco work with a number of e-procurement platforms andsystems including Oracle iProcurement, ProcServe, IDeA,ScienceWarehouse, Ariba and Sciquest. As standard,Arco offers hosted catalogues or Punch-out (cXML or OCI)alongside order and invoice integration using cXML. Otherformats and methods of connectivity such as EDI (Tradacoms,EDIFACT etc) are available by separate negotiation.Staying safe has never been easier. Order online, bytelephone, email, fax or post, whichever is convenient foryou. We offer a range of delivery services including sameday, next day or day one for day three; even a bespokeon site delivery service can be arranged. We also have aClick & Collect service which allows you to order a productonline and collect from a trade counter closest to you,sometimes up to an hour after ordering!3www.arco.co.uk4

GovernmentProcurementServiceGovernment Procurement Service is an executiveagency of the Cabinet Office. Their overallpriority is to provide procurement savings forthe UK public sector as a whole and specificallyto deliver centralised procurement for centralgovernment departments.Government Procurement Service work across centralgovernment and the wider UK public sector including localgovernment, health, education, devolved administrations,emergency services, defence and not for profit organisations.Working with over 14,500 organisations in centralgovernment, health, local government, devolvedadministrations, education and the not for profit sector,Government Procurement Service managed over£8.4bn of customer spend through their procurementarrangements and services in the 2011-12 financial year.Key areas of focus are:• Driving the delivery and development of GovernmentProcurement Service• Continued delivery of savings• ‘e’Enablement of operations• Operational and financial efficiency• Development and retention of high quality professional staffFor more information visit:http://gps.cabinetoffice.gov.uk“As a specialist safetycompany, Arco is able toprovide customers on thisframework agreement withspecialist knowledge andadvice on keeping people safeat work. We are confident thatthrough Arco they will continueto have access to the very bestadvice and products to keeptheir staff save at work.”5Paul Wallace, Category Executive– Buildings and Hardware,Government Procurement Servicewww.arco.co.ukSupplier toFramework Agreement Number: RM632/L5Arco and the GovernmentProcurement ServiceIn 2009 Arco was awarded the Government ProcurementService framework agreement for the supply and delivery ofpersonal protective equipment, safety equipment/ trainingand corporate wear to the Public Sector.Key contract wins:• The Environment Agency Arco secured the four yearcontract via a mini competition to supply PPE, gloves andworkplace safety equipment in April 2011.• Defence Science Technology Laboratories (Dstl)Although we had secured the GPS framework agreementwe still had to enter a mini competition to secure thiscontract. Read more about this on page nine.• Food Standards Agency (FSA) Following a minicompetition Arco was awarded this four year contract tosupply food industry products including clothing and gloves.• Natural England Following a mini competition wewere awarded a four year contract to supply a range ofoutdoor clothing. The ability of our specialist categorymanagement team to source a range of high qualityoutdoor products was key to us winning this contract.• UKAEA Following a mini competition Arco was awardeda four year contract to supply PPE and PPC Equipmentin November 2011. Arco previously held this contract viaan OJEU tender process, however when this agreementended UKAEA elected to re-tender it via a GovernmentProcurement Service framework mini competition, ratherthan full OJEU, in line with the latest public procurementbest practice guidelines.• Ministry of Justice Arco have supplied their PPE,gloves, footwear and associated safety items sinceJune 2010. All orders are handled by a single point ofcontact at our Arco Watford office which has provideda superb platform for Arco to understand the needsand intricacies of dealing with the various parts of theorganisation. Our Arco Watford office currently handlesover 100 orders each and every day from right acrossthe Ministry of Justice.CrescentPurchasingConsortium (CPC)The CPC is owned by and run on behalf of theFurther Education Sector. It is the only purchasingconsortium operated exclusively for institutionsworking in the Further Education (FE) sector.Arco were awarded the framework to supply PPE,First Aid, Corporate Wear, Food Industry Clothing,Sports Clothing, Personalised Clothing andMedical Clothing.For more information visit: www.thecpc.ac.ukThe following institutions can access Arcovia the CPC framework:• Universities• Colleges• Sixth form colleges• Academies• Specialist and special needs colleges• Schools with sixth forms• Adult education colleges• Private and independent colleges (FE only)CPC represent a joint contracting programmewith other public sector bodies that are nowable to access Arco through this framework andthese include:• NWUPC North Western UniversitiesPurchasing Consortium• NEUPC• LUPC• WFEPC• SUPC• TPL• APUC• HEPCWNorth Eastern UniversitiesPurchasing ConsortiumLondon UniversitiesPurchasing ConsortiumWelsh Further EducationPurchasing ConsortiumSouthern UniversitiesPurchasing ConsortiumTUCO Purchasing Ltd, previously SNUPIAdvanced Procurement forUniversities and CollegesHigher Education PurchasingConsortium, WalesFramework Agreement Number: 2011/875Key Contract Wins:New College Nottingham We provided students with anew student induction kit – a tailored head to toe packageof PPE to last them the duration of their course. We havealso supplied safety footwear, protective clothing, highvisibility garments, respiratory, eye, head and hearingprotection, plus corporate clothing and uniforms for staff.Perth College The College switched to buying their workwearfrom Arco through the APUC agreement. We supplied a rangeof clothing including coveralls and polo shirts.South and City College Birmingham We supplied largeamounts of ethically sourced PPE for the constructionorientated college including boots, hi-vis, ear protectionand coveralls.Central College Nottingham We supplied a kitbag forapproximately 80 students on the public services course,including a branded uniform and safety footwear.““We have found Arco to be a greatcompany to work with and theyhave made a tremendous effortto understand our priorities andour needs as a business. Thedeliveries have always been timelyand we felt fully supported by theaccount team at the LinlithgowBranch. Because of the success,we now promote Arco throughour Internal Buyer Guide andour online eMarketplace, whichmeans all departments aroundthe campus have access to Arco’sknowledge and its products”.”Richard Kinghorn,Procurement Manager,Heriot-Watt University6

Eastern ShiresPurchasing Organisation(ESPO)Contract Ref 25 (Janitorial)Contract Ref 144 (PPE)NHSFramework Agreement Number: FAG15285Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation(ESPO) is one of the UK’s largest public sectorprofessional buying organisations. ESPO is aLocal Government Joint Committee owned byseven local authorities and operates on a not forprofit cost recovery basis. ESPO’s objectives areto provide to its members and other public sectorbased purchasing bodies a comprehensive, costeffective contracting and procurement service.ESPO is a proud member of Pro5, which is a collaborationof the Central Buying Consortium (CBC), North EastPurchasing Organisation (NEPO), Yorkshire PurchasingOrganisation (YPO), ESPO and the wider public sector.Working together, Pro5’s extensive buying power provideslocal authorities throughout England and Wales with accessto a huge selection of public sector contracts coveringmany thousands of commonly ordered goods and services.Arco has worked with ESPO for many years, and thisrelationship continues in the form of the 144 PPE andclothing framework, which ESPO in collaboration with CBCestablished in June 2011. Arco are one of the suppliersthat were awarded onto the 144 framework, which is opennationally for all public sector establishments and registeredcharities to access. Arco won contract 25 for the supply ofjanitorial products in 2012.For more information visit www.espo.orgKey contract wins• Kent County Council We have supplied Workwear,footwear and PPE to the Council Highways departmentemployees. Due to the success of this contract we arenow working on orders for Simplicare (personalisedcare solutions). We also have a number of pages in theirSupplies catalogue.• Hertfordshire County Council We have suppliedWorkwear, footwear and PPE to Transport departmentemployees to form their uniforms. We also have a numberof pages in their Supplies catalogue.NHS Supply Chain was formed in 2006 from theNHS Logistics Authority and parts of the NHSPurchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA), withthe aim of providing over £1 billion of savingsto the NHS by 2016. The business managesthe sourcing, delivery and supply of healthcareproducts and food for over 1,000 NHS trustsand healthcare organisations. It provides asingle point of access to over 620,000 productsranging from bandages to sutures, from gloves toimplants, and even diagnostic equipment such asMRI scanners.Arco has held a framework agreement with NHS SupplyChain since April 2009, renewing this in April 2013 for afurther 2 years, with the option to extend for an additional2 years. The agreement covers Personal ProtectiveEquipment, Uniform and Work wear, and Staff andTheatre Footwear.NHS Supply Chain operates from seven strategic locationsacross England. The procurement division responsiblefor PPE is based at the business’ Derbyshire distributioncentre and therefore the agreement is managed fromthe Arco branch in Nottingham. Arco provides accountmanagement support by in response to demand atother NHS Supply Chain distribution centres eitherface-to-face or by telephone, depending on size andgeographic location.As cost savings are a priority for the public sector in thecurrent economic climate, our Account Managers arepermitted to recommend cost saving solutions to NHStrusts, such as exchanging products on their core listwith a lower cost alternative or with greater durability.For more information visitwww.dh.gov.uk/health/category/procurement7www.arco.co.uk8

Case Study:The Defence Scienceand Technology LaboratorySupplier toFramework Agreement Number: RM632/L5For example 99% ofpackaging waste at theNational Distribution Centreis sent for recycling.As we were awarded thetender, Arco began to workon the system to systemintegration. Dstl is a highlysecure agency and therewere many I.T. relatedchallenges to overcome.One of the first activitiesfor the Arco team was tovisit the Dstl sites and meet the people who would be usingour products.We organised a road show to visit all of the sites soemployees could meet the team and ask any questionsthey might have had. This was to try to ensure a smoothtransition to Arco products from their previous supplier.This key contract went live in September 2011 and sincethen has seen Arco supply products such as footwear,eye, hand and ear protection and a range of clothing.We have also been working with Dstl on a range ofbespoke coveralls. The relationship is working well andwe look forward to continuing to supply Dstl with specialistsafety products and use our expert knowledge to keep“The service and quality ofproducts Dstl receives fromArco is excellent. They havea team of dedicated AccountManagers and customerservice representativesavailable to Dstl at all times.Our end users are very happywith the advice and productsthat are available to them;if Dstl has the need for aspecialist requirementArco’s technical expertiseof product knowledge isvalued, with many visitsto our end users to ensurethey are receiving theright goods.”Claire Maclean, Category Manager& Deputy GPC Manager at Dstl.© Crown Copyright-MOD 2005their sites safe.Dstl is a Trading Fund of the Ministry of Defence(MOD) maximising the impact of science andtechnology (S&T) for the defence and security ofthe UK. It comprises the Government retainedelements of the former Defence Evaluation andResearch Agency (DERA).Dstl is currently based at four sites: Porton Down, PortsdownWest, Fort Halstead and Alverstoke (Institute of NavalMedicine, INM). Dstl has circa 3,500 staff based at a varietyof locations both within the UK and internationally.The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) rana mini competition through GPS to find a supplier for theirPPE and specialist protective clothing.Dstl was clear about what it was looking for in a supplierand so was quite specific in its PQQ.One aim was for an online ordering system which couldwork with their in house purchasing system. Arco workwith several customers who use online ordering and our I.T.systems are able to work with a number of e-procurementplatforms and systems. We are also able to offer hostedcatalogues or punch-out alongside order and invoicing sowe were confident that we could meet Dstl’s requirements.Dstl also wanted the option to have some of the workwearon its product list branded, so suppliers had to be able tooffer this service. The Arco Clothing Centre (ACC) providesthe capability to embroider or heatseal clothing in-house.Other key requirements included a high level of customercontact to keep Dstl informed of any issues with its orders.Arco has a structured account management system,depending on the size of the business and the level ofcontact required. All public sector contracts are overseen byour Public Sector Sales Manager, to ensure we provide allorganisations with a transparent service. Each site gets itsown account manager, based on their geographical location,who is responsible for the day to day running of the account.All orders are handled by one of our experienced customerservices administrators in their closest Arco location.One of the key objectives for any Government organisationis to be environmentally aware, using environmentallyfriendly products and processes where possible and beingconscious of packaging. Dstl specified in its PQQ thatsuppliers must be environmentally aware and conform withDirective 94/62/EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste asdescribed EN 13427 to 13432.Environmental sustainability is really important to Arco andwe have a number of ongoing projects to help us achieveour goals. These include initiatives to make productpackaging improvements as well as waste and energymanagement schemes.9www.arco.co.uk10

Case Study:Arco goes aboveand beyond forNew College NottinghamNew College Nottingham offers vocational trainingaimed to help learners gain work skills that areparticularly relevant to the local community andits economy. It is the biggest construction skillstraining college in the region and has stronglinks with local businesses to provide a ‘trainingthrough to employment’ service for its learners.Whilst looking to develop commercial partners in thecommunity, Arco was selected through the CrescentPurchasing Consortium (CPC) to provide the collegewith personal protective equipment (PPE), workwear andworkplace safety products. Steven Thompson, Head ofProject Realisation at New College Nottingham explained,“When looking for a partner to provide our workplace safetyFramework Agreement Number: 2011/875equipment and clothing we wanted a company that waslocal to us, had a good reputation and could provide expertadvice to our students. Arco, in particular its Nottinghambranch, fitted that description perfectly. Since entering thispartnership, the team at Arco have gone above and beyondour expectations to ensure our students and staff areadequately clothed and protected.”The relationship between Arco and New College Nottinghamgoes back 10 years, with Arco supplying the college withsafety footwear, protective clothing, high visibility garments,respiratory, eye, head and hearing protection, plus corporateclothing and uniforms for staff.“When looking for a partnerto provide our workplacesafety clothing andequipment we wanted acompany that had a goodreputation and couldprovide expert advice to ourstudents. Arco fitted thatdescription perfectly. Sinceentering this partnership,the team at Arco havegone above and beyondour expectations to ensureour students and staff areadequately clothed andprotected.”Steven Thompson,Head of Project Realisation atNew College NottinghamTo ensure that equipment, such as respiratory protection orgloves, are worn correctly, a member from the Arco teamprovides students with training sessions in how to maintainand use the equipment. Steven explained, “Many of ourstudents have come to college straight from school and arenot always receptive to safety advice. Having one of theArco experts come in and explain the importance of beingproperly protected has helped the message to really sink in.”Students in the 2012/13 academic year were also the firstto receive a new student induction kit – a tailored headto toe package of PPE to last them the duration of theircourse. During the induction period, each student wasrequired to visit the onsite Arco pop-up shop to be fittedfor PPE. Arco staff were on hand to help students try ondifferent sizes and types of equipment and advise on themost appropriate solution. An order was raised followingthe fittings and Arco prepared, packaged and deliveredeach tailored induction kit to the students. Consumableitems such as gloves and light respiratory protectionwere provided to the college to be replaced as and whenneeded. Steven commented, “Arco worked closely withNew College Nottingham students to provide a tailoredkit for each student and this has been a huge help to us.As a result the students are correctly fitting and operatingPPE, they look professional and it replicates what usuallyhappens in the working world.”Both Arco and New College Nottingham are members ofthe Nottinghamshire Construction Forum, a forum thatprovides a community network for local constructioncompanies where members can identify common interests,examine issues and take action on them. The ArcoNottingham branch has also participated in New CollegeNottingham’s charitable activities, providing students withPPE when re-laying pathway to a local church in late 2011with plans to participate in another joint project in 2013.Due to the success of the partnership with the ConstructionAcademy, the college has referred Arco to its STEMAcademy, including Biomedical and Animal Sciences, andalso the Hair and Beauty and Catering academies.11www.arco.co.uk12

Case Study:Arco keeps GreaterManchester Fire & Rescue Servicebreathing safelyBy understanding both the environment that the firefighterswould be working in and the need for better fittingdisposable respiratory protection, Arco was able to identifytwo styles of disposable respirators that would be bettersuited to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. Aface fit test for respiratory masks was used and as a resultboth respirators provided improved protection through abetter fit and removed the issue of the visors and glassessteaming up.After explaining how the respirators worked and how tocorrectly wear them, the Arco Premium Cupped respiratorswere chosen for an evaluation period of four months.During the evaluation period the respirators were used in allrelevant operations so that the wearers could get first-handexperience of the respirators on a day-to-day basis.Adrian Taylor from Greater Manchester Fire and RescueService commented, “The vendor day was incrediblyhelpful to us as we were able to exchange knowledge andinformation with other emergency services and learn newthings from Arco. We were not aware of the face fittingtest for respiratory masks and the high safety factors thisencompasses. Subsequently the organisation has decidedto review its respiratory masks at various other locationsdue to the success we have had with the Arco PremiumCupped respirators and the general satisfaction we hadwhen working with Arco.”As a result of the wearer trial of the Arco PremiumCupped respirators and through understanding GreaterManchester Fire and Rescue Service’s requirements bothin a safety and financial sense, Arco switched their supplyof respirators to the new respirators in October 2012.The resulting switch has meant improved levels of comfortand safety for the wearers plus an annual like for likesaving of £8,000 per year for Greater Manchester Fireand Rescue Service.With firefighters being regularly exposed to avariety of respiratory hazards during routinepost-fire clean up operations, it is importantthat they are protected with correctly fittingrespiratory protection. In April 2012 Arco hostedan emergency services vendor day, whichGreater Manchester Fire and Rescue Serviceattended, where respiratory protection wasevaluated and improved to offer better protectionand better value.Glenn Stephens, National Account Manager at Arco’sTrafford Park branch, who hosted the vendor day, explained,“When Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Serviceattended the emergency services vendor day we had anin depth conversation about the level of protection theexisting contract was providing and problems that they wereexperiencing. We identified that the disposable respiratorsused did not offer a good fit and as a result caused thewearer’s glasses or visors to steam up. This meant that thewearer would either suffer from visual impairment whilstworking or would remove the visors or glasses altogether,putting the wearer in risk. This was something both Arco andthe fire team were keen to resolve.”“The vendor day was incredibly helpful to us as we wereable to exchange knowledge and information with otheremergency services and learn new things from Arco. Wewere not aware of the face fitting test for respiratory masksand the high safety factors this encompasses. Subsequentlythe organisation has decided to review its respiratory masksat various other locations due to the success we have hadwith the Arco Premium Cupped respirators and the generalsatisfaction we had when working with Arco.Adrian Taylor, Watch Commander, Great Manchester Fire andRescue Service”15www.arco.co.uk16

Case Study:Arco demonstrates attention todetail with Greater ManchesterPolice CSI contractSeven of Arco’s key vendors attended and the eventprovided an ideal opportunity for Arco and its vendorsto understand the current safety issues and identifypossible solutions and for Greater Manchester Police toask questions, try products and learn how to use themcorrectly. From this specialist vendor day Arco was able toidentify and resolve issues and look at providing more costeffective solutions in some cases. For instance Arco is nowable to offer a better quality of disposable gloves than werepreviously used, at a better price, equivalent to an annualsaving of over £5,000 per year. Arco also identified thatthe protective coveralls worn were not suitable due to thelimited flexibility of the hood, which created an exposurerisk. An alternative basic protective coverall was offeredas it was adequate for the risks associated with the jobat a fraction of the cost. Greater Manchester Police alsopurchased a large quantity of knee pads and high poweredtorches on the day.Arco has been supplying safety advice to theGreater Manchester Police’s Crime SceneInvestigation Unit since 2006, supplying specialistequipment such as respiratory protection,kneepads, protective coveralls, gloves andtorches to enable crime scene investigators (CSIs)to safely carry out their work. In 2011, throughits Trafford Park branch, Arco began the processof reviewing the existing contract to ensure thatGreater Manchester Police were getting the bestvalue for money and each employee was correctlyprotected. As the second largest forensic serviceoutside London, this was no small task.Glenn Stephens, National Account Manager at Arco’sTrafford Park branch, who led the Greater ManchesterPolice project, explained, “In 2011 Arco worked with theCSI unit at Greater Manchester Police to evaluate theircurrent needs versus what they were being supplied withat the time, which revealed that there was opportunity toimprove in several areas.” As part of the process to improvethe existing contract, Glenn coordinated a specialist CSIvendor day at the Trafford Park Branch to allow GreaterManchester Police to evaluate the full range of products.The specialist vendor day also highlighted that respiratoryprotection was a major issue within Greater ManchesterPolice. Glenn explained, “The disposable respirators usedby the CSI unit were not flexible enough for the job. CSIswould fold them up and put them in their pockets betweenuses, but the disposable respirators would lose shapedue to the metal bar across the nose which compromisedprotection when worn. The inadequate fit of the disposablerespirators also created problems such as misting up ofglasses and visors. These respirators are used by theCSIs in contaminated environments, when dusting forfingerprints and in laboratory situations, so making surethey are correctly working is essential.”To address the concern over respiratory protection,Glenn set up a dedicated respiratory products vendorday to help Arco to better understand their needs forrespiratory equipment. Following in depth discussionswith the CSI staff and Arco vendors, Arco initiated a trialof new disposable respirator masks offering the best levelof protection for the task and following a successful trialare now included in the contract. In total, through the twovendor days, Arco were able to assist Greater ManchesterPolice in saving over £60,000 and improve the levels ofprotection for its staff.Because of the successful changes within the CrimeScene Investigation Unit, Greater Manchester Policeis now looking at rolling out this best practice projectacross all departments within the force, looking at PPE forapproximately 5,000 staff.“We are very impressed withthe work and assistancethat Arco provided. As aresult of all the PPE changesat the CSI unit at GreaterManchester Police, I havereceived extremely positivefeedback from our CSIsabout the quality of the PPEthat we now have. The staffhave said that the new kit isvery comfortable and makesscene examination a littleeasier and they have peaceof mind that they have themaximum protection againstbiological contamination.”Ben Sefton,Senior Crime Investigator,Manchester Police17www.arco.co.uk18

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