COVID-19 (CV-19) poses a real and significant threat to the most vulnerable in our society and as an organisation working within asbestos consultancy and water hygiene, public health is at the heart of what we do.

We’re committed to play our part in helping to restrict the spread of the virus by following the latest UK Government and NHS advice.

Namely:

• Practicing good levels of hygiene in our premises and when at our clients’ sites, complying fully with any specific local arrangements
• Making our staff fully aware of the need to self-isolate if they experience symptoms or where they are at a high risk of infection due to travel or close proximity to anyone testing positive
• Further site risk assessment measures specific to CV-19
• Avoiding any non-essential meetings or gatherings for the time being
• Put in place processes and procedures to enable staff to work from home where practicable to do so
• Keeping in touch with our customers and maintaining good communications throughout

More information can be found at Gov.uk,  Health Protection Scotland, and Public Health England. We will be keeping up to date with all the latest guidance and will update our policies and procedures in response to this evolving and fast-moving pandemic.

We look forward to working with suppliers and clients alike to navigate this difficult time as safely and efficiently as possible.

For Franks Portlock Consulting Limited

Phil Franks, Director.

If you have any queries, please contact the Franks Portlock team here.

We are delighted to announce we have appointed Richard Haigh as operations manager.

Richard has more than 15 years’ experience within the asbestos consultancy industry. His most recent position was within operations management in which his focus was on developing client relationships to achieve and understand their individual requirements.

In his role as operations manager at Franks Portlock, Richard will be responsible for overseeing asbestos management and consultancy operations nationwide, with a particular focus on contract delivery performance in coordination with our regional management staff and dedicated project management staff.

Richard’s appointment comes at a time of sustained growth for Franks Portlock as in recent months we have strengthened our national teams with the appointment of Natasha Wilson as a trainee asbestos analyst and Amber Thomson as an asbestos analyst.

In addition, Sean Green has recently joined us as head of operations for water hygiene, a range of new services which are set to launch in Spring 2020. This will include a full consultancy service from client training, compliance management, risk assessment, monitoring, design and supply, rectification, and the modification and maintenance of hot and cold water systems.

Commenting on his appointment, Richard Haigh, operations manager at Franks Portlock, said: “Franks Portlock is renowned for its commitment to quality and its focus on the service and close relationships it provides its clients with, an ethos that I share. I am therefore delighted to join the Franks Portlock team.

“The past twelve months has been a year of continued growth for Franks Portlock and the company has clear ambitions for future expansion and advancement to meet the ever-changing requirements of the asbestos and water hygiene industries. I am looking forward to utilising my industry experience and working together with my colleagues to achieve these defined targets.”

Phil Franks, technical director at Franks Portlock, said: “Richard boasts a breadth of industry knowledge and operations management expertise which I am confident will prove invaluable in the delivery and implementation of our growth strategy – it is my pleasure to welcome him to Franks Portlock.”

Franks Portlock specialises in helping organisations manage workplace and environmental risk in order to comply with UK safety regulations and has the technical capabilities and expertise to undertake projects of any scale whether large or small.

We work with organisations across a range of sectors, from the marine and nuclear industries to healthcare, residential and retail, both on a regional and national level.

Find out more about our services here.

At Franks Portlock, we work hard to ensure that we have a positive impact in the environments and communities we work in. Here, Cathryn Dickinson, Administrator (Company and Technical) and member of the Franks Portlock Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Team provides and insight into our 2019 CSR activity.

Please provide an overview of your CSR activity in 2019

2019 was my first year as a member of the Franks Portlock Corporate Social Responsibility Team and it was a very busy year at that! Within my role, I am based at the Franks Portlock HQ in Sunderland, and one of the things I really enjoyed about joining our CSR Team was working with colleagues in our other offices and discovering what they were doing in their communities to make a difference.

In 2019 we were able to help some great charities throughout the UK, from North Tyneside Learning Trust to Children’s Hospices Across Scotland and Hospice at Home West Cumbria, as well as many more. I loved finding out about these organisations and the great work they’re doing but I was also surprised to learn how much support they need. For example, Hospice at Home West Cumbria needs to raise over £1 million each year to deliver its vital services. That’s why we chose to support its Kapow! Superhero Challenge in Cockermouth again last summer. It was a fantastic opportunity to get the whole company together, including family and friends, for a fun day out whilst supporting a truly worthy cause. We assembled our very own superhero squad of Wonder Women, Captain America and Harley Quinn who travelled from all over the UK for the day. The kids had a brilliant day and loved the giant inflatables, slides, tunnels and foam-filled finish.

Closer to home, this year I worked a lot with Grace House in Sunderland. They provide overnight short breaks for children and young people with additional needs, from across the North East. We also moved our monthly CSR Team Meeting into their meeting room, mainly to use the great facilities, but over the year this really helped me understand the work they do and why it’s so important. This was probably what helped me to sell so many of their raffle tickets, including a winning one!

What does CSR mean to Franks Portlock?

At Franks Portlock, we believe Corporate Social Responsibility is a way to assess the impact we have on society and is an acknowledgement that we understand our responsibility towards our environment, employees, customers, community and suppliers. We are committed to being a socially responsible business internally and externally, and to do this we integrate our CSR commitments into business decisions, minimising the impact our business has on the environments we operate in, and finding and supporting great people to work for us. Our CSR policy is underpinned by our company policies to embed this thinking in our culture.

In addition, for our employees, CSR work provides a great opportunity for team building, staff engagement and overall it is a great boost for morale.

Do you have any advice for businesses looking to implement their own CSR strategy?

One of the most important elements of a successful CSR strategy is employee engagement. Stephen and Phil wanted us to work really hard in 2019 to try and give all our employees the power to decide what’s important to them when it comes to CSR. We asked everyone to vote for the charities or causes they want to support and to put forward suggestions for other ways we can operate ethically and contribute more. Some of the ideas are exciting (and a bit daunting!) which means we have some great things to look forward to throughout 2020. We will be sharing more information in the coming months about our 2020 CSR work – so please do keep an eye out!

Find out more about our Social Responsibility here: www.franksportlock.co.uk/our-social-responsibility/

As 2019 draws to a close, our Technical Director, Phil Franks, reflects on the year and provides an insight into what 2020 holds for Franks Portlock and the industry.

How would you summarise 2019? 

I would summarise 2019 as a truly exciting time of growth and development for Franks Portlock. We have been operating for more than a decade and overall 2019 will see record turnover for us, this is encouraging in such a competitive market.

Throughout the year we have further strengthened our team with new appointments spanning a range of levels and geographical locations. This includes the creation of two new roles for key appointments: Sean Green who has more than 29 years’ industry experience has joined us as Head Of Operations for Water Hygiene to establish and lead the delivery of our new water hygiene services; and Richard Haigh has recently been employed as Operations Manager in which he will oversee asbestos management and consultancy operations nationwide to ensure we are serving our new and existing clients to the highest standards.

In addition, we have worked on a breadth of new projects including the Brent Bravo and have been appointed to new frameworks such as Scotland Excel. I am confident all these factors have contributed to a successful year.

What’s been your biggest business highlight this year? 

A core milestone for us has been achieving our Legionella Control Association certification, a necessity in the water hygiene sector. This allows us to access this diverse, challenging and rewarding area of environmental consultancy, something I’ve been looking to move into for quite some time.

Is there a business lesson you’ve learnt in 2019? 

2019 has been a fantastic year of growth for Franks Portlock and one of the reasons for this has been our approach to business opportunities and prospects. This year, we have continually sought out new opportunities and we have not been afraid to step outside our bubble to challenge our own status quo. To sit still is to move backwards, as the cliché goes! This is an approach and lesson I will be driving forward into 2020 and the years to come.

What changes have you witnessed within the industry in 2019?

Throughout 2019, we have seen an increase in clients requesting complete ‘wrap-around’ asbestos consultancy services, to enable them to focus on their own workloads. In line with the growing demands, we now offer our clients bespoke asbestos management and consultancy packages inclusive of management, inspections, testing and reporting.

What industry changes or advancements do you anticipate for 2020?

For asbestos consultancy, we anticipate updates to the HSG248 and subsequently further tightening and improvement of general industry standards.

Within the water hygiene industry, a major overhaul of the industry guidance in 2013 means there aren’t too many changes on the horizon, however, there is a tendency to move towards remote sensing and monitoring as part of a management plan. However, such devices complement the current management systems rather than replace the need for suitably qualified staff.

Looking ahead, what will 2020 bring for Franks Portlock? 

I am confident that 2020 will be an exciting time for Franks Portlock as we continue to improve and enhance our asbestos consultancy offering and we make in-roads into the water hygiene sector. To support this growth and to further strengthen our national presence, we also hope to open more remote offices to better serve clients at a local level.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our team for their continued hard work and dedication and to our customers for their loyalty and the opportunities they provide us – we look forward to working with you in the new year.

For more information on our services and how we can help your business in 2020 and beyond, please contact us.

We have appointed a new Trainee Asbestos Analyst to further strengthen and support our growing analysis team.

Natasha Wilson begins her career at Franks Portlock as a Trainee Asbestos Analyst. Her responsibilities include supporting our trained expert analysts with their air monitoring processes to ensure that residual fibre concentrations are below the clearance indicator level, or to ascertain whether airborne fibres are present in a given location. She is also involved in job reporting for a cross-section of our asbestos analysis projects.

Natasha is new to the asbestos management industry and is currently working towards her asbestos fibre counting qualification (P403) and has already undertaken UKATA certified Asbestos Awareness Training and onsite training.

Commenting on her role, Natasha said: “I was keen to change my career path and take on a new challenge, so when I heard about the role at Franks Portlock, I was really eager to secure it and begin developing my skills in a completely new career. I am also looking forward to gaining additional qualifications and furthering my professional development.”

Technical Director, Phil Franks said: “At Franks Portlock we are passionate about encouraging and inspiring careers in asbestos management and consultancy, so I am thrilled to have Natasha on board and begin her career with Franks Portlock.

“Natasha demonstrates a continual drive to further develop her skills and qualifications in the industry and we are fully committed to providing her with the support she needs. I am confident she will quickly progress and become a fully trained Asbestos Analyst in the near future.”

To find out more about the services that Franks Portlock offers, click here >

We are delighted to announce that we have bolstered our service offering with the appointment of a head of business operations (water hygiene).

Sean Green has more than 29 years’ experience in the water hygiene and treatment industry and has joined Franks Portlock to establish and lead the delivery of our new water hygiene services.

Sean holds a breadth of industry qualifications including City and Guilds BS2 Control of Legionella in Hot and Cold Water Systems, City and Guilds BS4 Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment of Water Systems within Buildings, IOSH Managing Safety and Water Supply fitting regulation. He has previously held the positions of regional manager, area business manager, operations manager, water treatment technician and water treatment engineer and is a member of the Water Management Society, the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme and Approved Plumbers’ Scheme.

Our water hygiene services, which will launch in early 2020, will include a full consultancy service from the management, monitoring, modification and maintenance of water treatment systems, as well as services such as Legionella risk assessments. This comes at a time of growth for Franks Portlock as we have also recently appointed Natasha Wilson as a trainee asbestos analyst and Amber Thomson as an asbestos analyst.

Commenting on his appointment Sean said: “I am delighted to be joining Franks Portlock and to be able to utilise my experience to help shape and lead the new water hygiene division. Franks Portlock has a reputation for the high calibre advice and services it offers, and I am truly looking forward to working with the team to expand the company’s current offering to include high quality and responsive water hygiene services. Our ultimate aim is to work with our water hygiene customers to make sustainable improvements which ensure that they are managing their liability and meeting the correct regulations.”

Phil Franks, technical director at Franks Portlock, said: “This is an exciting time for Franks Portlock as we launch our new water hygiene services. As an asbestos and environmental consultancy, we have seen great demand from our clients for water hygiene services as there is a great synergy between these and the wide range of asbestos services we currently deliver. I am certain that this will further strengthen our offering, and the fact that we are able to be so responsive to our clients’ requirements is a true testament to the hard work and expertise of our staff.

“Sean is a highly experienced water treatment and hygiene specialist; I am confident that he will be a great asset to Franks Portlock and it is a pleasure to welcome him to the team.”

If you would like more information on our water hygiene services, contact our team today.

At Franks Portlock we are committed to supporting our local communities and the amazing charities within them, and our team have some exciting activities planned for the coming months.

On July 6 2019, a team of 21 Franks Portlock staff, friends and family will be taking on KAPOW!, a 5k inflatable obstacle course challenge with a superhero theme. We have also sponsored two of the obstacles, all on behalf of Hospice at Home West Cumbria, a charity that serves those in need of palliative care, as well as providing support for their family and carers.

We will also be hosting all of our monthly CSR meetings over the next 12-months at Grace House. Based in Sunderland, Grace House offers respite care for young people and children aged 5-17, who live with complex disabilities and Autism, as well as support for families such as free holistic therapies, counselling group support and family activities. In conjunction it offers rooms for hire such as a therapy room, counselling room, rest and relaxation room and a sensory room.

In addition, we are selling raffle tickets for Grace House and anyone who would like to purchase them can be input into a draw for a cash prize for up to £1,000, which takes place on Saturday July 6. We have also sponsored a gold tee at Grace Houses annual gold day at Slaley Hall on the June 14.

We will also continue to support the North Lakes Foodbank through volunteering and donations, and our support of West Cumbria Carers which aims to raise awareness and provide to support to carers in the region. We will be donating an iPad and digital camera as prizes for their fundraising raffle which will be held in June.

Alex Edminson, HR Administrator at Franks Portlock, said: “I am delighted that through our work we are able to support a wide range of charities and worthy causes. As a company which operates nationally, we continually endeavour to improve and impact the areas in which we work.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the team at Grace House for allowing us to use their facilities. I would encourage other businesses to consider how their day-to-day activities can have a positive impact. For example, if you need to hire meeting spaces, Grace House offers rooms which can hold up to 24 people, have ceiling projectors, screens, Wi-Fi access and more, whilst also allowing you to support a good cause.”

We will be providing more support and participating in more community events throughout the year – so keep an eye out for more information. You can view more information on our CSR work and commitments here.

We are proud to announce that Anita Jeremy, Sellafield Administrator at Frank’s Portlock has added to her training portfolio in becoming Franks Portlock’s first, trained mental health first aider.

The training, ran by renowned mental health charity, Mind covers all aspects of mental health training in recognising issues associated with mental health, teaching attendees how to approach people within the workplace, and how to be approached by employees as they encourage conversations around the topic.

In the UK, just 13% of employees say they feel comfortable talking about mental health illness at work, with 89% of those with mental health problems reporting an impact on their working life. At Franks Portlock, with a predominantly male workforce, this training has been encouraged by management to provide valuable support for those who may be less likely to talk about their mental health, and to maintain the company’s commitment in supporting the workforce as much as possible.

As Franks Portlock’s first mental health first-aider across the three Franks Portlock sites, Anita took the course primarily for the construction side of the business, to be trained in being able to support workers and their mental health in adopting the training course’s main principle to “listen and be non-judgmental”.

With this, Anita adds to her training qualifications of being an emergency first-aider, and in recently becoming ‘West Cumbria Carers Champion’. Anita has commended Franks Portlock on their encouragement and willing to back her training as she sets out to cover more areas of support for workers.

On taking the mental health first-aider training, Anita said: “The training wasn’t just beneficial to how I can help those I work with; I think the training is important for the wider understanding of mental health in general. It has given me a great perspective both in the workplace and outside of it of how people can suffer without support and how anyone who takes this training is able to offer help.

“I took the course with 9 others from different sectors, in a range of job titles. Since completing the course, we’ve created an online group where we can regularly communicate to share ideas on best practice, and different approaches and circumstances we experience. This gives me great support as I work to support others and help as many people as possible.”

James New, Regional Manager at Franks Portlock Sellafield, said: “I know how important this training is for the wider company and for Anita personally as a professional goal. It’s important to Franks Portlock that we are mindful of the potential mental health issues employees can experience, and we pride ourselves on providing a safe and supportive working environment.

“We hope that in being the first at Franks Portlock to take this course, Anita can inspire others to take the training as we aim to bring greater awareness to the importance of mental wellbeing in the workplace.”

Franks Portlock offers a comprehensive range of asbestos services, including consultancy, inspection, testing and management. To find out how we can help you with your asbestos management requirements, contact one of our experts here.

We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at the Contamination Expo Series 2019, on September 11 and 12 at the NEC Birmingham.

The Contamination Expo, which will be a two-day event, aims to showcase the latest in modern strategies, procedures and equipment which improve global geotechnical engineering and contamination prevention and recovery.

The Contamination Expo series will feature 150 suppliers, 120 expert-led seminars and will be made up of seven zones: land remediation, spill response, clean air technology, hazardous materials, waste water, nuclear decommissioning and remediation, and the geotechnical and geoenvironmental. The combined attendance is anticipated to be more than 20,000 environmental professionals.

As a leading asbestos and environmental consultancy our team of experts will be on hand, at stand G73, to discuss how we can help you with your asbestos management requirements through our wide range of services. This includes asbestos surveying, lab analysis, air testing, UKATA certified asbestos awareness training and clearance certification.

Lawrence Clack, Commercial Manager at Franks Portlock, said: “We are delighted to once again be exhibiting at the Contamination Expo. Whether you are a large organisation with multiple sites, or are operating smaller facilities, Franks Portlock can help with your asbestos management requirements, and the Contamination Expo provides us with the ideal platform to showcase this expertise.

“We are looking forward to further strengthening our industry networks and fostering new relationships. If you are attending The Contamination Expo, I encourage you to visit our team of specialists at stand G73, or pre-book a meeting, to discuss how we can help with your asbestos management requirements.”

You can book a meeting with one of our specialists here.

We are pleased to announce that we have a new Bulk Analyst at our Rosyth office, to strengthen the team and increase local business opportunities.

Joanne Skinner was appointed as Trainee Bulk Analyst in September 2018 and upon her appointment last year, she began training (under the guidance of senior staff members) towards her BOHS P401 qualification – Identification of Asbestos in Bulk Samples. Although Joanne had no previous experience in the asbestos management industry, she passed the exam in December and is now working and gaining experience as a Bulk Analyst in our Rosyth-based Bulk Laboratory.

Her role is varied and day to day entails a mixture of responsibilities including analysis of bulk samples from a variety of buildings/environments and assisting in the production and completion of lab reports.

Speaking of her appointment, Joanne said: “I am new to the asbestos management industry, having worked in a clerical role for a law firm for the past 12 years, I wanted a change of career and to do something a bit more hands on. Franks Portlock is a very well established and reputable company and I didn’t hesitate when they asked me to join them.
“After a long period of training and constant QC checking I’m looking forward to implementing my knowledge and actively working on live projects now that I am qualified and authorised. Going forward, I will conduct lab analysis on asbestos samples in-house at our Rosyth office, this local offering will streamline our turnaround times and increase efficiencies for our Scotland-based projects.”

Phil Franks, Technical Director of Franks Portlock, said: “I am delighted to welcome Joanne to the team, she has grasped the legislation and regulations surrounding the asbestos industry as well as the technical requirements of course, with great ease, as can be evidenced in her passing of her BOHS P401 qualification so quickly after her appointment. I am confident that she will strengthen our ability to continue delivering expert lab analysis services to our customers.”

Franks Portlock offers a comprehensive range of asbestos services, including consultancy, inspection, testing and management. To find out how we can help you with your asbestos management requirements, contact one of our experts here.