TRUSTMARK
Trust in
domestic trades
Executive Chair Liz Male
Sarah Lawton talks to Executive Chair, Liz Male, about how
TrustMark keeps health and safety at its core
T
rustMark is the Government endorsed quality scheme that
provides an easy way for consumers to find local firms and
expert tradespeople who have agreed to abide by industry
standards of competence and fair-trading. Launched in January
2006, the Government provides a Master License to TrustMark
to operate the scheme and manage its Core Criteria – the
Government endorsed standards.
TrustMark checks and approves a wide range of Scheme
Operators across all trades in the home improvement and
repair sector. They are then required to comply with the Core
Criteria and are audited regularly by TrustMark. Scheme
Operators in turn vet, inspect, check and monitor TrustMark
Registered Firms.
TrustMark is the only find a tradesman scheme to require onsite inspections to check tradesmen’s workmanship and trading
practices by independent, qualified inspectors.
“Health & Safety in
this sector is all about
protecting the workers
as well as the public”
TrustMark Core Criteria
“The Core Criteria sets out exactly what the Scheme
Operators have to do in terms of assessing and monitoring
of firms, as well as ensuring that they are fit for purpose in a
modern market and provide an appropriate level of consumer
protection,” said Liz Male, Chair of TrustMark.
“There is a very clear and specific requirement that every
single TrustMark Registered Firm has to have awareness of and
comply with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, legislation
and Waste Regulations as well as all consumer compliance
legislation, advertising guidelines, insurance requirements
and so forth. Our Code of Conduct also specifically mentions
awareness and compliance with any changes in legislation, and
requires a Code of Practice to be established and maintained,”
explained Male.