NEWS
BLAST OFF
Thompsons of Prudhoe ’ s Chris Dobson ( centre ) with Norman Venus and Paula Willoughby of NVQA .
PICTURE : CHRIS BOOTH
BOS Plant and Blast Furnace contracts shows value of tiein between demolition firms and Tees ISO consultants
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demolition firm ’ s commitment to ISO standards continues to benefit from a 25-year relationship with a Tees business management consultancy .
And those high standards have helped it achieve a key contract to flatten two of Teesside ’ s most iconic industrial landmarks – the BOS ( Basic Oxygen Steelmaking ) plant and blast furnace on the former Redcar Steelworks site .
Thompsons of Prudhoe specialise in demolition , deconstruction , decommission , industrial dismantling , asbestos removal , site reclamation , earthmoving , contaminated land remediation and site clearance . It operates throughout the UK , employing around 400 staff with a turnover in excess of £ 30m .
In 1998 , brothers John and Billy Thompson recognised their company was growing substantially and wanted to demonstrate to existing and potential clients that the quality of their services and products could be assured by certification to an ISO standard .
An introduction by Teesside-based firm J . Macmaster Demolition started a 25-year relationship between family-run business management consultancy NVQA and the Northumberland firm .
Under NVQA ’ s guidance , Thompsons adopted the requirements of ISO 9001 – formerly BS 5750 – and used UKAS certified assessment body Lloyds Register Quality Assurance ( LRQA ) for assessment of their ISO 9001 Quality Management System , which was achieved at its first attempt in December 1998 .
With the diversity of the company ’ s activities and client base expanding , Thompsons – with the aid of NVQA – embraced the requirements of Environment Management System ISO 14001 , and assessment was achieved at the first attempt in December 2002 .
NVQA continued to provide support for the maintenance of the integrated management system and in 2014 , as concerns over the national energy consumptions were increasing , the government issued a legal requirement for companies with more than 250 employees to conduct energy surveys at all of their premises , or to implement an ISO 50001 Energy Management System . Thompsons chose the latter , as it was already investigating the implementation of a biomass boiler to eliminate the use of gas at its head office and adjacent transport , plant , and equipment workshops . With the support from NVQA , the firm ’ s third ISO standard was achieved at the first attempt in August 2015 .
The need for the wellbeing and safe working of Thompson ’ s employees has always been paramount to the company ’ s activities . However , the increased demand for evidence to support such high standards of health and safety compliance prompted the implementation of the Health and Safety Management System ISO 45001 . Again , in conjunction with NVQA , the company incorporated its fourth ISO standard into their business activities . Thompsons was successfully awarded ISO 45001 at the first attempt in July 2019 .
A family-owned business operating for more than 70 years , Thompsons has always been a proactive organisation . The company ’ s strident belief in continual improvement , growth and development is evident in its commercial approach .
Health and safety director Chris Dobson said : “ The investment into our integrated business management system over the years has paid huge dividends . ISO standards provide the mechanism for us to identify potential risks , not just in our everyday operations , but with the wider context of our company , enabling us to implement actions to mitigate those risks .”
In 2020 , this approach proved invaluable as Thompsons executed its business continuity plan , which had been developed in accordance with Business Continuity Standard ISO 22301 , resulting in minimal impact to business operations during Covid-19 .
Operating and maintaining five ISO standards is a huge undertaking for any business . However , Thompsons ’ commitment to QHSE excellence , validated by its external certifications , accreditations , and memberships , contributed to being awarded the contract for the demolition of the BOS plant followed by the blast furnace , as part of the Teesworks demolition framework – one of Europe ’ s largest demolition schemes to date .
Mr Dobson added : “ Norman and Paula from NVQA are a dedicated and hardworking team . Their strong family values and culture , coupled with their extensive knowledge , experience , and dedication to business improvements adds value to the service they provide to any client in any industry .”
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