Tees Business Tees Business Issue 18 | Page 45

Serving the Teesside Business Community | 45 Certified and flying high T he company, which provides an all- in-one service covering inspection and nondestructive testing (NDT), drone surveys, industrial rope access and a variation of subsequent maintenance, has been formally accredited as an ISO 9001, ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 registered company. These show that IMS meets internationally recognised standards in quality management, occupational health and safety and environmental management. Coinciding with ISO accreditations, the company has also achieved Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) membership. The recent renewal of its Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) Premium Plus and SafeContractor demonstrates a commitment to high safety standards. The company has also renewed its Permission for Commercial Operation (PfCO) license, which reinforces its proven expertise in the planning, risk assessing and operation of drones for commercial purposes. In an industry where health and safety are paramount, these memberships show IMS’s clients that operations are carried out by trained and competent personnel and handled in accordance with industry regulations. For managing director, Anthony Kirwan, investing the time and effort in gaining the relevant accreditations and memberships was crucial for the success of the Middlesbrough-based Inspection and Maintenance Services (IMS) is celebrating a string of new accreditations and memberships to strengthen its position as a leading working at height service provider. company’s business model. “When we came up with the idea for an all-in-one service, it was always our intention for it to be comprehensive in every way, with a clear drive for quality and great client communication,” he said. “We already had the equipment, experience and technical expertise to be able to carry out work at height. Now we have the essential accreditations to back up that work. “There’s always a risk in hiring any company to deliver rope access services. For us to be able to demonstrate our certificates gives clients confidence that work will be carried out in accordance with industry quality, health and safety and environmental management regulations. “They know the work we’re doing is safe, which keeps their employees, site infrastructure and equipment safe.” CHAS Premium Plus and SafeContractor memberships are highly sought after accreditations in the public and commercial sectors. As an accredited member, IMS is able to handle the arduous process of pre- work assessments on behalf of clients. “For each contract, our site managers assess and evaluate health and safety prior to work commencing,” Anthony said. “We conduct risk assessments, method statements, COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) assessments, toolbox talks and work at height checklists, as well as delivering documentation of health and safety policy, environmental policy and rescue plans. “This gives clients peace of mind and means they don’t have to spend the time or expense of carrying out assessments for each individual contract,” he added. Closer to home, IMS has become a member of the North East of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) and joined 3,000 other companies as members of the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC). Both organisations work to support businesses in the region, providing a collaborative environment to help them grow. Membership provides Anthony and his team with a chance to build connections and grow their business in the North East. “Our industry accreditations will help us achieve our goal of becoming the go-to company for inspection and maintenance services at height in the UK, but Teesside will always be our home,” he added. “We’re proud to be members of two organisations in NEPIC and the NECC that want the best for businesses in our area, and we’re looking forward to tapping into their expertise.” To learn more about IMS’s accreditations and memberships and to find out about their services, visit imservices.co.uk or email [email protected].