Bridgezone celebrate another successful training event

On the 9th and 10th June 2011 Bridgezone descended into South Wales again and took over the railway bridge known as Glanrhyd to facilitate another companywide training event.

For the second year running our Engineers were able to practise their emergency procedures for Rope Access, Diving and Confined Space operations including essential safety boat rescues and man overboard procedures. Fortunately there is very little need for our staff to undertake these emergency procedures on a regular basis during their normal working week so to provide them with regular additional safety training is a benefit all our staff enjoys.

With an increase in staff numbers up to 59 this year (38 in 2010) the logistics of organising such an event was more problematic than before, fortunately the hotels and B&B’s in nearby Llandovery welcomed us back and the farmer was happy for us to park up and use a corner of his field again. The local Co-Op was emptied of sandwiches and doughnuts on a daily basis and the toilet hire company drove around in circles trying to find the site.

The event was managed by Bridgezone Operation Supervisors each a specialist in their field of expertise; Pete Fergus (Diving Operations Manager) managed the Diving and Safety Boat Operations, Mark Musgrave (Associate Director) managed the Confined Space Operations and Kimble West (Technical Director), Paul Capener (Associate Director) and Ned Dudley (Rope Access Operations Manager) managed the Rope Access Operations.

Other members of the team gained valuable experience in the supervision of and managing workgroups, these included James Birch (Inspection Engineer - Tiverton), Greg Faulkner (Inspection Engineer – Nottingham) and Wayne Brooks (Dive Technician - Nottingham).

The Bridgezone Board of Directors along with support from Network Rail and Amey are fully behind this safety initiative and are committed to providing another event in 2012.

Photos of the event have been posted on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/Bridgezone)

Bridgezone are active members of both the ADC (Association of Diving Contractors) and IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association), we are committed to maintaining a zero incident rate for both disciplines and through additional training events which are beyond the minimum requirements established by either organisation we are confident that this will continue.