Ark Workplace Risk ™

Highlights

Ark launches new corporate brand identity and name
We are pleased to announce that the 4th April 2006 was the launch our new brand identity and change of name. The unveiling of the new logo replacing the old logo was at 8.00 am and marked the new look and feel of our organisation. This brand identity represents our new refreshing approach and practices in delivering workplace risk professional services and our extended and upgraded range of workplace risk services and solutions.

The new brand identity is the balanced combination of bringing together the many years of expertise in our profession and the market sectors we have served over the last 15 years, together with a new and refreshingly different approach in our delivery and all our dealings with clients, employees, our supply chain and the community we impact.

The new colour scheme includes variations of red, brown and orange symbolising warmth confirming our commitment to making our offering available and accessible, the globe symbolising partnerships on all levels divided by an Ark shape extracted from the word Ark symbolising global understanding with integrity through protection being the ark shape enveloping over the Ark word. This symbolising our values an provision of “Trusted advice”.

The name has been replaced to better reflect the range of services under a workplace place risk umbrella and to emphasise that our offering is across all workplace risk and not just Health & Safety.

Throughout our communications there are two devises one the line both horizontal and vertical for controlling content with context and clarity with consistency, and the second devise the ribbon to emphasise the flow of ideas and solutions. Solutions, clarity and consistency are key to our values and are the cornerstone of our competitive advantage and the success that is fuelling our expansion.

The overall outcome is a brand identity that is unique to our industry and promotes our professional practice values of trusted advise, partnership, accessibility, availability and solutions.

Beyond Fire risk assessments –the new Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order

With the much heralded Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order now scheduled for implementation in October 2006, many organisations are considering the next steps in their approach to managing fire safety across dispersed business units and operations and UK wide property portfolios.
With further emphasis undoubtedly focusing on the fire risk assessment process and over arching management strategies, the application of a standard approach to enforcement across premises, properties and operations, where enforcement responsibility rests with various Fire Authorities could present a range of challenges. This issue was recognised many years ago and the HSE/LA Enforcement Liaison Committee (HELA) originated the concept of Lead Authority Partnerships (L.A.P.s) in 1991.
The aims of the scheme are to:

• Promote consistency in the health and safety enforcement of organisations with multiple outlets within the Local Authority (LA) enforced sector;
• Improve health and safety management systems within these organisations.

As well as being supported by the HSE, L.A.P.s is also fully supported by the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association (CACFOA) who have set up a dedicated Steering Committee to extend the scheme to cover the enforcement of fire safety legislation and provide central advice for brigades on the scheme. The ‘Lead Fire Authority’ acts as a focal point for liaison on fire safety issues between a company with outlets in a number of local authority areas, and the enforcing authorities in those areas.
Benefits to the organisations involved include:

• Increasing consistency in the standards of health and safety expected by inspectors in different LA areas;
• Allowing them to deal strategically with one LA rather than several or many;
• Providing a liaison point for key health and safety issues and proposed enforcement action providing advice on how to improve health and safety performance.

This should result in less duplication of work for both partners and promote greater confidence in the fairness of the enforcement process.

As part of Ark’s range of services we are able to work with clients in order that they can consider the benefits of establishing a Lead Authority Partnership relationship with a fire authority. Ark’s team of Fire Safety professionals is headed by Brian Chisholm BSc FSS GIFireE, ex Divisional Officer Lothian & Borders Fire Brigade.

- Ark Specialist Lead for Fire Authority Partnership Scheme

Prior to joining Ark, Brian was a leading member of the Chief Fire Officers Association LAPS committee chaired by Deputy Commissioner of London Fire Rescue and Civil Defence Authority.

- Fire Safety Management Review

A Strategic Fire Safety Management Review report on organisations is often one of the first steps in establishing the viability of a L.A.P.

The Compilation of Management Review Reports requires a heightened awareness of Risk Management and Strategic planning concepts and an ability to accurately evaluate data relevant to the organisation under audit. The benefit of this approach is both commercial and compliance gains.