DMA Signs is one of the latest group of companies to join a scheme designed to help industry improve its safety record.

The Surrey based firm recently received accreditation from SAFEcontractor, a programme which recognises very high standards of health and safety practice amongst UK contractors.

Employing 30 people, DMA Signs is principally involved in the creation and installation of quality signage and way finding systems, with significant focus on the healthcare and education sectors.

DMA’s most recent clients have included major players such as Shire Pharmaceuticals, Queen Mary University, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Skinners Academy and Portsmouth Library.

The company’s application for SAFEcontractor accreditation was driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business. Tim Matthews, Director at DMA Signs, comments: “For DMA, safety is at the forefront of every job we do. Our renewal of the SAFEcontractor scheme further highlights our ongoing commitment to safety, for our clients as well as our staff. Our work at Shire Pharmaceuticals was particularly complex and involved a number of tasks carried out very high up on buildings so safety rules and regulations were paramount.”

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SAFEcontractor accreditation is expected to enhance the company’s ability to attract new contracts and its commitment to safety will be viewed positively by its insurers when the company liability policy is up for renewal.

SAFEcontractor is applicable to most sectors although it is particularly relevant to food manufacture, property, facilities management, retail and leisure sectors, all of which are big users of contract services.

John Kinge, Head of Risk at SAFEcontractor said: "Major organisations can no longer run the risk of employing contractors who are not able to prove that they have sound health and safety policies.

"More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that DMA Signs has done. The firm’s high standard has set an example, which hopefully will be followed by other companies within the sector."

Under the SAFEcontractor system, businesses undergo a vetting process, which examines health and safety procedures and their track record for safe practice.

Those companies meeting the high standard are included on a database, which is accessible to registered users via the website www.safecontractor.com.

Employer-organisations who sign up to the scheme can access the database, enabling them to vet potential contractors before they even set foot on site. These employers agree that, as users of the scheme, they will engage only those who have received accreditation.

Over one hundred and fifty major nationwide businesses, from several key sectors, have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors for services such as building, cleaning, maintenance, refurbishment or electrical and mechanical work.

(GK)