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Covid-19 guidance from HAE

4 August 2020

Covid-19 guidance from HAE

The HAE (Hire Association Europe) has been very busy keeping its members informed and updated about Covid-19.

Carl Bartlett, Director of Certification Services, has worked hard producing comprehensive guidance documents to help hire companies manage the risks at depots and work sites.

These include separate guides for tool and event hirers, as well as documents outlining procedures for safely cleaning and servicing portable air conditioners, evaporative coolers and dehumidifiers (pictured).

Lobbying government

 “I wrote the Hire Centres and Event Hire Practice draft guidance documents in April, and after consulting with members, Health & Safety professionals and other organisations, we distributed them,” says Carl, who previously worked for award-winning Lord Hire Centres in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for 30 years.

“We had to support our members as they re-opened after the lockdown. HAE had successfully campaigned early on to get hirers on the list of business categories that could continue to operate. CEO Graham Arundell and our Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Mark Bradshaw, lobbied the government for this.

“Because of ongoing changes in government strategy, we have had to constantly review them. I’m currently working on version 6 of the Hire Centre guidance, for instance.

Essential information in one place

“The guides had to be written completely from scratch, taking account of advice from the government and from construction industry organisations. The aim was to create documents that were both practical and practicable for hirers, giving them all the essential information in one place.

The guidance documents on air cooling equipment were produced in response to member requests. “People were hiring machines during the hot weather at the start of the lockdown and were asking about potential risk of blown air spreading the virus,” says Carl. “So it is essential that equipment is serviced correctly and records kept.”

New members

The hard work undertaken by Carl and his colleagues has been well received by members that I have spoken to. He also tells me that it has led to a steady stream of new membership applications.

And apparently, a good proportion of the companies joining the association are new start-ups - a very positive sign for the future.

(Picture: Hire Supply Company (UK))


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