The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has linked up with Southall Associates to offer its members a radically different health and safety business support service, developed specifically for builders merchants.
There are two key elements to the new service: firstly, a bespoke consultancy service includes an initial assessment, tailored H&S policy documents, risk assessments and staff handbooks, a six-monthly safety audit and ongoing advice and support, and secondly, an online safety management system, which removes the paperwork involved and enables merchants to easily and quickly manage H&S at every branch.

BMF managing director, John Newcomb, said: 'The introduction of Safety Plus is the start of an ongoing drive by the BMF to review the business services we currently offer and to bring new services to members.'

Southall Associates was founded in 2004 by John Southall, a former environmental health officer, who realised that builders merchants were one of the top three business types to fall foul of health and safety law. He developed software that puts the merchant in charge rather than the enforcement officer. The system has been adopted by more than 100 builders merchants.

John Newcomb added: 'Safety Plus has a 10 year investment in software developed specifically for our industry and is currently used by many NBG members. We are now able to provide the same proven system to all BMF members including those associated with other buying groups, independents and nationals.

'The BMF will continue to support members using our existing SafetyFirst service. However, they will also have the opportunity to transfer to Safety Plus at the end of their current agreement should they wish.'

To find out more Safety Plus, members should call their BMF regional manager or BMF head office.