MARKET REPORT SITE WELFARE
Ensuring high standards
Demand for site welfare products remains high, but users and hirers need to ensure the equipment they buy is fit for purpose.
The site welfare market has remained strong given the on-going importance of Health & Safety requirements, and several factors mean that demand should continue to grow. Not least of these are the revised Construction (Design & Management) Regulations (CDM) introduced earlier this year, which mean that site welfare responsibilities, amongst others, now apply to all construction projects, even in domestic situations.
“Health & Safety Executive (HSE)
Genquip describes the current market as “buoyant”.
inspectors are checking sites for adequate welfare provision for personnel, and demand
has been growing generally as construction activity has picked up,” said Peter Beach, Sales & Marketing Manager with Genquip. “More contractors are seeking better standards of provision as result of initiatives like the Considerate Constructors Scheme, and we are receiving more requests for products that have EPC (Energy Performance Certificates) to demonstrate their operational efficiency and environmental benefits.
“However, the buoyant market is also encouraging some people to buy second-hand welfare units, perhaps up to ten years old, renovating and selling them to contractors wanting a cheap option or, even, targeting them at hirers considering adding these products. Customers really need to consider what they are buying, and whether it genuinely offers adequate standards of provision, with reliable operation. At Genquip, we are stressing not only the quality of our products, but the considerable backup we give with service, support and training, helping users get the most from the equipment.”
Lisa Gillett, Sales Director of AJC Trailers which offers EasyCabin welfare products, also attests to a strong market. “We are unbelievably busy and this could be the best year ever in our 50-year history. Much of this is due to the upturn in construction, especially house building, and a lot of rail projects are going ahead. More hirers are, as a result, exploring the site welfare market.
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“The range now available has broadened considerably, well beyond static and mobile welfare units. In September we launched our EasyCab welfare van, which has aroused much interest, as it can be driven to wherever it is required, giving great operational flexibility. Other products like sleeper units and showers are also available, enabling contractors to address many Health & Safety obligations. We also get enquiries for customised products. We recently adapted a sleeper unit for a customer who attends a lot of events in Europe and wanted a washer/dryer fitted, which could be attached to their own water bowser.”
Lisa Gillett adds that products with eco-friendly power, heating and lighting systems are proving popular, and this is echoed by Stephen Booth, Head of Sales with Garic. “Our Combi-Cabin Eco Series Plus unit, which we launched at Plantworx, has been well received, being solar-powered and self-contained. It offers reduced running costs compared against diesel units and is more environmentally- friendly. More and more contractors are now specifying ‘green’ products in their tenders.”
AJC has launched its EasyCab welfare van and exhibited it at the Showman’s Show.
These are just some of the factors in a developing market that hirers need to be aware of, as well as the fact that usage of these products is diversifying. Genquip’s Peter Beach adds, “welfare units are often in operation 24 hours a day, being used by site workers during the day, and then as an office for night security personnel. The power generation system can, therefore, be needed almost constantly, and this is again driving interest in products with low-energy characteristics. It also means that hirers and end users need to ensure that they specify a modern unit that is capable of handling these demands.”
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