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Southwark Council award consultancy services to Armstrong York

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Southwark Council– Asbestos Consultancy Contract

Value: £420,000 (per annum) – £1.65 Million Total contract value

Armstrong-York is required to provide our services in council owned corporate buildings and depots owned by the Council and housing residential stock. The London Borough of Southwark are one of the biggest landlords in the country, owning nearly half the total area of the borough and are responsible for almost 55,000 domestic premises. There are also a high number of corporate buildings and depots owned by the Council. Armstrong-York provide services in conjunction with the appointed licensed removal contractor to ensure asbestos remediation works are carried out in a safe and controlled manner. Access on-site is dependent on the specific instruction and within one of the following timescales:

– Within 4 hours (emergency basis) of instruction.
– Within 72 hours of instruction.
– As soon as reasonably practicable, after liaison with the licensed asbestos removal contactor and after the 14-day notification period to the HSE.

Armstrong-York arranges access through liaison with the licensed asbestos removal contractor, through the London Borough of Southwark asbestos compliance team or other contacts within the council. This is in accordance to the terms and conditions of the contract. The asbestos compliance team inform us via email of works required with a full address and contact details for access. A description of the services provided by Armstrong York to Southwark Council includes:

• Taking air monitoring (sampling), leakage and smoke tests at premises;
• Analyse the results of the air samples;
• Issuing a final test certificate when compliant with HSG 248
• Monitoring the asbestos removal process including auditing the Licensed Contractor’s Method Statement and site operations for the removal or encapsulation of the asbestos.
• Armstrong-York are responsible for reporting any concerns or non-compliance with the Council’s Code of practice for the Management of Asbestos
• Works are to be undertaken to corporate buildings and depots owned by Southwark Council as well as in residential properties
• Armstrong-York provide asbestos awareness training for the Council’s staff
• Advice and expert witness in litigation cases
• Telephone advice to tenants and occupiers
• Provide an emergency service 24 hours a day 365 days a year
• We have named and approved operatives for this work
• Works to be carried out according to UKAS to ISO17025 and HSG 248
• All work will be undertaken with discretion and due regard to the emotive nature of asbestos.
• Suitable and sufficient P.P.E/R.P.E. must be provided and maintained
Armstrong-York has appointed a named Person in Charge, to whom directions can be given by LBS and who is empowered to act upon such directions. Armstrong-York’s Person in Charge is responsible for all supervisory and analytical staff for the duration of this Contract to ensure adequate supervision during the site work, they give their whole time respectively to the supervision of the service and are able to receive and act promptly upon all instructions issued.
Armstrong-York is required on a daily basis, to update the Council’s computer system via the terminal/citrix key provided. The information to be processed includes the Order number, location or address, priority code, a full description of the works, time and date order received, time and date order completed or anticipated to be completed, detailed valuation of the works carried out including variations and information relating to special circumstances such as elderly or at-risk occupiers, disabled occupiers or dangerous animals affecting access etc. Armstrong-York are required to record the “completion” of Orders on the Housing Department’s computer system in accordance with the following time periods:-
a) Emergency Orders: Within twelve normal working hours
b) All other Orders: by the end of the next normal working day

Armstrong-York is required to record on iWorld within two working days, any variations to the original order value. Armstrong-York can only make ONE application for variations to the original order. A PDF version of each monitoring report is made available to the client and to the licensed asbestos removal contractor within the timeframe specified. All air monitoring reports are placed on our web portal for viewing by LBS via a secure log in. The format of certification follows the requirements laid out in HSG 248.

Armstrong-York’s analysts hold the BOHS P403 and P404 qualifications and have commensurate experienced in undertaking including air sampling, fibre counting, clearance testing and the issuing of certificates of reoccupation as required. Individuals undertaking asbestos air monitoring and clearance works must be shown to be competent through site auditing. Individuals carrying out the works must have

at least 3 years’ industry experience. Analysts must have a full working knowledge of the requirements of HSG248 and HSG247. Training is carried out in a manner in accordance to regulation 10 of the CAR-2012, HSG248 and in-house approved standards. Armstrong-York are required to quality assure all of our work and carry out 5% site audits of all clearances conducted. A list of sites audited is presented to LBS on a quarterly basis. A desk-top review of all reports received is conducted by the Asbestos Compliance Team.

Armstrong-York has recently re tendered for the Southwark Council Analytical contract (Contract B) through a competitive tendering exercise and is pleased to announce that we were appointed as the sole provider to provide our analytical services for a further five years.

South Western Ambulance Service award consultancy services to Armstrong York

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NHS Foundation Trust – Asbestos Consultancy Contract

Value: £150,000

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) provides emergency and urgent care services across the south west of England, from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly across to Dorset and up to Gloucestershire. The Trust serves a resident population of more than 5.3 million as well as over 17.5 million visitors to the south west each year. The Trust covers an area of 10,000 square miles, which is 20% of mainland England. The area that SWASFT cover is predominantly rural, with the Cotswolds, Dartmoor, Exmoor and significant coastline, but also includes large urban centres, such as Bath, Bournemouth, Bristol, Exeter, Gloucester, Plymouth, Poole and Swindon. SWASFT employs more than 4,000 staff across over 100 sites, including 100+ ambulance stations, six air ambulance bases, two hazardous area response teams (HART) bases and three emergency control rooms (clinical hubs). In addition, to providing the emergency 999 service, SWASFT also provides a range of urgent care services, including

• Out of Hours Services in Dorset only
• Tiverton Urgent Care Centre in Devon

The Trust has a mission to respond to patients’ emergency and urgent care needs quickly and safely to save lives, reduce anxiety, pain and suffering. Last year SWASFT dealt with more than 867,500 emergency and urgent incidents. Like many public sector bodies, the Trust generates large volumes of information, much of which comprises sensitive patient details. As a provider of emergency 999 and non-emergency 111 services, the availability of electronic data by the Trust is critical. Maintaining clean rooms and infrastructure where the data and supporting infrastructure are housed will contribute to the overall resilience of the services delivered by Armstrong York. The

objective of our appointment is to provide to South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust with the following services:

• Management, Refurbishment and Demolition surveys
• Re-inspections and Asbestos Management Plans
• Bulk sampling and in house analysis of samples
• Incident investigation services
• Emergency site attendance and 24 hour call out
• Asbestos management training and awareness training
• Day-to-day monitoring works in association with day-to-day asbestos encapsulation, monitoring or removal.
• Providing ad-hoc advice on asbestos related issues.
• Dealing with emergency situations with regard to asbestos
• Attending progress meetings with the Client.
• Quality checking asbestos removal Service Providers’ plans of work and on site performance.
• Checking all Service Provider certificates and relevant paperwork.

Nottingham Community Housing Association surveying services award

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Nottingham Community Housing Association – Asbestos Surveying Contract

Value: £100,000 (per annum)

Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) is one of the largest locally-based housing groups in the East Midlands, managing over 8,900 homes and housing more than 15,000 tenants in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland. NCHA employ nearly 1,100 staff, and have a commitment to training and apprenticeships with an annual turnover of £62 million and properties worth over £500 million. In 2013, NCHA celebrated its 40th anniversary. Nottingham Community Housing Association provides care and support across the East Midlands, supporting 1,689 people, their work covers mental health, learning disabilities, domestic violence, Asian elders, vulnerable young people, homelessness, teenage parents and older persons, whether they need a place to live or support in their own homes.

Nottingham Community Housing Association has commissioned surveys of its housing stock and communal areas in order to obtain good quality information on the presence and condition of asbestos containing materials (ACMs), which will ensure that NCHA meets all its current and future proposed duties with respect to asbestos. Armstrong York is appointed as the sole provider to undertake management, refurbishment and demolition surveys (as defined in HSG264 Asbestos: The survey guide and any future revision). This Contract is for asbestos survey works to residential properties, garages, void properties and communal areas (non-domestic areas). The work includes asbestos surveys, testing and analysis. Armstrong York is to provide sufficient resources for a call out service during normal working hours and outside normal working hours. Armstrong York are responsible for providing full individual survey reports, summary electronic survey data for uploading into NCHA’s register system together with providing and maintaining a remote hosted web accessible register system. Armstrong York are required to provide a 24 hour, 365 days per year, call out service for the duration of the commission. The services require remote advice,

the inspection, sampling and analysis of suspected ACM’s at any time, air testing/clearance certification at any time, and attendance upon site within 2 hours.
Other management services provided by Armstrong York to Nottingham Community Housing Association include:

• Management, Refurbishment and Demolition surveys
• A pull-off schedule of rates contract for asbestos consultancy
• Incident investigation services
• Bulk sampling and analysis of samples
• Emergency site attendance and 24 hour call out
• Asbestos awareness training
• Site risk assessments
• Analytical monitoring works in association with encapsulation, monitoring or removal.
• Providing ad-hoc advice on asbestos related issues.
• Dealing with emergency situations with regard to asbestos
• Attending progress meetings with the Client.
• Attending asbestos review meetings and training sessions as required with NCHA in order to review performance

The key account manager allocated to this contract is responsible for all access issues whilst maintaining the programme of works and minimising costs to Nottingham Community Housing Association. Armstrong York’s approach to pricing and cost management under all procured contracts is on an open book basis.

Innovation: Armstrong York and NCHA are committed to providing an excellent customer service which provides added value and value for money; we work in partnership with the association to increase customer satisfaction by:

• Achieving a fixed time slot for appointments selected by the customer
• Delivering a ‘right first time’ service in as many cases as possible
• Better on-line services for customers
• 24/7 reporting service
• More flexibility around appointment times
• Cutting out wasteful practice and concentrating only on activities that add value for the customer
• Providing resident friendly survey summary reports to enable residents to access information pertaining to their property

Inquilab Housing Association surveying services award

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Inquilab Housing Association – Asbestos Surveying Contract

Value: £120,000

Inquilab Housing Association operates to the west of London in Brent, Ealing, Elmbridge, Harrow, Hounslow, Richmond, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Slough managing approximately 1,100 residential units ranging from houses, flats and a hostel. Inquilab Housing Association entered into a JCT contract with Armstrong-York in October 2013 to prepare an asbestos policy and management plan, create and manage an asbestos register and to inspect approximately 800 dwellings and buildings.

The scope of work includes:

Creation of an Asbestos Policy and Management Plan
Working with Inquilab to advise on and prepare an appropriate asbestos policy and management plan, detailing how Inquilab can meet and maintain its asbestos obligations over the next five years and to advise and manage a tender process on companies that are suitable for appointment as specialist asbestos removers. The management plan created by Armstrong York includes for any requirement for specific properties and a schedule of re-inspections.

Create an Asbestos Register
Armstrong York have created and maintained an asbestos register for the whole of Inquilab holdings. The method of storing records was agreed with Inquilab and capable of transferring to their Keystone asset management system via a KGI import routine.

Asbestos Surveys
Armstrong York has undertaken a thorough inspection of the programmed properties, both inside and out, to identify materials that may or may not contain asbestos (ACMS) to satisfy the requirements of HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide. The condition of any identified ACMs was

assessed and appropriate advice given i.e. left undisturbed with management plan, repaired, sealed or removed. A full risk assessment was carried out for all properties containing or thought to contain ACMs.

Separate individual survey reports are provided in PDF format for each property and are identifiable by their address in the file title. The reports are available on our web portal and include and assess the following factors:

• The type of asbestos material or product group
• Its condition
• Its location
• Its vulnerability to damage
• Its treatment, e.g. if sealed or encapsulated

Armstrong-York prioritised from a desk top risk assessment the whole of Inquilab holdings and completed the high priority inspections in priority order. We liaised with residents and managed diary arrangements to gain access to properties from resident information provided by Inquilab. All communication with residents was agreed with Inquilab beforehand. Armstrong-York liaised with the Contract Manager to agree the Project Plan prior to commencement of the service.

Other management consultancy services provided by Armstrong-York to Inquilab Housing Association include:

• Management, Refurbishment and Demolition surveys
• Provision of data into a format suitable (KGI Format) for import into Keystone
• Bulk sampling and analysis of samples
• Emergency site attendance and 24-hour call out
• Asbestos awareness training
• Risk assessments
• Analytical monitoring in association with encapsulation, monitoring or removal
• Providing ad-hoc advice on asbestos related issues
• Attending progress meetings with Inquilab

Chesterfield Borough Council surveying services award

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Chesterfield Borough Council– Asbestos Surveying Contract

Value: £160,000 (per annum) – 3 year contract

Armstrong York is pleased to announce our appointment as the sole provider for Asbestos consultancy services to Chesterfield Borough Council which is a Borough Council in the north of Derbyshire. The council manages approximately 10,000 houses, flats, maisonettes and garages within Chesterfield.

The services to be provided by Armstrong York include Asbestos Management, Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys. Asbestos Surveys are to be undertaken in accordance with HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide, Armstrong York is required to carry out surveys as instructed by Chesterfield Borough Council. The Council will call off surveys to coincide with the Council’s Void, Planned and Responsive Maintenance on behalf of OSD.

Armstrong York collate all data and photographs into a format suitable (i.e. KGI Format) for Chesterfield Borough Councils Asset Management System (Keystone). The Councils appointed Manager in request of this Service Agreement is Peter Bartle, Armstrong York is required to liaise with the Councils Manager to agree the Project Plan prior to commencement of the service. Armstrong York liaises on a daily basis with the Customer Services Division of Housing Services which is organised into four specialist teams. These four teams are the Housing Solutions Team, the Neighbourhoods Team, the Careline and Support Service Team and the Tenant Engagement Team, particular engagement is made with the Tenant Engagement Team who is responsible for:
• Tenant participation and consultation
• Service improvement
• Management of complaints, comments and compliments system

Other management services provided by Armstrong York to Chesterfield Borough Council include:
• Management Surveys and Refurbishment and Demolition surveys
• Provision of Management Survey information on a third party developed online management system
• A pull-off schedule of rates contract for asbestos consultancy for:
• Incident investigation services.
• Bulk sampling and analysis of samples;
• Emergency site attendance and 24 hour call out
• Asbestos management training and awareness training
• Site risk assessments
• Analytical monitoring works in association with encapsulation, monitoring or removal.
• Providing ad-hoc advice on asbestos related issues.
• Dealing with emergency situations with regard to asbestos
• Attending progress meetings with the Client.
• Attending asbestos review meetings and training sessions as required with the Client in order to review performance

Monthly applications for payment are issued to Chesterfield Borough Council to include charges for all services provided under this agreement during such period. The Services will be provided by Armstrong York until 31st March 2017 with the option to extend for two further periods of one year, this agreement will be budget led up to a value of £160,000 per annum.

Bath and North East Somerset Council surveying services award

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Bath and North East Somerset Council– Asbestos Surveying Contract

Value: £150,000

Bath and North East Somerset covers an area of 136 square miles, of which two thirds is green belt. It stretches from the outskirts of Bristol, south into the Mendip Hills and east to the southern Cotswold Hills and Wiltshire border. There are approximately 72,000 dwellings in the BaNES housing stock database, of which 76% are classed as ‘urban’. Over a half of the housing has been built since 1945. B&NES are also responsible for 83 Schools, commercial and various corporate sites.

The scope of services provided on behalf of B&NES is for the provision of asbestos survey and sample testing and related services in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012) and the HSE Guide. Armstrong-York will assist in setting up and developing processes to enable efficient and effective monitoring, reporting and administration processes for the Asbestos Framework Contract utilising the “Shine” Asbestos management System software, in particular “shineLight”, the Shine Asbestos surveying application. The Services include but are not limited to:
• Carry out management surveys in accordance with HSG264
• Carry out Refurbishment and Demolition (R&D) surveys in accordance with HSG264
• Collect bulk samples for laboratory analysis in conformity to procedures within HSG264
• Analyse bulk samples in our UKAS accredited laboratory in conformation to the requirements of ISO17025
• Liaison and co-ordination of independent contractors in carrying out reinstatement works
• Provision of ‘ad-hoc’ professional asbestos management advice and recommendations
• Throughout the period of the contract, utilisation of the Shine electronic asbestos survey and management reporting system
• Liaison with other project team members
• Assist in preparing the project brief for Asbestos management both centrally and at location
• Advise on budget(s)
• Assist in preparation of the Asbestos Management Plan and Registers
• Attend meetings as required by the Employer
• Provide measurable data for KPI monitoring

Delivery of service: Armstrong-York allow for the service provision in line with the working hours identified below. Response times for non-emergency services are to be as follows:

• Provide electronic confirmation of receipt of work enquiry from the Service Manager within 24-hours;
• Submit quotation within 5-days following receipt of a scope of services or time charge work enquiry, unless specifically requested otherwise by the Service Manager;
• Services to be commenced within 5-days of the confirmation to proceed instruction, unless specifically requested otherwise by the Service Manager.
• Provide a minimum of 24-hours’ notice of the date and times of surveys and tests to the Service Manager.
• Submit completed survey reports within 5-days of site visit.
• Submit laboratory certificates from bulk sample analysis to Service manager, immediately on receipt from the Analyst.
• Submission of air sampling certificates to Service Manager or their nominated representative immediately on completion of on-site analysis.

Throughout the Contract period, Armstrong-York will maintain full records of all attendances, survey and sampling services made under the Contract and exercise all reasonable skill, care and due-diligence in the performance of the Services as is to be expected from an appropriately qualified and competent Company experienced in carrying out services of a similar size, scope and complexity.

Essex County Council award surveying services to Armstrong York

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Essex County Council– Asbestos Surveying Contract

Value: £50,000

Contract Description: Essex County Council entered into a contract with Armstrong York to carry out Asbestos Management Surveys across 205 sites within its portfolio (including 197 schools and 8 children support services sites). The surveys were limited to plant rooms (definition: boiler rooms and tank rooms above boiler rooms). This requirement covered a defined list of ECC owned sites across Essex.
A recent pilot survey of 40 schools carried out on behalf of ECC, identified asbestos-containing material (ACM) requiring some form of remedial action in approximately 50% of plant rooms inspected. ECC appointed Armstrong York to survey the plant rooms in the remaining identified ECC owned sites, built before the year 2000. Some of these sites have more than one plant room and Armstrong York was responsible for identifying any additional plant rooms by speaking to school staff. At the end of each calendar month any additional plant rooms identified by Armstrong York were recorded and highlighted in the original spreadsheet and returned to ECC via a designated email address. Surveys were carried out in accordance with HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide and HSG 248: The Analysts Guide for Sampling, Analysis and Clearance Procedures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The surveys identified if asbestos-containing material (ACM) was present in any area of the plant room, and where it is located. This includes but was not exclusive to;

• Asbestos cement Water tank
• Pipe lagging
• Loose fill insulation
• Textured decorative coating e.g. Artex
• Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) ceiling tiles
• AIB behind fuse box
• AIB airing cupboard and/or sprayed insulation coating boiler
• AIB partition wall
• AIB interior window panel
• AIB around boiler
• Vinyl floor tiles

Armstrong York must only utilise directly employed staff and not sub-contract any, or all, of this requirement. All surveys must be completed within 15 calendar months from the contract effective date. Surveys should be completed for at least:
• 25% of the sites listed within the first three months of the contract (i.e. by 1st September 2016)
• 50% of the sites listed within the first six months of the contract (i.e. by 1st December 2016).
• 75% of the sites listed within the first nine months of the contract (i.e. by 1st March 2017).
• 100% of the sites listed within fourteen month from the contract effective date (i.e. by 31st August 2017).

Armstrong York had to ensure survey arrangements were finalised and agreed with schools well in advance of the school holiday periods because contact with schools during the holiday period can be extremely difficult.

Armstrong York provided a single, reliable focal point for communication with ECC with clearly delegated support. We provided a programme management plan which recorded:
• Dates of completed and future site visits
• Dates of survey report issue
• Summary of outcomes
• Reassurance air-test results
• Access restriction of plant rooms

The programme was updated and supplied to ECC on a monthly basis.

Surveying Process
Armstrong York was required to contact the school and/or children support service to organise a suitable time to conduct the survey. Survey arrangements were finalised and agreed with schools well in advance of the school holiday periods. Where survey arrangements were booked in advance, a reminder phone-call to the school was made a few days prior to the visit to confirm the appointment. We were required to collect a colour copy of the previous school asbestos management survey and supply an electronic colour copy to the ECC project team via a designated email address for their records. If there was any reason the school cannot make this report available, Armstrong York had to make extensive efforts to locate this and communicate to ECC if it was not available. We had to photograph all areas to be surveyed before survey work was commenced and carry out an Asbestos Management Survey in accordance with HSG264.
Access to some plant rooms was restricted and the reasons for this were sensitively communicated to a range of stakeholders, such as: site managers, school bursars and head teachers, some of whom had questions about the implications of the survey findings. Armstrong York was responsible for communication with all building users during the surveying process.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital consultancy services award

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Willmott Dixon / NHS Foundation Trust – Asbestos Consultancy Contract

Value: £45,000

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital is a 430-bed teaching hospital located in Chelsea, London. Although the Hospital has been at its present site since only 1993, the Hospital has a rich history in that it serves as the new site for the Westminster Hospital. It is operated by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and has close ties with Imperial College London. Many of the hospital’s employees hold research contracts with Imperial College London, and the hospital plays an integral role in teaching students at Imperial College London. The hospital’s operating revenue for clinical activities alone was £378 million in 2014/15. The hospital has often been regarded as one of the leading hospitals in the country based on a number of metrics, including having the lowest operative mortality rates in the country, and one of the best performing A&E departments in the country. Armstrong York is appointed to provide a full range of consultancy services including initial structural report, desk top study together with a full project management service provision. Other services provided to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust includes:

  • Preparation of initial structural report on form of the existing structure, lateral stability of the existing building and highlight any adverse effects on the surrounding area due to the proposed works.
  • Preparation of a desk study report on available information.
  • Highlight further information requirements to progress temporary works and permanent works design.
  • Address the structural requirements for the following structural items:- New services penetrations through floor slabs and in risers, Support requirements for new plant on the roof and Installation of new below ground drainage
  • Refurbishment and Demolition surveys
  • Bulk sampling and in house analysis of samples
  • Incident investigation services
  • Emergency site attendance and 24 hour call out
  • Providing ad-hoc advice on asbestos related issues / Attending progress meetings with the Client