Domestic Work for Homeowners.

Posted on May 11, 2012 by srotheram


We have recently received a number of enquiries asking “if we undertake work for domestic customers?”

The simple answer is “yes!”

 

When the company was established in 1998 all of our clients were homeowners, this has continued until the present day.  Over the past 13+ years we have gained a vast experience of working for domestic customers, and this has enabled us to refine our service delivery to meet their expectations and requirements.

As the company has continued to grow, it now also undertakes a large percentage of its work for commercial clients such as schools, construction companies, housing associations and local authorities.  This does not mean we no longer undertake work at residential properties.

Picture above: One of our domestic tree teams.

 

There is sometimes the perception that because we undertake work for the larger commercial clients, that we will either a) not be interested in the smaller domestic jobs, or b) will be too expensive.

In answer to these questions:

a)  The company was built on our relationship and repeat business from our homeowners and the same customers chose to use us again and again, read our testimonials for feedback.  It is also evident that these happy customers are a very good form of advertising and recommendations help to gain new ones.

b)  The security of working for domestic clients has enabled us to build an excellent resource of machinery and trained employees.  This generally helps us to undertake works more efficiently using the in-house machinery required, and operated by experienced staff.

 

Combine the above with the following facts, I think anyone would a agree there is no reason not to try us when you next require one of our services…

  •  There are full time administration staff, specifically there to deal with your enquiry.
  • Our qualified operatives will turn up on time, in corporate uniforms in fully equipped, liveried vehicles.
  • Work where applicable will be undertaken to the relevant British Standards, waste will be recycled and managed in an environmentally friendly way.
  • We have fully integrated management systems, this confirms we have processes in place to ensure compliance in quality, environmental and health and safety.
  • Our industry body has awarded us “Arb Approved Contractor” status.

 

Therefore we believe we can provide all our domestic clients with a fully accredited service  at a competitive price – why not give us a try?!

Call free today on 0800 328 7988 or visit our website www.beechwoodtrees.co.uk

 

Thanks for reading.

Simon Rotheram

Director

Beechwood Trees and Landscapes Ltd

Posted in Beechwood Trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA)

Posted on January 26, 2012 by srotheram

 

About the Act:

The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) provides a legislative framework for street works activities by undertakers. The efficient co-ordination of street works is one of the most important aspects of street works legislation, benefiting street authorities, undertakers and road users alike. The key objectives of NRSWA are to:

  • ensure safety
  • to minimise inconvenience to people using a street, including a specific reference to people with a disability
  • to protect the structure of the street and the apparatus in it.

The Act requires that anyone who executes, works on the highway, is qualified for the activities being carried out. Any street works site must have at least one qualified supervisor appointed to the site who can oversee the works. The supervisor need not be on site at all times, but must be able to adequately carry out the role. The supervisor qualification does not replace or over rule the operative qualification and one person cannot cover both roles at the same time.

At Beechwood Trees and Landscapes Ltd we have qualified supervisors and operatives.  On successful completion of the course, our employees are awarded a City and Guilds Certificate and subsequent registration with the Street Works Qualifications Register (SWQR).

Further information:

Visit: Beechwood Trees and Landscapes Ltd

The act can be viewed by clicking here:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/22/contents

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Health and Safety | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ISO certification and whats next for Beechwood Trees and Landscapes Ltd

Posted on January 20, 2012 by srotheram

2011, ISO Certification and what’s next

 

My theory is that while our whole industry is spending less on marketing and training, if we double our efforts, we will probably stand out even more than ever.

It is impossible to assess how things would have been if we had not done what we have done over the last few years. What is abundantly clear though is that we have remained consistently busy despite it being widely felt that 2011 has been the toughest year for decades.

I am convinced that there is still plenty of work out there and this opinion is born out by the almost continual stream of contract notices that are showing up on tender notification websites and on Linkedin and Twitter via Elcoat Ltd.

What is also very clear is that client expectations are far higher than pre recession; they can be choosy with all of the service providers competing for work so it is crucial to make sure that you are on top of the pile and able to respond to opportunities properly once they arise.

As well as doing a great job with what we actually do (tree and landscape contracting) we are also good at demonstrating that we have a sophisticated approach to health and safety, environmental management, employment, equality and diversity. I know that these topics will stimulate a groan from readers but this is where it is at nowadays. The quality of work is an assumption in the commercial market; it is these other things that result in the sale.

As a starter, I decided to look into CHAS and Arboricultural Association Approved Contractor, with an eye on the suite of ISO for the future.

We worked closely with our advisors from Elcoat Ltd.  From the initial health check to becoming Arb Approved with full CHAS Accreditation took about 6 days over about 5 months.

The company is now also certified to ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001. These are the international standards that demonstrate that the organisation is on the ball when it comes to administrative efficiency, customer service, health and safety management and environmental management.

We also hold certification for the National Highways Sector Scheme 18 (NHSS18) which is the standard that pre-qualifies a company for highways vegetation management.

When an organisation holds quality, health, safety and environmental certification it is deemed to be running an ‘integrated management system’. This means that all of the important things are considered as an intrinsic part of the operational planning process.

So far, the pay back has far outweighed the outlay and that is without factoring in the benefits from added efficiency and less minor incidents to deal with.

We are now looking on the horizon for new and interesting tree surgery, fencing and grounds maintenance contracts.

If you have an upcoming tender or would like more information on any of the above, we would be happy to hear from you.

Please email: simon.rotheram@beechwoodtrees.co.uk or visit our website

 

Posted in Beechwood Trees | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Posted on December 16, 2011 by srotheram

We would like to wish a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to all our clients of Christmas, past, present and future!!

Thank you to all involved with Beechwood Trees and Landscapes Ltd during 2011, we look forward to working with you during 2012.

 

Kind Regards

Simon Rotheram

And the team at Beechwood Trees and landscapes Ltd

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Boardwalks, Bridges and Fishing Platforms

Posted on November 19, 2011 by srotheram

 

We supply and fit boardwalks made from the most suitable materials for the application.  Our design team will put together a specification specific to the budget and site requirements.  During the design stages the team will make the project bespoke to each site, as many boardwalks are located on wetland and SSSI sites there are many ecological factors that need to be taken into account.  As part of the specification, a method statement will be prepared along with generic and site specific risk assessments.  On some sites as it may be necessary to work with an ecologist, to inspect for protected species such as great crested newts.

Materials Available.

The two main choices for these applications are as follows:

Timber: This is the economical choice; however the cost is only relative to the longevity of the product.

Only timber which can be treated by an industrial process to give long-term protection from decay shall be used. We only use hardwood species rated as durable or moderately durable. We only use softwood species/components with natural durability or which have been treated in accordance with BS standards appropriate to their use.

Recycled: The environmental benefits of choosing recycled plastic decking are huge: for every section of boardwalk many plastic bottles are reused, diverted away from landfill where the material would go to waste, while leaching chemicals into the ground.  This is combined with the reduced deforestation caused by wood alternatives.

Another major selling point of our recycled plastic decking is the fact that it is non-slip, because of the surface texture created in the manufacturing process. This makes the product safer than traditional wood alternatives, especially in wet conditions.  It is also very vandal resistant as it is difficult for spray paints to adhere to the surface.

Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

 

 

Posted in Landscapes | Tagged | Leave a comment

BS OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety

Posted on November 17, 2011 by srotheram

 

Beechwood Trees and landscapes Ltd have implemented an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) as part of our risk management strategy to address changing legislation and protect our workforce.

What is an OHSMS?

An OHSMS promotes a safe and healthy working environment by providing a framework that allows our organisation to consistently identify and control the health and safety risks, reduce the potential for accidents, aid legislative compliance and improve overall performance.

OHSAS 18001 is the internationally recognised assessment specification for occupational health and safety management systems. It was developed by a selection of leading trade bodies, international standards and certification bodies to address a gap where no third-party certifiable international standard exists.

OHSAS 18001 has been designed to be compatible with our other systems, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, to help our organization meet our health and safety obligations in an efficient manner.

 

The following key areas are addressed by OHSAS 18001:

  • Planning for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control
  • OHSAS management programme
  • Structure and responsibility
  • Training, awareness and competence
  • Consultation and communication
  • Operational control
  • Emergency preparedness and response
  • Performance measuring, monitoring and improvement

 

Why have we chosen to do it?

We have adopted OHSAS 18001 in order to implement a formal procedure to reduce the risks associated with health and safety in the working environment for our employees, customers and the general public.

For more information please visit our website

 

Posted in Beechwood Trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ISO14001: 2004 ‘Environmental Management Systems

Posted on November 16, 2011 by srotheram

We have added ISO 14001 to our suite of certification!

This is an internationally accepted standard that sets out how we go about putting in place an effective Environmental Management System (EMS). The standard is designed to address the delicate balance between maintaining profitability and reducing environmental impact; with the commitment of our entire organization, it enables us to achieve both objectives.

What’s in ISO 14001?

•General requirements

•Environmental policy

•Planning implementation and operation

•Checking and corrective action

•Management review

This means we can identify aspects of your business that impact on the environment and understand those environmental laws that are relevant to our situation. The next step is to produce objectives for improvement and a management programme to achieve them, with regular reviews for continual improvement.

Our continued commitment to progression of the company in the right direction and awareness of our impact on the environment, it made sense to chose ISO 14001 – Simon Rotheram (Director)

Environmental impact is becoming an increasingly important issue across the globe, with pressure to minimize that impact coming from a number of sources: local and national governments, regulators, trade associations, customers, employees and shareholders. Social pressures are also building up from the growing array of interested parties, such as consumer, environmental and minority non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia and neighbours.

For more information please visit our website.

Posted in Beechwood Trees | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

What happens to our tree surgery arising’s?

Posted on November 4, 2011 by srotheram


Beechwood Trees and Landscapes recognise that protection and enhancement of the environment is of prime importance and that this company impacts on the rural and built environment.

The achievement of a high standard of environmental awareness throughout the company is not only essential to assist in sustaining and keeping in balance the environment and environmental resource, but also results in healthier and more acceptable conditions for work and social activity.

As part of our environmental policy we strive to run as a sustainable business and recycle through all aspects of our work.

Tree maintenance works generate large quantities of green waste such as woodchip and timber, we are happy to announce that we are now recycling 100% of our green waste created by our tree surgery operations.

How?

Woodchip:

We currently supply Stobbart Biomass with our woodchip, they collect it from our depot in Coventry, 27 tonne artic lorry loads and take it to energy plants such as Shotton in North Wales.

“Climate change is the greatest single threat facing the world today, and renewable energy schemes like UPM’s biomass plant have a crucial role to play in tackling it” – Said: Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Hain.

Timber:

The majority of our timber is converted into firewood and resold into the domestic market.  We also supply the higher quality material to furniture makers and wood turners.  We work closely with a local mill which creates bespoke pieces to order.

       

For the future…

The company shall continuously assess its environmental performance against the measures planned on our Environmental Aspects and Impacts Register.

Reviews shall include assessing opportunities for improvement and the need for changes to the environmental management system, including the environmental policy and environmental objectives and targets.

 

For more information please see the environmental section on our website.

 

 

Posted in Beechwood Trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CASE STUDY : Landscaping in Coventry

Posted on November 3, 2011 by srotheram

Budget solution to an overgrown garden…

Our client contacted us as they had let their garden become very overgrown and unloved, they required a cost effective solution with reasonably low maintenance in the future.

We set about clearing the site creating a blank canvas, with the use of our machinery on site including mini digger and rotorvator we made short work of it.

Once the site had been cleared the ground was prepared and leveled ready for the turf.  We only use premium quality lawn turf supplied by Rolawn.   We relaid the pressed slab path to access a small paved area for seating, this had a lovely veiw over the neighbouring countryside.

The openness of the property also posed another problem, the security was poor and any possible thieves could easily access the rear of the property.  We supplied and installed a palisade fence, the popular choice of security for for schools, industrial units and playing fields.

The client is very pleased with the finished result and it didn’t break the bank. We are happy to assist in the design and installation whatever the budget please take a look at our website for more information.

To discuss your requirements please call free on 0800 328 7988

Posted in Landscapes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ISO9001: Consistent Quality for your Tree Surgery Needs

Posted on October 10, 2011 by srotheram

When you have a tree problem in your garden or maybe you’re responsible for selecting a company for looking after the trees in your town, who do you choose? Often we start by asking friends and business contacts if they have someone they would recommend, but how can you be sure that just because they’ve done a good job for them, they will do a good job for you?

ISO9001 provides the answer to that conundrum. An international standard, it ensures that an assessed company has the right processes in place to do consistent, high quality work every time you call on them. Beechwood Trees and Landscapes Ltd recently have gone through the assessment process and achieved the standard. So what does this mean in the world of arboriculture?  It means that when you call on Beechwood to do tree work for you in Coventry or the surrounding area, you can be sure that:

  • We will assess the project and produce an accurate quote
  • All tree work will be carried out safely and to the relevant standards
  • The site will be left clean and tidy

And in case you’re worried that it’s a one off and maybe our standards will slip . . . you can relax. All assessed companies are regularly audited to ensure that standards are maintained ensuring that when you call on Beechwood Trees and landscapes Ltd in the future you’ll get the same great quality work every single time.

Posted in Health and Safety | Tagged | Leave a comment