In the same month it has been given a 100% badge of approval by the British Standards Institution, HBPW has been verified under the Achilles UVDB accreditation scheme.
The latter qualification – a new addition to the HBPW armoury – means the firm can now work for utility companies from the Canal and River Trust, Scottish Water and UK Power Networks through to the National Grid, Dong Energy and similar organisations.
Associate Paul Jacklin, who has responsibility for quality standards within HBPW, said: “Accreditations and quality standards are a gradual process that take years to implement and refine.
“However, once in place, they are a badge of credibility that instantly tell a range of people within large sprawling organisations, that HBPW is able to deliver without the need for further extended checks at departmental level.”
The firm developed its own quality assurance scheme several years ago, not only to meet ISO9001 criteria, but to control and complement the innovative and lateral processes for which it has become known amongst clients and contractors.
“The ISO9001 criteria is now governed by the BSI’s 2015 regulations which we have successfully implemented a year ahead of final deadline, further testimony to the rigors of our existing methods.”
He said that quality standards allowed for the simple integration of quality procedures, demanded by clients such as Network Rail and Electricity Alliance, but, by incorporating them into its own independently accredited system, HBPW could ensure that adequate, experienced and well-trained resource was always available, to ensure that designs and details were delivered on time and to programme constraints.
“Maintaining quality systems is not easy and takes real time and effort, however, they undoubtedly assist bids for work by letting key players know that we are fit for purpose. These latest badges of honour merely serve to reinforce that,” he added.