Newport-based systems integration firm Industrial Automation and Control has been awarded accreditation from Safecontractor.

The award is made for the firm’s commitment to achieving excellence in health and safety.

Safecontractor is a leading third party accreditation scheme which recognises very high standards in health and safety management among UK contractors.

Employing 68 people, IAC Ltd, a multi-award-winning turnover business, with an annual turnover of £8m, operates in the UK and globally in metals, bulk materials handling, oil and gas, water, chemicals and numerous other industries. Clients include major players such as Tata Steel, Welsh Water, Eastman, Evoqua Water Technologies, Dupont and Siemens Metals Technologies.

The company’s application for Safecontractor accreditation was driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business.

Phil Kitson, IAC Ltd manufacturing director, said: “We’re delighted to have received the Safecontractor accreditation. Safecontractor is a universally acknowledged and recognised endorsement which we’re confident will further enhance IAC Ltds’ stature and ability to successfully attract new contracts and new work for our business.”

Safecontractor is applicable to most sectors although it is particularly relevant to food manufacture, property, facilities management, retail and leisure sectors, all of which are big users of contracted services.

John Kinge, technical director of Safecontractor, said, "Major organisations simply cannot afford to run the risk of employing contractors who are not able to prove that they have sound health and safety policies in place.

"More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that IAC Ltd has done. The Newport firm’s high standard has set an example which hopefully will be followed by other companies within the sector.

“Safecontractor plays a vital role in supporting our clients in meeting their compliance needs, whilst working with their contractors as they progress through the accreditation process.”

Under the Safecontractor scheme, businesses undergo a vetting process which examines health and safety procedures and their track record for safe practice. Those companies meeting the high standard are included on a database, which is accessible to registered users only via a website.

Client-organisations who sign up to the scheme can access the database, enabling them to vet potential contractors before they even set foot on site. These clients agree that, as users of the scheme, they will engage only those who have received accreditation.

More than 210 major, nation-wide businesses, from several key sectors, have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors for services such as building, cleaning, maintenance, refurbishment or electrical and mechanical work.

IAC Ltd is based at a modern factory in Newport’s Queensway Meadows.