Fracino’s challenge

Health & safety laws apply to all businesses, no matter the size or industry. Business owners everywhere must create a safe and secure working environment for their employees – closely watched by the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) who act as regulator in the UK conducting on-the-spot checks to ensure compliance.

“It goes without saying that health & safety for a company like Fracino is of the utmost importance,” says Adrian, “we use heavy, complex machinery, and we have a legal responsibility to protect our people.”

However, health & safety wasn’t always the priority it is today. Adrian explains, “We’re a third-generation family-run business. Back in the early days, health & safety laws were far less strict.” After Fracino’s expansion in the early 2000s, Adrian watched as more and more health & safety laws came into force, impacting operations. This prompted Adrian to seek advice – and so began Fracino’s long working relationship with Mentor.

Fast forward to 2023 and health & safety is woven into every aspect of the business. “Take our coffee machines as an example,” says Adrian, “they need to be certified before being sold. Health & safety policies are now mandatory for that certification, without them we couldn’t sell our coffee machines, we simply wouldn’t have a business. That’s how ingrained health & safety is in everything we do – and why we value Mentor so highly.”

How Mentor helped

As a manufacturer with complex and varied health & safety needs, Fracino required support from a team with exceptional knowledge. Due to the high costs of employing an in-house health & safety professional, Adrian opted for Mentor’s consultancy service. “It made financial sense, and we knew Mentor had the expertise to get to grips with every aspect of our health & safety.”

Fracino benefited from an initial onsite assessment and audit report from their appointed health & safety consultant who identified key areas where corrective action was needed to achieve compliance. The consultant quickly got to grips with how the business operated, advising on everything from electrical safety and manual handling, to forklift truck reviews and fire safety. “It was a relief to know that no stone was left unturned,” says Adrian, “all areas of the business were audited, every change we needed to make was documented, and new health & safety policies introduced. Plus, we had Mentor’s support every step of the way.”

Health & safety is ever-changing – new laws are introduced, old laws are revised, and businesses must be aware of these legal changes. To ensure Fracino’s ongoing compliance, Mentor conducted annual audits making health & safety recommendations that complied with new or changing laws. “You can’t rest on your laurels with health & safety – Mentor helps you achieve compliance, but it also helps you stay compliant,” says Adrian.

Mentor also offers 24/7 access to its health & safety helpline where our team of experts are ready to help day or night. Adrian found this particularly useful when the HSE do on-the-spot checks. “The HSE have right of entry to your premises, and the right to talk to your employees. Sometimes they have questions, questions we can’t answer. Without our consultant or the helpline, we’d be stuck scrawling through government manuals and online documentation which would take hours. We simply pick up the phone to Mentor and get the answer we need in minutes.”

As well as support from our team of experts, Mentor’s customers also get free guidance on risk assessments and accident reporting with MentorDigital. Adrian’s team has found this invaluable. “It’s quick and simple to do – my team log in and it only takes a few minutes.”

Education is fundamental to better health & safety. MentorDigital also gives access to our online courses covering all the health & safety basics. Adrian explains, “I now have the knowledge to recognise when a member of staff is breaking health & safety rules. I feel more confident in addressing the situation because I’ve done the training. Having that knowledge really does give you the power to enforce policy.” And this training extends to every permanent member of staff, contractors, offsite workers, even visitors who are all made aware of Fracino’s health & safety policies and their own responsibilities. “It’s about ensuring everyone who sets foot on our premises goes home safely at the end of the day,” says Adrian.

For peace of mind, Adrian also takes out Mentor’s health & safety legal cover, protecting the business from any unexpected costs and claims. “Hopefully we’ll never need it, but without it you’re vulnerable,” says Adrian.

Fracino’s results

“We’ve used your services for over 16 years – we must be pleased,” jokes Adrian, “simply put, Fracino is a safer place to work thanks to Mentor.”

Indeed, Fracino had an unannounced visit from the HSE just a few months ago and passed with flying colours. “With Mentor's support, we know we're inspection-ready,” says Adrian, “even when the HSE turn up out of the blue with zero notice, we don't worry.”

Having that peace of mind is something Adrian values highly. “It comes from the fact we’re legally compliant, we have a complete health & safety system in place, extensive training, and every policy and procedure is documented. Everything really does run like clockwork, so we’re free to focus on the business and taking it to the next level.”

And that’s a benefit many of our customers shout about. If managed internally, health & safety could become overwhelming. Offload it to Mentor – and it frees up management’s time to focus on other things.

Adrian did trial run other consultancies before joining Mentor, but found our level of service set us apart from the competition. “It’s the knowledge Mentor brings, the experience of its consultants, the understanding of how our business operates, and the ability to recognise what we need to do to achieve compliance. It's exceptional,” says Adrian.

Fracino's solid safety record also comes with a happier, healthier, more productive workforce. “I can’t remember the last time we had an accident,” says Adrian, “our staff feel safe, they want to work here, we retain good people, and we have fewer people off sick – all of which help to make the business more productive.”

The benefits of good health & safety extend to more than just your people – it helps protect your business, your reputation, and your bank balance. “When thinking about health & safety, you must consider the bigger picture. Without policies and procedures in place, your business is vulnerable – massive fines, reputational damage…and worse,” says Adrian. “Nowadays, you simply can’t run a successful business without solid health & safety support – and we highly recommend Mentor.”

*Some Mentor services incur a cost.