Health and safety leaders Arco are a proud family-run business that has been operating for over 135 years.
Chosen for its great telecom links and location to London and the surrounding towns, Bracknell is home to their £2 million, 22,000 square foot flagship training centre which features practical learning environments, classrooms, meeting rooms, and an on-site safety store. It is in fact the largest dedicated safety centre in the UK delivering practical training capabilities to thousands of customers nationally.
Over the past few years Arco has grown considerably, from selling PPE equipment to providing a completely joined-up health and safety solution for businesses in the form of risk assessments, training and equipment provision all under one roof.
With a total of 2,000 employees (20 operating from their Bracknell site) they have qualified experts on hand to provide a joined-up safety offering which covers the assessment of an issue, the training of employees and the provision and maintenance of appropriate equipment to protect against future risks.
Their Bracknell site boasts practical training facilities in the form of three working at height towers and a 30-metre-long confined spaces labyrinth. The centre also offers respiratory protection and maintenance workshops and drop-in face-fit testing facilities. The roof of the centre itself is fitted with harness points and there are six training classrooms available for customers. Arco has also developed an interactive VR training game which sees trainees navigating sewers, towers and ships in a way which reinforces theoretical teaching.
The safety services teams provide practical advice and bespoke training for a variety of safety-critical industries and scenarios and there are regular events held for customers throughout the year.
Some of these training courses include: working at height training, confined training, manual handline, IRATA and MATS to help engineers climb masks.
Safety Centre Manager Ricky Davis has been working with Arco for just over a year now, having worked previously as a retail manager and police officer, he said, “Our clients come from many sectors including construction, communication, light manufacturing and the food sector and we are regarded as the number one safety providers which is down to our long history, experience and world-renowned products.”
“The Senior Management Team put people and customers at the heart of the business and we’re passionate about keeping the world a safer place to work. As an inclusive and diverse employer, it’s a great place to work and I enjoy coming in every day and knowing I’m working for a worthwhile cause.
“We’re solution finders at Arco and we don’t compromise on quality. During covid we helped NHS Scotland to undertake face fit testing, using only high-quality compliant products.”
When asked about the importance of being a part of the BID, Ricky said “Being new to the area we were keen to network with other local businesses and contribute to the community and of course raise awareness of our brand. We recently held one of our own BID breakfast networking meeting which included a talk by our Equipment Department Manager Mike and his involvement in the Thai cave rescue mission which earnt him an honours medal for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The event went really well and gave us some great leads and we’re looking forward to being involved in more of these in the future.”
A significant number of people are killed or seriously injured working at height or in confined spaces in the UK each year. Despite legislation and health and safety measures, working in these environments still pose a very high risk and so bespoke training to provide people with the correct skills and capabilities they need is essential.
Whether it is equipment, training or support, Arco offer a complete solution and end to end service.
Get in touch
Ricky and his team are happy to provide a tour of the impressive facilities available at the Bracknell site and discuss in detail solutions for keeping people safe at work, from fire marshall training and first aid, to working at height and in confined spaces.
In November there will be a huge Berghaus event featuring large discounts across the range and all BID members can also benefit from 10% off in their retail store so keep an eye on their socials for further details.
To find out more about the training available from Arco or to receive expert advice on keeping your staff safe at work visit Arco: Joined-up Safety Solutions or call the team directly on 01344 944271