Before partnering with HandsHQ in 2015, project managers at FP Hurley & Sons were expected to produce risk assessments and method statements (RAMS) as a Word document for every project.
This process was manual and time-consuming, recalls Claire Pilcher, Company Administrator. “Everyone did their own thing,” Claire says. “There wasn't much consistency, and documents were in different formats with different styles. We had to make frequent amendments, and there was a lot of back and forth. Project managers were so fed up with all the rework.”
“As a business, we’re always looking to find more innovative ways of working. We knew we had to find a solution to improve our RAMS process and create more consistent and standardised RAMS across the company.”
FP Hurley & Sons adopted HandsHQ’s RAMS software in 2015. Claire recalls, “It was so easy to onboard. We met with the HandsHQ team to easily understand and fit the system's functionality into our workflow. HandsHQ has been brilliant.”
From implementation, project managers could create RAMS documents in a standardised format in minutes, using information saved in the content library.
“People were so relieved to have HandsHQ,” says Claire. “Sometimes, people can be reluctant to learn a new system. We didn’t get that when we introduced HandsHQ - people were so glad to have it.”
“Our star feature is the digital signature functionality. Operatives can sign off the RAMS digitally from wherever they are working.”
Using HandsHQ has freed project managers from spending huge chunks of time on a part of the job that forced them to stay behind a desk instead of being hands-on. FP Hurley & Sons is delighted with the time savings and the improved quality and consistency of the RAMS produced.
“We have minimal rejections and amendments now,” states Claire. “Our star feature is the digital signature functionality, which is useful. Operatives can sign off the RAMS digitally from wherever they are working.”
“We added on the HandsHQ Training Register back in 2022,” says Claire, “and that has proved to be great as well.”
Before the Training Register, the FP Hurley & Sons team managed training and certification using Excel spreadsheets. As the business grew, this became increasingly unwieldy and difficult.
“It’s been a very practical addition to the RAMS software because the two integrate perfectly – it’s easy to add training and certification details for staff working on projects to the RAMS.”
“I love how we can now manage our own training matrices in Training Register,” enthuses Claire. “The daily email that alerts you to what’s expiring next is great. I can easily see if any certifications are due to run out in the next 30 or 60 days, which has helped us be much more proactive and reduce training costs. Before, we could miss training dates - now, we can’t.”
“It’s been a very practical addition to the RAMS software because the two integrate perfectly – it’s easy to add training and certification details for staff working on projects to the RAMS”, Claire continues.
FP Hurley also uses HandsHQ’s integration with iHasco e-learning, enabling Claire to book courses from an integrated library of over 150+ high-quality iHasco courses. She can seamlessly enroll operatives on a course, check their progress and send reminders so that all training records, including e-learning, remain in one place.
“Previously, we had to book groups into the office to deliver face-to-face courses. It was an admin and logistical nightmare, leading to more business downtime than we’d have liked,” Claire remembers. “With Training Register e-learning, we can keep our workforce up to date remotely, which is great. It was fantastic before, but it’s become even more important as we serve a wider geographical area now.”
“We’re a family business, but we need to stay competitive in an industry that is changing a lot,” states Claire. “Digitalisation is increasingly important, and HandsHQ has helped us stay ahead.”
“As a growing company, this is something we had to do. The auditors like it. All our records are nice and organised and in one place. The auditors can see we are investing in our systems and processes,” Claire continues. “HandsHQ has played a role in us getting and retaining our ISO certifications, including ISO 9001.”
“The time our project managers have been given back by HandsHQ has been diverted to other value-add tasks, such as the new quality and reporting obligations required as part of our ISO certifications. That’s something that will support future quality audits as well as the satisfaction of our customers.”
FP Hurley is a family business, delivering mechanical and electrical building services, including full design, installation and maintenance. The company employs over 200 people from its headquarters in Bridgend, with offices in Bristol, Exeter and Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire.