KVF’s COMMITMENT TO OUR CUSTOMERS
All this week, we have read, heard or seen on the news and social media the government’s plans and new guidelines to reduce the spread of the virus.
Whether we agree or disagree, we all have a duty to protect ourselves, our families and the people we encounter, in our workplaces albeit colleagues or customers.
It’s difficult enough to understand the pandemic, its health and financial implications and all we can do is make sure we are there for our customers and on hand to help as many people in the motor industry as possible.
As a company with customers across the British Isles, we have had to change the way we operate over the past 6 months. Fortunately, we are equipped to do so, with Canopy Safety, we have the ability to carry out remote, online audits for customers we cannot visit in Guernsey and the Isle of Man, we have seen a big increase in the amount of e-learning and remember, our Intuity Training courses are reduced by 50% until the end of this month.
We have customers who have not stopped and some who have been busier throughout the pandemic than ever before. These include businesses who provide vehicle maintenance for large supermarkets, body repairers and coachbuilders who maintain and repair deliver vehicles for the emergency services, post office, medical suppliers and supermarket chains.
Regardless of the scope of work, size of business or geographical location, our commitment remains as it always has for customers. We will be here to help, advise and support.
We are catching up with visits to customers that were postponed due to the lockdown. Why? Because right now safety is more important than ever.
Never in my lifetime has there been more pressure on businesses to be compliant and safe. Although most businesses have brought most staff back from furlough, there will still be people working from home, we still have a duty of care to protect these team members, especially those shielding. We are helping customers to do this daily.
Now more than ever we need to ensure our workplaces are compliant with government guidelines, our online auditing and safety management software, Canopy Safety has a COVID-19 section that ensures we document how your business is managing infection control and we can help by making sensible suggestions, taken from visiting hundreds of motor trade businesses.
Some team members have been working through since the lockdown, others are returning, and we are seeing an increase in accidents at workplaces, particularly in workshops and body shops. This could be due to burn out or skill fade. In some cases, it’s because teams have been reduced and workload has risen, this can often lead to pressure on staff and sometimes safety suffers, people taking short-cuts to get the job done quickly.
We understand the pressures every business is under. One fact remains; everyone has a legal and moral obligation to comply with health and safety.
COVID-19 is not a reason to drop our guard and we are only as good as our last mistake. The HSE and Local Authority are visiting businesses.
They have a duty to report any non-compliances that could lead to death or serious injury and can penalise businesses with Fees For Intervention (hourly charges investigation into possible breaches), fines and they have to power to stop work if they deem it unsafe.
As we desperately try to fight back against the pandemic and how it has affected all of us, we must remember that government guidelines are in place to reduce the risk of infection, all health and safety legislation before the virus is applicable and there have only been minor relaxations relating to training in some areas.
KVF are here to answer your questions, work with you and your teams to protect everyone and please remember, nothing last forever. Good or bad. We will get through this and we will be here to support you, every step of the way.
Stay Safe, Stay Positive.
Lee Kennedy – Founder of Canopy Safety & Director at KVF.
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