Peterlee standards expert chosen for European industry safety panel

Jim Wallace, technical standards and applications specialist at Seaward Group, joined the first Hire Association Europe (HAE) and Event Hire Association (EHA) review panel meeting in Birmingham.

The ten-strong panel was commissioned to review the associations’ quality standard, SafeHire, which is used worldwide by over 900 members. The standard, developed in partnership with the British Standards Institution (BSI), helps hire and rental organisations implement management processes that improve the safety and quality of their services and fulfil their legal requirements. This assures people hiring plant, tool and event equipment that the rental company meets various criteria.

Mr Wallace’s experience with Seaward Group, a leading manufacturer of electrical test equipment based in County Durham, made him an attractive candidate for the board.

Mr Wallace said: “I’m delighted to be involved in shaping the future of this standard, which will help ensure compliance with important standards and regulations.

“I think the technical and applications expertise that I have gained from Seaward will add real value during the review.

“It’s the same with any rental situation, you want to be sure that what you’re hiring is safe – something even more important when it comes to manufacturing, construction and event equipment.”

Seaward Group, which employs 170 staff from its Peterlee base, designs and manufacturers devices that test electrical equipment, including portable appliance, biomedical and renewables test equipment.

The company is no stranger to leading the field in industry safety, and Mr Wallace holds positions with the BSI, International Electrotechnical Commission and as the Chair of the GAMBICA trade association Electrical Installation Test Instrument Group. Legislative requirements can often place a burden on employers and impact on their bottom line, but Mr Wallace’s expert guidance will help HAE EHA members to meet requirements more efficiently.

Dr Brian Pearson, chair of the HAE SafeHire review panel, said: “We are delighted to welcome Seaward Group to the panel.

“Jim Wallace will form an important cog in the future development of our acclaimed industry standard.”