The Fencing Contractors Association (FCA) has launched a the Certified Contractors Scheme for fencing contractors. Photo courtesy of Zaun.
This aim is to provide specifiers, procurement officers and clients with a way to find fencing contractors with experience and competency appropriate to the size and complexity of their contract. For contractors, certification is a marketing tool offering business opportunities.
The scheme is open to any contractor meeting basic registration criteria, regardless of whether or not they are FCA members. However, full contractor membership of the association includes scheme registration and the FCA anticipates that fencing contractors hoping to achieve certified status who are not FCA members will opt to join for the benefits.
Wendy Baker, the association’s General Secretary, says: “There has long been a need in the fencing industry for a scheme that recognises professionalism and promotes those companies that have embraced training, quality and continual improvement. This new scheme recognises each of those elements by certifying fencing contractors at the appropriate level, whether they work predominantly in the residential marketplace for domestic clients or in the public sector where National Highways Sector Schemes dictate the specialist competencies required.”
The four levels of certification – indicated by appropriately coloured scheme logos for use by contractors – are:
•General Installation (Yellow)
•Commercial Installation (Orange)
•Major Projects Installation (Red)
•Specialist Installation (Blue)
For more information about the work of the FCA and details of FCA Membership and the Certified Contractor Scheme, including registration criteria, cost and application form visit the FCA website at www.fencingcontractors.org
About the Fencing Contractors Association (FCA)
The trade association representing the UK fencing industry was started after Governmental request in 1942, during the Second World War. The UK Parliament recognised the demand for raw materials and wanted to be in a position to allocate scarce resources through associations within the industries and have partners in dialogue within those industries by the end of the war. Since then, it has been the largest fencing industry association within the UK.
In the 1960s, the FCA was instrumental in the formation of BS 201, the British Standards committee responsible for managing Fencing Standards BS1722. The FCA has remained at the forefront of this committee ever since. The FCA was involved in the development of National Highways Sector Scheme documents. These describe standards for general fencing, electric security fencing, vehicle safety fencing (crash barriers), environmental noise barriers and parapets, in accordance with ISO 9001 and mapped, where applicable, to the British Standards.
Fencing Contractors Association Limited, Meridien House, 69-71 Clarendon Road, Watford, WD17 1DS. Tel: 07000 560722 or 01923 797012 or email at [email protected].
Until the early 1990s, training for fencing operatives was part of the responsibility of the construction industry in the UK. The Building and Construction Training Council collected levies based on companies’ turnovers and provided training not focused on the fencing industry. At this time the Fencing Contractors Association took over the responsibility for managing training in the fencing industry, thus removing a financial burden from its members and providing fencing-oriented training at the same time. Through its involvement with Lantra, the land-based Sector Skills Council; the FCA is still carrying out this service for members. The training is focused on health and safety, installation, supervision and management of fencing businesses. Only trained personnel are allowed access onto construction and other related sites.
The FCA provides fencing advice, a legal helpline, quality assurance and health and safety advice. The FCA keeps its members informed about changes in legislation, working practices, new challenges, technological changes and new solutions. We also offer arbitration services and training. The FCA also provides assistance to members with master documentation for employment contracts and quality assurance policies (ISO 9001) and negotiates advantageous rates for its members with professional service providers. It has a database for fencing companies looking for sub-contractors.
