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Job vacancy: Handyman

Job Description

We are looking for a full-time handyman to join our team.

Based in Forest Hill, London, you will report directly to your Supervisor and will be expected to work in London and the Home Counties.

You’ll have good communication skills, including basic IT abilities, be hard working and have a positive ‘can-do’ attitude. A real team player, you’ll be trustworthy, reliable and be able to manage your time effectively.

You should have at least two years’ experience and preferably a clean driving licence.

Role and responsibilities

  • Maintain our clients’ buildings in a safe, clean and secure condition
  • Liaise regularly with the maintenance administrator and perform daily and weekly checks as prescribed by the job schedule software
  • Carry out basic carpentry, decorating, tiling, flooring or roofing works on a reactive and planned maintenance schedule to ensure our clients buildings are kept in a clean, clear and safe condition
  • Schedule complete regular maintenance, servicing and repair of plant and equipment
  • Repair and maintain general plumbing in our client’s buildings; this includes mains water, heating and drainage systems
  • Order equipment and parts through the maintenance administrator using purchase orders for goods and services necessary for the continued operations as approved by the client. Invoices are required to permit completion of financial reports
  • Work with the administrator to ensure spending is within budget
  • Report details of completed tasks and any further works required to the maintenance administrator
  • Work in conjunction with sub-contracted service staff
  • Provide training for clients and on site staff for safe use of the equipment installed or provided by CAM
  • Complete all work sheets and provide copy back to maintenance administrator so that tasks can be shut down, invoiced and reported on by the helpdesk.

In return, we offer:

  • Company van
  • Uniform
  • Tools and Training

We are a London Living Wage Employer.

Applications should be emailed to Juliet by 5pm on Thursday 12 May.

Sharing the benefits of being a Living Wage employer

The increased costs of paying higher wages are a concern to many businesses, so London Living Wage employer CAM Specialist Support – a commercial high-level cleaning and building maintenance business – was happy to share its experiences of the benefits with a group of local businesses recently.

Speaking at an event organised by Lewisham Council, Sean Canty, Director at CAM, outlined what the Living Wage means to the business and admitted: “we understand why companies might be reluctant to join the London Living Wage scheme, but any uncertainty is behind us now. We have always looked to pay our staff well and paid the London Living Wage rate for a couple of years before becoming officially accredited.”

Since receiving the official accreditation, CAM has seen a better quality of applicants for vacant posts within the company and staff retention and engagement has improved. It has also led to a reduction in absenteeism.

“We’ve found that there is greater awareness of CAM from both existing and potential customers – some of which insist their contractors are accredited – and that we can add value to their businesses now we have the accreditation. This has all helped to grow our business,” said Sean.

Fellow director Matt Johnson added: “Paying the London Living Wage has enhanced the way we view ourselves as a company, and the way we are viewed by existing and potential customers. Our initial fear that we would need to reduce our staff levels to cope with the costs has proved unfounded thanks to the extra business we’ve been able to secure.”

The event was hosted by the Mayor of Lewisham and also featured a presentation from Katherine Chapman of the Living Wage Foundation and the announcement of a business rate rebate scheme for Living Wage employers in the London Borough of Lewisham to help them with accreditation costs.

CAM Specialist Support van

Driving home the safety message

As experts in working at height, safety plays a crucial part of life at CAM Specialist Support. It’s not just the operatives working up buildings who are in potential peril so CAM has also focused on the safety of its drivers, to protect them, their passengers and the public when they are out on the road.

Sean Canty, Director at CAM, explained: “We check our vehicles regularly to ensure they are in good condition and it makes sense to check our drivers too. Fitting our vans with speed trackers and dashboard cameras means that we can assess our operatives’ driving. We can then recognise those who do it well and review, and where appropriate retrain, those whose driving leaves a little to be desired. We’ve all felt the frustration of traffic delays and wanted to make up time, but these tools remind our drivers to be responsible on the roads.

“Making sure people are thinking about their driving style means they are more considerate of other road users and they drive in a more economical style – better for our books and the environment.”

Like any business CAM needs to make money, but being part of the community it works in is also central to CAM’s ethos and this safety initiative is part of that approach. CAM is also a London Living Wage employer and takes on apprentices from the local community.

The specialist’s apprentice – a job with a view

Not everyone would turn down a place at university to join the cleaning industry, but as his apprenticeship comes to an end, Ross Hayward, Safety Administrator at CAM Specialist Support, has no regrets for having done just that.

Although academic qualifications are not a prerequisite to get on CAM’s apprenticeship programme, having gained A-Levels in Mathematics, Biology, English Literature and Drama, Ross was clearly the sort of recruit CAM Specialist Support is trying to appeal to as it seeks to attract and retain quality staff to work in the cleaning industry.

Ross said: “On completion of my A-Levels, I was preparing to begin my studies at the University of Bristol. I eventually came to the conclusion that I would benefit more from pursuing a career through an apprenticeship. I wanted to test myself outside of the academic bubble, and develop new skills by working side-by-side with the experts. Although turning down a place at university may seem bizarre, my view is that as long as you are committed to professional development and learning, whichever pathway you choose will be the right one.

“My work at CAM is interesting and challenging. Despite being an apprentice, the work I do carries a large amount of legislatively-driven responsibility. While continuing to study and build upon my knowledge of health and safety legislation, I spend most of my time producing risk assessments and responding to customers’ health and safety enquiries. As well as the administrative aspects of my job, I take time to visit sites and carry out inspections. For example, I recently visited the roof area of a site in Kings Cross prior to the commencement of an abseiling task. Not only did this give me an insight into the practicality of abseiling, it also gave me the opportunity to view London from a perspective that few people are able to; not many classrooms compare.”

Things continue to look up for Ross as Tim Jones, Director at working at height specialists, CAM Specialist Support, explained: “We’ve been delighted with the progress Ross has made over the past year. He’s a real asset to the team and we look forward to working with him for years to come. The cleaning industry is a place of real opportunity for people like Ross – we believe he’ll be running the safety department in the not-too-distant future.”

Escalator barriers not money for old rope

Most of us take the humble escalator for granted. However, accidents can and do happen, unless those who manage them plan regular maintenance and the public is kept safely separated from escalators that are out of action.

Sean Canty, Director at CAM Specialist Support, explained: “The most common types of accidents are slips, trips and falls, but there can be much more serious repercussions from poorly maintained escalators, unsafe repair procedures and uncontrolled access when the moving stairs are not in service. In Beijing earlier this year, 31-year-old Xiang Liujuan tragically lost her life when a metal panel collapsed under her feet and she fell into the gap. A problem with the escalator had already been identified, but no action had been taken to rectify the situation. The accident was a rare, but sadly not unique, occurrence.

“Although apparently harmless, stationary escalators can be a hazard. Escalators are designed to be used while moving and the step size alters as they rotate. When stationary, the steps are uneven and can become a trip hazard that is exacerbated by people walking at different speeds and potentially bumping into each other. Unless there is no alternative, public access should be restricted and proper barriers put in place. Roping or taping off an out of use escalator is not sufficient, as all too often people will bypass such temporary measures.

“A further danger is overloading. Escalator weight limits can be exceeded if too many people get on at once; a particular problem if they are using it as a viewing point for an activity taking place below, such as Christmas lights being switched on or a Santa’s grotto. Often managers will think it’s safer to stop an escalator at busy periods, but this can actually make matters worse if people crowd on to them. Secure barriers should always be used to keep people safe.”

Working with the centre management team, CAM Specialist Support recently designed and installed bespoke barriers (pictured above) which can be secured across the escalators at Peacocks Shopping Centre, Woking, to prevent access when the escalators are out of service.

Anyone who manages an escalator should ensure they get advice from experts to ensure that people are kept safely away during any required maintenance.

Unexpected reward for paying London Living Wage

Working at height expert, CAM Specialist Support has been presented with the London Borough of Lewisham’s Employer of the Year award for commitment to its staff, including paying the London Living Wage.

The picture shows the award being presented to CAM Director, Matt Johnson (left), by Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, when he visited the Company’s offices, along with council colleagues, as part of Living Wage Week. The council delegation wanted to find out about CAM’s experience of paying the London Living Wage and developing its workforce through apprenticeships. CAM is one of only two private sector organisations in the borough accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.

Matt Johnson explained: “We pay the Living Wage, because we believe it is the right thing to do morally. We want everyone who works here to be able to feed and clothe their families and not be worrying about in-work poverty. As well as the moral benefits, we’ve found there are commercial returns as staff are more loyal and flexible when they are being treated with respect, reducing recruitment time and costs. Paying the Living Wage also means people are less likely to take shortcuts while working and we have an excellent safety record as a result.

“We were honoured when the Mayor wanted to come and visit us to discuss how we work and how other businesses can be encouraged to join the Living Wage movement. We were surprised and delighted when he presented us with the Employer of the Year award, as it is always great to be recognised for doing the right thing. We hope more businesses will realise the benefits of paying the Living Wage to their staff and contractors so that everyone receives a fairer deal.”

CAM Specialist Support calls on cleaning industry to help attract next generation of cleaning professionals

The cleaning industry is not often the first choice destination for school, college or university leavers and those seeking work, but CAM Specialist Support is looking to change that. With the Living Wage prominent in the news following George Osborne’s recent budget, the building services company is aiming to showcase the career prospects available in the sector and is calling on the cleaning industry to ensure that new recruits are paid fairly.

Matt Johnson, Director at CAM Specialist Support said: “The cleaning industry offers tremendous opportunities to the right people. I myself started off as a window cleaner and now run my own diverse company. However, we need to make the industry more attractive to quality applicants so that our profession gains the credibility it deserves. The first stage on that journey is to ensure we pay a wage that people can actually live on.”

CAM Specialist Support is an accredited Living Wage employer and pays the Living Wage of at least £9.15 per hour in London. The current National Minimum Wage is just £6.50, a figure that is unsustainable and leads to in-work poverty.

Matt acknowledges that the tender process for cleaning contracts is almost exclusively driven by price, but says it is up to the industry to increase their clients’ understanding of the results of low prices on the frontline workers cleaning their offices, shops, schools and other premises.

CAM Specialist Support is committed to its employees and runs a support programme, which includes training, investment and personal development. Alongside this it matches and exceeds local expectations regarding levels of remuneration and pension contributions for staff.

Matt added: “The cleaning industry is about so much more than pushing a mop or broom around, it is ripe with opportunities for those with an entrepreneurial spirit. Cleaning can be a varied and rewarding career and one that offers plenty of prospects.

“At CAM Specialist Support we offer every service a building owner or manager could need. That means people who work for us have a great chance to learn a lot and get involved with many different aspects of the cleaning industry.”

Cam Specialist Support celebrates Living Wage commitment

The Living Wage Foundation is pleased to announce that CAM Specialist Support, has today, 3 August, been accredited as a Living Wage employer.

The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at CAM Specialist Support, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers; receive a minimum hourly wage of £7.85 – significantly higher than the national minimum wage of £6.50.

The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet.

CAM Specialist Support Managing Director, Matt Johnson, said: “Paying a wage that people can actually live on is absolutely the right thing to do morally and financially. Our employees are people not commodities. We want to attract and retain quality staff and so reward them accordingly. As a London based company, we pay the Living Wage of at least £9.15 per hour in London.”

Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

Living Wage Foundation Director, Rhys Moore said: “We are delighted to welcome CAM Specialist Support to the Living Wage movement as an accredited employer.

“The best employers are voluntarily signing up to pay the Living Wage now. The Living Wage is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day’s work with a fair day’s pay.

“We have accredited over 1,500 leading employers, including CAM Specialist Support, ranging from independent printers, bookshops and breweries, to well-known companies such as Nationwide, Aviva and SSE. These businesses recognise that clinging to the national minimum wage is not good for business. Customers expect better than that.”

Media Contacts

Living Wage
Gillian Owen, 07876 246 150, gillian.owen@citizensuk.org.uk

CAM Specialist Support
Alistair Moses, 01372 200 900, Alistair@cbipr.com

Training focus for new cam specialist support company

Cleaning and building maintenance expert CAM Specialist Support has launched CAM Training Ltd, a new company focused on delivering a comprehensive range of specialist health and safety training courses.

CAM Specialist Support already has over 20 years’ experience and expertise in training in health and safety management and environmental management, but it is now accredited in its own right to deliver a host of training courses, including NEBOSH; an examined core qualification for people where health and safety is an integral part of their role at work. The first CAM Training Ltd accredited NEBOSH courses start in October 2015.

Tim Jones, Professional Development Director, explained: “CAM Training Ltd sits within the CAM group, but by establishing it as a new company we are able to ensure our focus remains completely on the specialised training aspect of our business. We use our experience and expertise to not only help clients to pass their course and gain a qualification, but also to enhance their career. By training with CAM we encourage individuals to make health and safety central to their work and therefore challenge the focus of their industry from within. Working with our partners our pass rates for NEBOSH Certificate courses exceed 90%, and NEBOSH National Diploma pass rates are usually between 15-20% above the national average. As a specialist training company we will continue to reach or exceed those heights.”

Other courses offered by CAM Training Ltd include:

  • IOSH working safely and managing safely
  • Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
  • Federation of Window Cleaners (FWC) IOSH accredited Cleaning Windows Safely using Water fed poles and Ladder and Risk assessment and method statements for cleaning windows
  • CAM also offers bespoke, industry-dictated training to suit its clients specific needs

Courses offered by CAM Training Ltd carry nationally accredited certification in the areas of Health and Safety and Environmental Management and are run at CAM’s specialist training centre in London or at customers’ premises.