Safety experts on site for increasing demand

Construction safety requires a proactive role from project parties due to the complexity of construction sites and stricter regulations. Aboma Advies has the expertise to properly support construction safety processes, but also needs additional capacity to guide the client - in many cases the contractor - within the project organization. A partnership with Wilgh QSE of Woerden expands capacity to seventy safety experts, "a doubling, based on a content match.

Within the new form of cooperation, Wilgh lends safety personnel to Aboma and sits down directly with the customer for this purpose. In nine out of ten cases, that customer is a contractor. They need safety experts with the right skills. So Aboma finds extra capacity at fellow company Wilgh. "We have been working together intensively for 1.5 years," says owner Walter Willigenburg of the secondment company. "We have done projects together and turned out to be on the same page," adds Pieter Visser, General Manager Advice of Aboma. Willigenburg: "We only work with senior safety experts, experienced people with great communication and social skills. After all, these are challenging jobs, where you have to serve the customer as well as keep them on their toes."

Growing on-site demand

The right man in the right place: safety science in construction is human-centered, high-end work. Visser nods in agreement. "Contracting parties do have safety experts, but often not on site; they are often employees who help shape internal policy." Aboma advises in this area with audits, safety plans and certification programs, but then again had insufficient capacity for the growing demand for on-site safety experts. "Construction needs safety directors, people who monitor safety policies in the project organization. Clients have ongoing questions about construction safety solutions, and how to deal with environmental safety requirements. Now we are doubling our capacity with Wilgh, based on a content match and corresponding company culture."

Internal motivation

According to Visser and Willigenburg, the cooperation is not an end station. It is conceivable that both parties will jointly offer new services. Aboma and Wilgh QSE are on the same page in terms of objectives, both say. "It does not matter to our safety advice whether a party is a contractor, developer or building owner, or what contract is under a project. There is only one goal in this partnership and in execution: a safe construction site. With an eye on practicality, of course, but we only work with clients who have the internal motivation to get it right. The majority of construction parties fortunately realize that the quality and complexity of the construction environment has increased to such an extent that safety direction has become an indispensable part of the project organization."