Oliver Connell & Son Ltd, based in Perivale and founded by the late Oliver Connell in 1974, have grown and expanded hugely in recent years. Although Oliver Connell sadly passed away in 2020 the Connell name remains synonymous with the business, as four Connell family members are still directors of the company.
My name is Nadarajah Gajendran and it is my responsibility to oversee the transport operation. We operate a variety of Heavy Goods Vehicles, including a low loader and HIAB vehicles, to service our own construction projects.
We initially heard about the FORS standard following discussions with clients and industry contacts. The company felt it important to raise its profile, image and standards so set about aligning its policies and procedures with those of the FORS standard. Oliver Connell & Son Ltd have been FORS members since 2015 and has evolved with the standard in that time. Operating in line with the FORS Standard has seen the company develop a positive culture of safety, compliance, efficiency and environmental awareness.
The initial bronze audit was passed at the first attempt although I have to admit it was a quite daunting experience having someone audit our operational procedures. The measures required were developed and with additional FORS guidance Oliver Connell & Son Ltd were able to enhance systems in place and develop strategies for moving forward.
Once Oliver Connell & Son Ltd achieved Bronze accreditation we took advantage of the various FORS toolkits, driver training modules and other resources including PCN
management. The company then set its sights even higher, quickly achieving and
maintaining FORS Silver accreditation. By 2018 we were confident that with systems in
place aligned with the knowledge gained from the FORS Standard we were in a position to gain FORS Gold accreditation.
Oliver Connell & Son Ltd has taken a pragmatic approach to its fleet renewal programme which has resulted in a tangible reduction in emission outputs. Using the FORS standard to assist the company in its procurement processes the company embarked upon a gradual
fleet renewal scheme to facilitate this.
Oliver Connell & Son Ltd has taken a pragmatic approach to its fleet renewal programme which has resulted in a tangible reduction in emission outputs. Using the FORS standard to assist the company in its procurement processes the company embarked upon a gradual fleet renewal scheme to facilitate this. I believe that in acknowledging the FORS standard it has enabled the company to reduce fuel consumption by considerable margins.
There has also been a reduction in collision and the amount of PCN’s issued, thanks to the utilisation of the vast array of road risk related toolkits, driver training, Practitioner Workshops and eLearning modules made available by FORS.
Director, Patrick Connell – “Adhering to the FORS Standard has seen operational improvements across the many factors of our operation in turn raising our company profile”.
Nadarajah Gajendran – “The utilisation of the vast array of toolbox talks, toolkits and training that FORS have made available has undoubtedly raised driver standards”.
Our modern fleet of vehicles now return far more favourable efficiency figures as demonstrated in the table below.
- Drivers are checked periodically for their health, fitness, medical and wellbeing.health and fitness review – provide details of how your company is actively implementing appropriate measures in place to minimise the risk of incidents as a result of underlying health problems or diagnosis of a condition
- Recruitment of drivers – provide information about your strategy to engage in industry initiatives to encourage new drivers into the industry and how your strategy has helped
The company has undertaken noise assessments at the Perivale operating centre and noise levels were found to be well within permissible limits on every occasion. In
addition, the operating centre is away from domestic dwellings, schools, hospitals and retail establishments. All vehicles are fitted with the latest noise abatement equipment.- Due to the nature of our operations servicing various construction sites, modal shift would be impractical. The company do however assess different modes with clients at each site to determine practicality on a case-by-case basis.
With fuel efficiency and the awareness of vulnerable road users being very much to the forefront of our vehicle specification process, Oliver Connell & Son Ltd are extremely proud to be the first operator in the country to take delivery of a Scania L360 6×2 Hybrid truck which has been fitted with a Palfinger crane. The low entry cab design also commands a best-in-class for Direct Vision Standard with a rating of 5 stars. This shows our commitment to being a safety driven and environmentally friendly operator.
Oliver Connell & Son Ltd aim to encourage customers, suppliers and other companies from within the industry to take advantage of the benefits that FORS can bring, by advertising the brand wherever possible. Usually, the company would also be extremely active in the community, engaging with schools, colleges and regional events as a means of promoting both the road transport sector and FORS. However, plans and events have been largely disrupted because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It is imperative that Oliver Connell & Son Ltd maintain momentum by maintaining, exceeding and promoting the FORS Standard with a common collective goal across all aspects of our operation and look forward to continuing our FORS association for many more years.
For more information about our business please visit our website www.oliverconnell.com and you can also follow us on Linkedin.