Cooper Handling has become one of only a handful of specialist suppliers and engineering support providers of port and heavy handling equipment in the UK to achieve three prestigious internationally recognised quality standards.
The business has attained ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001 across its entire sales and aftersales operations based at sites in Manchester and Honiley, Warwickshire. They apply to all business activities relating to small and heavy lift trucks and laden and unladen container handling.
Many companies will be familiar with ISO9001, which is based on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and an integral policy of continual improvement. ISO14001 sets out the criteria and maps out a framework that an organisation can use to set up an effective management system to measure and improve environmental impact.
OHSAS18000 is an international management system specification that helps organisations control occupational health and safety risks and represents a recognised standard against which they can be certified and assessed. It helps businesses minimise risk and to put in place the policies, procedures and controls needed to achieve the best possible working conditions in accordance with international recognised best practice.
Cooper Handling is keen to reassure customers that they can expect consistent, good quality products and services on an ongoing basis and considers its achievement of all three standards as a statement of intent regarding the future development of the business. To reinforce this commitment, the company has adopted an Integrated Management System to maximise business functionality without compromising the needs of the ISO standards.
Some companies operating in the heavy lifting equipment sector rely on the manufacturer’s accreditation. By attaining the accredited standards itself, Cooper Handling believes it can offer customers extra peace of mind which, in turn, will translate into a tangible competitive advantage.
David Cooper, Managing Director of Cooper Handling, explained: “OHSAS18001 will be a differentiator, underlining the fact that Cooper Handling recognises the risks inherent in the environments in which heavy lifting and container handling equipment operates and that we take health and safety very seriously indeed.
“For instance, we now carry out detailed safety checks on subcontractors to demonstrate to our customers that everyone representing Cooper Handling can work safely on their sites and demonstrate a minimum level of competence.”
ISO and OHSAS accredited businesses must have robust written procedures in place. They are also required to implement them in full and to submit to regular internal review and external audits. To ensure compliance, Cooper Handling is committed to certifying/calibrating all tools, while its staff will benefit from a specific skills-based personal training programme.
The company has always worked to a programme of risk assessments and method statements. Now, it will introduce dynamic risk assessments, enabling it to identify potential risk factors and take action to mitigate the risks in a particular environment on a given day. Risks may include climatic conditions, overhead restrictions or traffic hazards that are prevalent at point of need.
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Editor’s Notes
Operating in all sectors of heavy lifting across the UK and Ireland, Cooper Specialised Handling is the exclusive UK distributor for SveTruck, RAM Spreaders, Telestack bulk material handling conveying systems and Sany mobile handling equipment, sole UK importer and exclusive distributor for Mantsinen cranes, Movella Translifters, TEC Containers and a long-term specialist in Konecranes lift trucks. The company, which celebrated 20 years in business in 2018, also has a dedicated after-sales division, Cooper Handling Solutions, which specialises in engineering support.
Independently owned, Cooper offers total solutions in both solids and bulk handling. Its customised solutions comprise high quality, high value products and reliable service for businesses operating in the most challenging heavy handling environments, including ports, freight handling, inter-modal terminals, manufacturing and other heavy lifting industries.