October 2024 Newsletter

As we head towards the end of the year, I’m excited to share some updates from Gully Howard Technical. We’ve been hard at work enhancing our training offerings and systems, and our team has grown with several new members who bring fresh energy and expertise. Whether you’re a returning customer or exploring our training for the first time, we hope you’ll find something here that benefits your professional journey.

?Welcoming New Faces & Celebrating Successes

?Our team continues to expand, and we’re thrilled to welcome several new members on board. Each of them brings unique skills and a drive to support our commitment to high-quality training and service. Recent joiners include:

- Kat Griggs – Joining our admin team with extensive experience in report checking and quality management support.

- Jess Fletcher – Our new Admin Support is assisting with scheduling and coordination.

- Aaron Smith & Paul Turner – Experienced surveyors covering the South East, with Paul working towards achieving BOHS air testing qualifications.

- Rob Overall –Rob is now independently conducting surveys following his recent achievement of the BOHS P402 qualification.

- Lowen Kirk – A new to industry, trainee surveyor who is already making great strides in asbestos surveying.

?Celebrating Recent Exam Successes

A huge well done to Tom and Neil for passing their P403 proficiency module!

Tom has been with us for 15 years now, and honestly, we can’t imagine life at Gully Howard Technical without his massive personality. He’s become such an integral part of the team, working independently on huge projects and even stepping up as a fantastic trainer for our short-duration asbestos courses. He’s also working towards his CoC in asbestos, and we’re all behind him as he keeps pushing forward.

Neil originally joined us in 2015 as a trainee, and after a brief time away, returned to the company almost a year ago. It’s been great to have him back, and passing his P403 shows his continued commitment to developing his skills in the field. Both Tom and Neil have worked hard to reach this point, and we’re excited to see where they go from here.

We’re also really proud to shout out Rob and Lu, who’ve recently passed their P401 exams! Their dedication, hard work, and commitment to learning truly highlight what we’re all about at Gully Howard Technical.

?Rob joined us 10 years ago as a trainee surveyor, and in that time, he’s grown into a highly competent asbestos surveyor and trainer. He’s now working towards his BOHS CoC in asbestos, and we’re excited to see his journey continue.

Lu has been with us for 2.5 years, initially working within our reporting and bookings team. She’s now expanding her skill set into asbestos, showing her drive to continually grow and take on new challenges.

Now that they’ve passed their exams, the real work starts—gaining the competence and experience needed to identify asbestos in bulk samples. It’s no small feat, but I know they’re more than up to the task.

In an industry facing a significant skills gap, we understand the importance of professional development. We’re committed to offering our team a balance that supports both personal wellbeing and professional growth. With a focus on internal training and career development, we invest in our people for the long term. Whether it’s hands-on learning, tailored progression paths, or exposure to a variety of projects, we provide opportunities that go beyond just ticking boxes. We couldn’t be prouder of Rob and Lu’s achievements, and we’re really looking forward to what’s ahead as we continue to grow together!

Promotion Announcement: Fii Takes on New Role as Head Training and Reporting Co-ordinator

We’re delighted to announce that Fii has been promoted to Head Training and Reporting Co-ordinator! Fii has been an incredible support to the team, often stepping up to help others with problem-solving and proactively contributing to the successful implementation of our new training management software alongside Training Director, Kirsty Thomas.

In her new role, Fii will be taking on additional responsibilities within the Admin Support and Training departments. We’re confident she’ll continue to excel and make a huge impact in this position.

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?Streamlined Online Bookings – Easy, Flexible, and Live Now

We’ve recently rolled out a new training management system designed to make your booking experience seamless. With our updated platform, you can now easily book courses online and take advantage of our, including buy-now-pay-later, Pay by Card, Invoice, Purchase Order, BACs or bank transfer when booking via our online portal (terms apply).

Our full 2025 Occupational Hygiene Training Schedule is live, so now is the perfect time to secure your place on next year’s courses, which are available both online and in-person.

Visit us at HERE to explore available dates and book your courses.

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Explore Our Full Range of Training Courses

In addition to our popular occupational hygiene and asbestos courses, we also offer a comprehensive selection of specialised courses to meet diverse industry needs, including:

Local Exhaust Ventilation (BOHS P600 & P601)

Legionella (BOHS P900 & P901)

Fit Test Training – Ensuring respiratory protection for your team.

Bespoke Courses – Custom training designed to fit your organisation’s unique requirements.

E-Learning Modules – Convenient, flexible learning options you can complete at your own pace.

For further details, please visit our website HERE or get in touch via our contact page .

Our team is here to help you find the right training solutions to meet your goals.

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Industry Insight: The Real Cost of Higher Salaries

With the growing demand for skilled asbestos professionals, companies are increasingly offering higher salaries to attract talent. While a bigger pay packet can be tempting, it often comes with hidden costs, particularly regarding work-life balance and job satisfaction.

Having experience in recruitment, I understand the mechanics of the industry well. Recruiters are often driven by commission, meaning their goal is to place candidates quickly and sometimes encourage job changes to meet their targets. This dynamic can lead to a focus on salary as the main motivator, but this approach often overlooks critical factors like job satisfaction, stability, and the impact of frequent moves on one’s career trajectory. A higher salary may not always lead to a better career or life experience; instead, it can bring increased expectations, such as longer hours, more mileage, and greater output demands. Some professionals find themselves driving extensive distances each week, facing longer days and heavier workloads. One recent returnee to our team put it succinctly: “I was driving up to a thousand miles a week, and it was becoming unsustainable. I was getting home and feeling very lethargic. I certainly didn't want to drive anywhere at the weekend, which meant it felt like most of my life was working”

There’s a growing conversation in the industry about alternative benefits offered by companies that may not lead with the highest salaries but instead prioritise work-life balance. Flexible working hours, accommodation for personal appointments, and a compassionate approach to personal commitments provide stability that salary alone can’t offer. For many, these less tangible benefits—being treated as individuals rather than numbers and working with reasonable expectations—are the key to long-term career satisfaction.

Ultimately, a higher salary might enhance your bank account, but will it enrich your life? True career satisfaction often lies not in the paycheck, but in the everyday experience, the team around you, and the balance between your work and personal life. As you weigh your options, ask yourself: is the promise of more money worth the potential cost to your happiness and well-being?

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Industry Update: Progress Towards a UK Asbestos Register

The UK government has been engaging in ongoing discussions and parliamentary meetings about establishing a comprehensive national asbestos register. This initiative is part of a broader commitment to improving public health and safety, given asbestos's status as a leading cause of work-related illness and death in the UK. The drive to establish a register reflects growing awareness of the lasting dangers asbestos poses, even decades after its use in construction was banned.

A UK asbestos register would provide a centralised database of all properties and materials containing asbestos, enabling safer and more informed management across industries. For workers, property owners, and employers, this resource could act as a vital tool for mitigating risk, ensuring that every building with known asbestos is documented, and that proper safety measures are in place. Currently, information about asbestos is fragmented, with management and records often left to individual building owners or occupants, leading to inconsistencies in accessibility and accuracy. A national register could address these gaps, allowing for uniform standards in asbestos management.

Recent discussions in Parliament have explored funding, data accessibility, data protection concerns, and collaboration with local authorities to ensure the register would be maintained and updated accurately. While there is strong cross-party support for this initiative, the details of implementation, including regulatory oversight and potential costs, are still under review. Advocates argue that a national asbestos register could reduce accidental exposures and ensure safer working environments, particularly for tradespeople, building maintenance workers, and emergency responders who are at heightened risk of encountering asbestos.

The next steps will involve further consultations with industry stakeholders, regulatory bodies, and health and safety experts to finalise a feasible framework for the register. The industry remains hopeful that a national asbestos register could bring the UK closer to eliminating the devastating effects of asbestos exposure, promoting a safer, more accountable approach to managing this hazardous material.?

For more information on the UK government’s stance on asbestos and ongoing consultations, you can view the following resources:

-House of Commons Research Briefing: Asbestos in Buildings https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9276/

- UK Health and Safety Executive: Asbestos https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htm

- British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) on Asbestos and Occupational Health https://www.bohs.org/knowledge-centre/occupational-hygiene/asbestos/ )

• UKNAR https://uknar.org/

A national asbestos register would be an investment in the safety of future generations. The real question now is not whether it should happen, but how quickly it can be achieved to make a meaningful impact.

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Thank you for being a part of our journey. Whether you’re here for the latest industry insights or exploring our training options, we’re always here to support your professional growth.

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Best wishes,?

Kirsty Thomas

Director?

Gully Howard Technical?

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