HAE reorganises under new director

Hire Association Europe (HAE) has restructured its business operations following the appointment of its new Executive Director of Certification Services, Carl Bartlett.

Bartlett, who has over 30 years of industry experience, said that restructuring the organisation would allow for the continuous improvement of standards across the specialist tools, equipment and event rental sector.

According to the HAE, Bartlett plans “to raise the bar in general for the hire industry by achieving accreditation to a construction industry benchmark, the Common Assessment Standards (CAS).”

Bartlett said, “As the standards of safety within the hire industry continue to improve, this reflects on both legislative requirements and the commitment of members to the SafeHire scheme.”

He added, “Promoting high standards will no doubt lead to a reduction in time spent completing sections of tenders, approved supplier documents, pre-qualification questionnaires and SSIP documents.”

As part of the reorganisation, HAE Managing Director, Graham Arundell, has stepped down to take up a part-time role as CEO. He will oversee implementation of the new set-up and achieve UKAS accredited status, while Rupert Douglas-Jones will take on the role of Executive Director of Member Services.

Arundell said, “Challenges in the industry still appear to be dominated by recruitment of experienced or suitably skilled personnel. In recognition of this, HAE continues to expand the training portfolio to support the needs of members.”

HAE said its restructuring is designed to not only give members opportunities for advancement, compliance and the raising of standards in general, but also to continue to progress with training programmes to equip more people with the skills needed for the sector.