UK housebuilder Persimmon Homes has partnered with the roofing accreditation scheme RoofCERT to promote best practice in its supply chain and ensure sub-contractors get it right first time, every time.
The partnership is one of the first to come out of the wider ‘Persimmon Way’ strategy, which aims to ensure the highest build quality through collaboration with its suppliers.
RoofCERT accreditation, which is managed by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC), demonstrates a roofer’s competency through a robust knowledge test, six mandatory health and safety awareness training courses, and either evidence of a vocational qualification or a one-day practical assessment.
The accreditation must then be updated every three years after that to demonstrate ongoing learning and development as legislation and regulations change. There is a greater expectation across the construction industry for operatives to be able to demonstrate their competency, and this is only set to intensify over the coming years.
Through its partnership with RoofCERT, Persimmon Homes aims to use its leading market position to support roofing contractors, many of whom are small and medium-sized companies, to get ahead of the game and ensure their roofing operatives are RoofCERT accredited and can demonstrate their team’s competency.
It will also allow experienced operatives who currently hold a CSCS card through ‘grandfathering rights’ to gain a new skilled worker card before the old grandfathering system comes to an end in 2024.
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has funding available for 2,000 accreditations, but this is only available until April 2022, and with hundreds of roofers already in the pipeline, operatives are being urged to sign-up to get their accreditation now, whilst it’s free.
Persimmon Homes encouraged all of its roofing contractors to put their operatives through the accreditation process, as it will not only help drive up industry standards, but it will make them more attractive companies to work for.
Commenting on the partnership, Matt Dawson, commercial manager at RoofCERT, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Persimmon Homes to help them in their mission to ensure the highest build quality standards throughout their supply chain, and ensuring operatives get it right first time every time.
“As one of the largest housebuilders in the country, we are grateful to Persimmon Homes for using its position to help its sub-contractors, many of whom are small and medium-sized companies, to gain RoofCERT accreditation for its operatives.”
