Case Studies

When you understand that Stuart is an important part of his family’s business, his role starts to make more sense.

The business is called Power Plant Installations and is based in Newport Pagnell. Owned by Stuart’s father, the firm employs just six people but is a very successful small-medium sized enterprise (SME). As the business name suggests, it specialises in the installation of power plant machinery, such as switchgear in substations and cabling.

Power plants are dangerous places to be and the work is environmentally sensitive. So to win business and satisfy clients, Power Plant Installations has to demonstrate high standards of safety, health and environmental management. This is where Stuart comes in.

Stuart is 24 years-of-age and is a mechanical engineer. He has a degree in engineering and he brings these skills to the site when he works for the family business. However, he also takes responsibility for safety, health and environmental matters. This includes satisfying the safety, health and environmental audit requirements of clients and regularly completing paperwork to confirm that all work has been carried out to expected standards.

It’s a major task and given the hazardous nature of the sites that Power Plant Installations operates in, Stuart needs a lot of technical know-how and confidence in his abilities to perform his role well. 

That’s why as soon as he started work the family suggested he took his NEBOSH National General Certificate. The firm was winning more heavy electrical substation work at the time, so it was felt someone in the business needed more in-depth health and safety knowledge. Stuart gained a distinction.

Shortly afterwards, and recognising the importance of environmental standards, the family decided Stuart’s next step should be a NEBOSH Environmental Certificate. Stuart and his father had asked their clients about which qualification he should pursue and the overwhelming recommendation was to continue along the NEBOSH route.

“A lot said NEBOSH was the flagship qualification and the best one to have on both fronts, health and safety, and environmental,” explained Stuart. 

Stuart worked hard, but admits he was a little surprised when he learned he’d achieved the highest mark in 2010/11 for his Environmental Certificate exam and assessment. He says his course provider, West Anglia Training Association did “a very good job” getting the material over, especially as they made it applicable to his everyday work.

Unsurprisingly, his family are very proud of Stuart’s success and the NEBOSH ‘Top Candidate’ Award he gained as a result of his high mark. “It’s not just family pride, but they’re proud in a business sense. It’s another achievement to put on the company profile,” he told us.