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​Leading labour supplier to the rail industry converts used PPE / Workwear into Energy​Ganymede Solutions continually look for new initiatives that support them in achieving their Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, which includes considering environmental impact. ​As a leading supplier of labour to the rail industry, the sourcing, use and disposal of PPE/Workwear was a key area identified to support this strategy. ​Together with specialist rail PPE supplier, Safeaid, Ganymede Solutions considered the lifecycle of PPE/Workwear and implemented new recycling facilities. The goals were, firstly, to reduce the amount of PPE/Workwear that is not looked after properly and therefore disposed of before it needs to be. Then, to provide an alternative option to operatives and staff that prevents used clothing going into landfill. ​Through the recycling operation, instead of ending up in landfill, the shredded textiles are baled and sent on for further processing so that they become refuse derived fuel (RDF). This means that the textile shreds are incinerated to produce steam, which is converted into energy. ​An education into product lifecycle ​Ganymede Solutions will be providing learning resources to staff to ensure all PPE is looked after correctly and lasts for as long as possible. ​Furthermore, the process will be made as easy as possible for operatives to utilise this recycling scheme by having ‘drop and swap’ facilities in eight Ganymede locations across the UK, starting with its office in Wales. ​The aim is for 25% of staff to use the recycling facility throughout the first year. ​Gary Lobue, Head of HSEQ said of the new initiative: ​“We are absolutely thrilled to get this project off the ground, reducing waste to landfill is something we have been working on within our offices, but being able to provide this recycling service to our operatives and staff is fantastic and a testament to our dedication to our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.” ​Richard Bowen, Managing Director at Safeaid commented: ​“We are delighted to support Ganymede with PPE recycling facilities. As a business we’re committed to delivering environmentally responsible solutions to our customers to help them achieve their sustainability goals. These include our Signal carbon neutral PPE range which Ganymede also purchase for their workforce.”

​Balfour Beatty Rail Safety Leaders event provides reassurance that rail industry is moving in the right direction ​By Stuart FraserAccounts Director​Well done Balfour Beatty Rail (BBR). It was great to be a part of the process for shaping how as a collective (BBR & their wider supply chain) from senior management down to the boots on the ballast can make the required step change to transform our safety culture for the better. I genuinely believe by training, developing, and empowering the chosen safety leaders who volunteered for the positions, we can make a difference to everyone’s safety and mental well-being. My only fear is how we keep momentum, there’s no doubt that after a powerful experiential day we all want to drive change. However, when we go back to our desks or site projects, we are focussed on the day-to-day tasks that are as vitally important in getting the job done and delivering our mantra of, “putting the passenger first”. ​​To see first-hand the dedicated safety leaders, share their experiences and how they challenge each projects hot safety topics was fantastic. In fairness the day was filled with a mixture of emotions with Jason Anker sharing his heart-breaking accident and a life story of highs and lows that could have been scripted by Shakespeare himself.​Speaking of Shakespeare and theatre springs to mind and on the day, there was a thought-provoking session where two actors aka Del & Rod used a common day to day issue to raise a close call. True to form as on most sites and to all our amusement, a large argument ensued between the pair that had all of us in the room in raptures of laughter. Probably as the issue was all too familiar but, more to do with the interaction and the barrage of abuse given to us as the audience as we tried to offer advice to them on how the close call should have been raised. Utilising our own emotional acumen and what we had discussed using the Human Aid process (Aid - Action, Impact, Do), that embraces two-way communication to get the individual breaching safety bought in and engaged. On a serious note, although there was humour added to a dangerous issue, what a great way to engage with the room. It helped bring real life instances to the forefront of everyone’s mind and reminded us of what pressures our teams on the front line must deal with.​I genuinely believe the Balfour Beatty Safety Leadership programme is going to be a great success and Ganymede are proud to be able to support such a great initiative.​On a wider note, and something the day has made me reflect on, is the fact on how we embrace the safety initiatives Balfour Beatty Rail and the wider rail industry is pushing to embed in all that we do, making safety a prerequisite, a habit, instinctual and not an afterthought? ​The truth is there is no hard and fast answer however, there is no doubting we need a cultural step change within all our organisations in the rail industry to change the behaviours at every level of our businesses. Nevertheless, this does not mean we cannot challenge the way we work so, with this in mind and a wider issue than the safety leadership programme. I for one would like to break the status quo and see one unified safety message for Zero Harm, Home Safe Every day, Free to be safe, Speak Up etc. We have worthy safety initiatives for each rail organisation, all with a powerful and righteous message to keep our people safe. Then again, I genuinely believe we are watering down the impact of these powerful messages with all the various nuances on safety from organisation to organisation. Which recalls, one of the quotes that stuck with me from yesterday, “The absence of accidents does not mean the existence of safety”.​An example of these good safety initiatives that is intended to keep safety at the forefront and make us safer on site, is the introduction of the safety application for your smart phones. An inspirational idea if there was solely one application for the rail industry. Sadly, we are confusing the issue with the introduction of these safety applications for every business, each with a separate number to call in your concerns or a separate close call process to raise safety concerns on site. All confusing the issue and blurring the lines for contracted staff who work for multiple organisations and make up a large quantity of the rail industry’s operational staff. ​With all this in mind, I keep asking myself, do I believe we are mature enough within the rail industry to drive one multi-organisational safety message, with one railway and one purpose in mind, “Zero Harm” with everyone home safe every day? The answer is always yes! But and it is a big but, how Nick Millington, Brian Painter, Mick Rayner, Mark Groombridge do we get the ORR, Network Rail to drive this with all the tier one contractors including Balfour Beatty Rail, to drive this forward? ​In truth neither Ganymede nor myself have the power to initiate this endeavour. However, we can and will keep asking the question and pushing for a integrated approach, so that one day there is a unified and consistent safety message across the rail industry.​About the authorStuart Fraser is the Accounts Director at Ganymede SolutionsEmail: stuart.fraser@ganymedesolutions.co.ukMobile: 07766 255 482LinkedIn: Stuart Fraser​​​

​​​​​​The Spring 2022 edition of Safety First, Ganymede’s quarterly safety newsletter is now available to read.​In this edition we focus on:​Lessons LearnedThe Importance of Using Safety Critical Communications​Track Safety Competence UpdatesCOSS and IWA CompetenceLookout Site Warden Competence​Correct use of Hand ToolsHand Tools – Panpullers​Spotlight on SafetyAre you on or near the line or on the lineside?Workforce Health and Safety ChampionsEquality, Diversity and InclusionClose Call ReportingDiabetesFatigue​FleetChanges to the Highway Code​RemindersWear your PPE with PrideEnvironmental​Meet the TeamMeet the Team​Read the Spring 2022 Safety First Newsletter here​As always, we trust you will find the newsletter useful and engaging. If you have any questions or feedback after reading this edition of Safety First, please don't hesitate to get in touch using the form below. ​

​Fatigue Issue 13: Tips for Better Sleep​Making sure you get enough sleep will increase your energy levels and make you more productive. It can boost your immune system and help you regulate your moodYou can’t make yourself fall asleep, but you can put things in place to give yourself the best chance.​During the day you can prepare for a good night’s sleep by: Spending time in natural light; it has positive effects on circadian rhythm, no matter how brightly the sun is shining. Taking regular exercise (including walking). It has numerous health benefits, including for sleep. Limit alcohol and caffeine, especially close to bedtime. It can disrupt the quantity and quality of your sleep. Create an association in your mind between your bed and sleep; try to avoid working in your bedroom. Avoiding naps lasting longer than 30 minutes after 3pm (unless you’re a night worker). Set aside 20 minutes during the day to write down your worries and problem-solve. Bedtime preparation could include: Avoid going to bed hungry or straight after a heavy meal. Stick to a regular routine; go to bed (and get up) at the same time each day where possible. Taking a warm bath or shower before bed. This lowers your core temperature, making it easier to get to sleep. Keep your bedroom cool, quiet and as dark as possible. Create an association in your mind between your bed and sleep. Try to avoid working in your bedroom. Cue your body to slow down and relax by preparing for bed the same way each night and go to bed when you are sleepy.​Trouble sleepingIf you find it hard to drop off to sleep, or wake up in the night some of these techniques might helpTry conditioning yourself to fall asleep using pre-recorded audio programs with soothing music and voiceovers. You could try to follow a relaxation routine; performing deep breathing or backwards counting exercises in bed can help. Visualise being in your favourite place. Try to recall a long list, like all of the states of the U.SA. If you took time to note down worries/problem solve in the day, at night try to concentrate on the positive things; gratitude lists can be helpful. Don’t spend more than 20 minutes tossing and turning. Instead, get out of bed and do something relaxing in very low light. Try not to look at your phone as light from the screen can have an alerting effect.​​If you have any questions regarding the topics covered in our Fatigue series, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our HSEQ team on 0333 011 2048 who will offer you support and guidance.

Why I stayed at Ganymede​​It’s no secret that there’s a lot of recruitment agencies out there offering opportunities to future consultants. At Ganymede, there is no doubt that our employees are experts at what they do. We spoke to our Head of Energy, Joe Prestedge, and our Principal Consultant, Natasha Higgins, on why they stayed with Ganymede.​Natasha joined us in 2016 and has been taking the rolling stock sector by storm ever since. Natasha talked about the trust and security she felt from Ganymede from the very beginning: “Being a working mum, Chris O'Connor (our Director) made an agreement for me to work from home 4 days a week at the time. He had a huge amount of trust in me and my abilities from the beginning which meant a lot. For me, it’s never been about progressing or managing people, I could get that anywhere. It’s about having the freedom to walk my kids to school and still get the job done”.​Natasha says, “The possibility is always there to have a chat with the team to see how I can develop myself. There has been loads of opportunity for me to help in different sectors and I have been loving it. They know what I’m capable of and only want me to be successful.”​Providing opportunities for development ties in with our values. ‘People are our passion’ is at the forefront of everything we do. Joe has been with Ganymede since 2015 as our Head of Energy and talked about what made Ganymede have the staying power, he said; “I loved the industry I was in, but when Ganymede offered me the job, I couldn’t believe how open and down to earth they were, and extremely forward thinking. Ganymede actually wanted to invest in their employees. I loved the freedom it gave me.”​Having a likeminded team has made a huge difference to both Natasha and Joe’s experience with Ganymede. Natasha says, “For me, it’s great how everyone has their own goals, and everybody wants you to do well and achieve them. In other agencies there is a lot of ownership over certain areas or sectors. But here, everyone is very supportive and willing to help you. If you’re having a down day, there’s always someone to call. The banter helps – me being a Luton supporter means I get it all!” And Joe’s role in managing people has only shown him the importance of the team he has around him, he says, “We really have such a good core team of experts. Honestly, it does sound cheesy, but it is like one big family. Everyone works so hard. It’s as simple as this, we speak to everyone with respect, you all get the opportunity to develop, and the support is always there, no questions asked.”​And their journey with Ganymede isn’t over yet. When questioned on his future with the company, Joe has no doubt that the options for our energy team are only getting bigger, he says, “The future is huge. The industry is moving in a sustainable, green energy direction and our business is only developing further. Looking at all the different avenues of work available to us, I have no doubt that the opportunities are enormous and means we will only continue growing.”​Find out more about a career with Ganymede today. Send me your CV or connect with me on LinkedIn today.Telephone: 07920 595 229Email: rachael.bailey-frost@ganymedesolutions.co.uk​LinkedIn: Connect on LinkedIn

My name is Nicola McNamara-Cox and I have been working at Ganymede Energy for the past 4 months as a Dual Fuel Operative...I previously worked at a major energy provider in 2001 where I worked in several positions working my way up and getting to understand the business and the customers’ needs from the start. The positions I held included customer service advisor and duty manager. It was great learning and really got me interested in energy and how we can help customers get the most out of their energy needs.​In 2018, I was made redundant and took the opportunity to become more hands on with a role in energy and successful gained an apprenticeship, where we had extensive practical training on Gas and Electrics and attended a skills academy. Once I completed my apprenticeship, I decided to look at companies that fitted my values and lifestyle.​Why choose Ganymede Solutions?​I completed quite a lot of research on the different options available in the energy market. I spoke to people at Ganymede who really spent the time to get to know me and what was important to me. Having an organisation that proactively helps with everyone’s mental health really clinched it for me, and their attitude to a great work life balance really hit home.​“From Nicola's initial interview with myself, right throughout the onboarding process, continuing throughout her training and going live within the field, Nicola has been a pleasure to work with. Always enthusiastic, hard working with a can do attitude. Nicola has been a great addition to the team.” Joe Prestedge, Head of Energy​“What an amazing day I've had, rang my first customer advised I was on my way and she did this "Wahoo" so loud down the phone and said "You're a female engineer! I feel less stressed and really happy and comfortable now." She was an absolutely lovely customer from beginning to end." Nicola McNamara Cox, Dual Fuel Operative​What is your day-to-day?​I work no more than a 45-minute radius from my home, so I know I am always home in the evening to help with family commitments. It may sound like I just fit smart meters, but it is so much more than that. I help customers understand how to get the best out of their meters to help keep costs down. I do a compete MOT on their gas and electricity supply and their boilers to ensure everything is in good working order. It’s about making the customer feel comfortable and safety is our main priority.​What do you like about working at Ganymede Energy?​I could go on and on, but the diversity in Ganymede is great, the culture includes everyone, no one is better than anyone else and the managers make you feel you are on the same level. You are a person, not just a payroll number and that comes across from everyone.​Would you recommend others to work at Ganymede?​Absolutely, I have worked at some places where I really wasn’t happy , but since the day I started talking to Ganymede I felt included, supported and I have been given great training, brand new van, the best tools and PPE to allow me to do my job at the highest levels. I have recommended several people to work at Ganymede Energy and they love it too ... get on board I say!​Interested?​If you would be interested in being part of the next in take of engineers please contact energy@ganymedesolutions.co.uk to learn more about the opportunities available.​