Handsam
Ltd
Handsam Ltd is the UK’s leading education compliance and health and safety consultancy. We work across the early years and education sectors, delivering a wide range of support services and online systems which allow our clients, especially multi-academy trusts, to achieve excellence in health and safety compliance, accident reporting, training, fire safety, trip planning and documentation such as policies and risk assessments.
Our expert practitioner team, including former headteachers and ASCL representatives, as well as specialists in all disciplines of health and safety, advise multi-academy trusts, as well as independent and maintained schools. Our consultants regularly visit schools and academies to deliver health and safety (EdSafe) audits, fire risk assessments and training, as well as consultancy support.
Why Umbrella?
Handsam Ltd have always recognised that, while we are professional specialists with a range of talents, we often receive queries from valued clients about associated services such as building condition surveys, emergency response and critical incident services, legal services, construction projects and contractor management. As an organisation we thrive when combining our passions and talents with other professional organisations to achieve a set of goals and bring additional benefits to our clients over and above that which they pay for.
The establishment of Umbrella Group provides our clients with a centralised gateway to leverage a wide range of services and expertise. We are open to partnering with other individuals and organisations that align with our values who would like to work with us.
The Diocese of Chichester Multi Academy Trust (DCAT) began working with Handsam Ltd as their appointed Competent Person for Health and Safety and Data Protection Officer in September 2022. At that time the trust consisted of 15 academies, but within a year and a half, supported by the full range of Handsam’s services, along with those of key partners such as Rowans Fire, Arbor and Strictly Education, it has grown to almost 30. The transformative journey that DCAT’s academies have been on have included health and safety audits, the implementation of all of Handsam’s online management systems, including compliance tasks and incident log, plus online training centre, data protection visits and training, and both Higher Duty of Care and IOSH training.
Projects
Diocese of Chichester MAT
Challenges
DCAT’s academies were in very different places in terms of their H&S management and processes as was evidenced by Handsam’s EdSafe audits. There was a lot of training needing to be delivered as well as a huge programme of audits and visits. The Handsam systems were implemented following a rigorous mobilisation plan and new DCAT academies now follow a well-trodden path and benefit from peer support as well as that from Handsam Ltd.
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Strategic Partnership with Handsam: DCAT partnered with Handsam Ltd, leveraging our expertise in education compliance and now have a full dashboard reporting system across a wide range of compliance topics including health and safety, staff welfare and well-being, premises management, asbestos, fire safety, accident reporting, medical conditions, restraints, school trips, security and other aspects such as COSHH, working at height and display screens. We identified training needs and have delivered IOSH Managing Safely courses for the trust and Higher Duty of Care training for headteachers, growing a deeper knowledge base amongst DCAT staff.
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Expansion: DCAT has transformed into a multi-academy trust of nearly 30 academies and growing, expanding its provisions across multiple locations along the south coast and on the Isle of Wight.
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Decision Making: We helped DCAT to decide how to place capital funding to the best advantage across its estate and staff to achieve the most significant improvement in health and safety compliance, for example security of staff and students being a major priority. This has contributed to the improvement of DCAT academies into environments which staff wish to work in, improving retention, and in which students thrive and learn.
Solutions and Improved Outcomes
"From the moment we engaged with Simon and the Handsam Ltd team, their support has been reliable and consistent. The team provides quality support and guidance, ensuring that the Trust and our schools are compliant with all relevant regulations and laws. Their attention to detail and comprehensive solutions have given us peace of mind.
The GDPR service provided by Handsam is equally exceptional. They've shown an incredible understanding of our specific needs and have provided tailored solutions that have streamlined our data protection efforts."
- Jo Saunders, Head of Operations & Governance, Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust