Education Today Education Today Magazine
Education property compliance specialists Inspectas are bringing their expertise and knowledge to the Schools & Academies Show this year.
Marking the company’s 10th anniversary, the team is looking forward to meeting existing and potential customers and offering advice around some of the sector’s most challenging building management topics. Since celebrating a decade in business in September 2023, Inspectas has doubled its office space and made a succession of new appointments, strengthening its 50-strong team to help even more schools navigate the minefield of asbestos, health and safety, CDM and fire safety legislation. Inspectas was formed in 2013 by asbestos management professionals Craig Candlish and Matthew Fahy. In a bid to become a transformational force in the sector, they combined their expertise to launch Inspectas Compliance and today have a portfolio of more than 150 clients in the education, healthcare, retail, construction and industrial sectors.
Alongside its industry-leading work in the education sector, the business has social responsibility at its heart and is addressing issues such as gender representation in the asbestos industry with the recent appointment of female trainee analyst surveyors, Lilly Holden, Abbi Molyneux and apprentice Faye Oxley. The community-centric team is also committed to being a good neighbour by sponsoring mental-health boosting activities such as its local all female rounders team, a charity sports association and the Forest School Area
within a local academy.
Director Craig Candlish said: “We are a national business and a local employer with the support of future generations at our core – this could be those local to us or the generations thriving in the schools we support with our “peace of mind” compliance services. “We understand the complexities of working on educational sites and specialise in working across multi-site academy trusts, schools and universities, where portfolios of properties need managing and supervising.
“We alleviate the stress that every school or academy faces when trying to keep on top of complex, ever-changing legislation. We’re an extension of their team and for some clients, we have permanent, on-site team members who problem solve, advise and take overall responsibility for Estates Compliance.
“We work inhouse or off site, leaving your team to focus on the areas in which they specialise, safe in the knowledge that asbestos compliance, CDM, fire safety and health and safety is quite literally, in safe hands.”
Inspectas In Action – Multi Academy Trust case study Abbey Multi Academy Trust is a Leeds-based Church of England Trust comprising eight schools. Inspectas delivers an extended asbestos management portfolio across all eight properties. A recent HSE visit to the Trust had a positive outcome, stating that the Trust and its academies have a thorough understanding of managing asbestos and that the correct procedures are followed. The Trust has noted that a large part of this outcome was due to the work undertaken by Inspectas in relation to thorough surveys and excellent support.
Inspectas provides the following services under this contract:
• Fire strategy consultancy, including review of floor plans, escape travel
distances and room assessments for hazard risk and occupancy levels
• Asbestos policy review and implementation
• Management and staff training courses
• Asbestos management surveys and management plans
• Refurbishment / demolition surveys
• Re-inspections
• Air monitoring and four-stage clearance procedures
• Emergency call-out air testing
• Asbestos removal management and consultancy
Customer satisfaction
Abbey Multi Academy Trust Estates and Facilities Manager said: “I am impressed with the response from Inspectas and the support and help we’re given. Out-of-hours call-outs are dealt with quickly and efficiently, while being sensitive to staff and student concerns and the tricky working environment of a “live” school!
“I’m really grateful for all the advice given and for the upcoming asbestos management training that is supplied to our Trust and would like to say a big thank you to everyone at Inspectas for helping us manage such a tricky issue as asbestos!”
To find out more and say hello, you will find Matthew Fahy and members
of the Inspectas team on Stand A17 (West Entrance – Hall S6 & S7) at the
Schools & Academies Show, Excel, London on 1st May, 2024.
