To start, can you tell us a little about yourself and Joe Roocroft & Sons Ltd?
I am the Office Manager; part of my job role is the Training Coordinator, so liaising with all our operatives for ongoing training and upskilling, safety-critical medicals and follow-ups if required, and part of new starter’s inductions. Roocroft Road Restraint Systems have been providing VRS solutions for 22 years. We install safety barriers in steel and rigid concrete on the road network throughout England and Wales. We currently employ 80 operatives who are busy each night improving the network infrastructure whilst minimising disruption to the road user.
So what has been your experience of Passport so far?
I have had a good experience using the system and working with Reference Point, Mitie support, and, more recently, PowerPlus. In the summer of 2020, there was a big push to get everybody enrolled. Ever since, part of our induction process when we get new starters is to get them enrolled on day one. That way, they’ve got the common induction and they have the Passport smartcards from the start.
What do you think of the scheme?
Looking ahead to the end goal – once Passport is fully established - we shouldn’t need to send cards and certs to every contractor, Passport will eliminate all this. It’s one card, one job fits all. Once everyone is using it, we’ll get so much from it. The lads are getting on board with it – it’s giving them more ownership of their competency and training.
What is your single favourite thing about Passport?
The thing I like most about Passport is that once you have uploaded a credential onto Passport, you and the operative get an email 12 weeks before expiry, which backs up the processes we currently have in place.
How do you use the system?
Our entire workforce is on Passport and have all completed the HCI, hence our Silver award. As it’s now part of our induction process, Passport and the HCI have become part of how we do things. All our supervisors, and other personnel that I have made access controllers, have the Validate 5 app. I forwarded them all the videos on the link that was sent to me: highwayspassport.co.uk/how-to-usepassport/card-checker-guide.
What has been Roocroft’s reaction to receiving Silver Award?
My manager spoke to me after the Engagement Council meeting to let me know we’d been awarded Silver; we were delighted. It is a good recognition of the work we’ve put in and shows that we are committed to ensuring all our workforce is fully compliant.