Retailers must be much more aware of the legal compliance of the installers they recommend to their customers, according to BiKBBI chief executive Damian Walters.
Speaking today at the annual BiKBBI Conference in London, Walters said that while legal compliance wasn’t ‘sexy’ it is “a critical and a vital component” of reducing risk to the industry.
“A compliant workforce is a lower risk workforce,” he said. “Our industry is complex, with many moving parts, including legislation, regulation, by-laws, and consumer law. That’s before we even consider modern customer expectations so we must resign certain practices to history if we’re to lower risk within our sector.
“Gone are the days where retailers and merchants provide their customers with a list of local fitters or allow their sales team to point customers to ‘trusted’ contacts. By doing so, businesses facilitate unnecessary risk – not only from a legislative perspective, but from an ethical one too.
“We must not prioritise the sale of pottery and chipboard over the risk.”
Walters highlighted initiatives within the BiKBBI to ensure the compliance of its members, including rigorous checks on insurance provision, HMRC status, rights to work, qualifications, health and safety, and criminal background to name a few.
“The BiKBBI is not just a badge for the van, but is an organisation that not only is the voice for this part of our industry, the register for professional and accredited installation businesses, but one that plays a very important role in reducing risk,” Walters said.