Top BSI standard awarded to Dorin

Apr 24 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

A FAMILY-RUN construction company has become the first of its size in the region to achieve the highest international standard in environmental practices.

Dorin Construction, in Kingston Park, Newcastle, has achieved the ISO 14001 standard set by the British Standards Institute for implementing an environmental management system in every aspect of the company’s activities.

For Dorin, which employs 150 people, this involved training its staff to NVQ Level 1 in site waste management as well as being able to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable practices when tendering for new projects and during the implementation of schemes.

Contracts and environmental manager Paul O’Brien said: “It took a real team effort to gain accreditation. It required significant investment in respect of management and staff time, together with a substantial financial investment, to achieve the standard.

“Many clients now demand you have an environmental qualification that means you have policies in place to safeguard the environment and this is the highest you can achieve.”

Dorin is confident that it can avoid being dragged under by the continuing economic downturn after landing contracts worth £6.3m in December.

The projects involve work on the construction of St Agnes Road Care Home in Crawcrook, Gateshead, a 75-bedroom, three-storey care home in Bensham, Gateshead, and a contract to develop a new cadaver unit at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

Mr O’Brien said: “For us to achieve the IS0 14001 standard means that we have demonstrated that we have a robust system to ensure our methods reduce this impact and safeguards the environment for the future.”