James Burgess Spotlight
We sat down recently with James Burgess, our NEBOSH accredited AL Compliance Manager who has been in the trade for nearly 20 years. When asked about what got James into the lift industry and his role of compliance, he shared that;
“My first role in the lift industry was in project management. My second role I was lucky enough to be involved with the initialisation and development of a contract to supply lift installation and maintenance services to The London Underground, giving me a great opportunity to develop my skillset and my first step into health and safety management.”
“After successfully delivering in this role for more than twelve years I wanted to broaden my scope into project management with different clients and took a role within another lift company as Project Manager. Having undertaken this role for several years and successfully completing numerous installations, I approached Amalgamated Lifts and was fortunate enough to be contacted by John Brand, who was Commercial and QESH Director at the time. John had spent considerable time developing the initial QESH management system that I then inherited and began to develop in my new role as Compliance Manager, which I continue to deliver daily.”
A typical day for James can involve “the day-to-day operational running of our company’s IMS and pertaining QESH (Quality, Environmental, Safety & Health) systems; incorporating everything from toolbox talk delivery, policy development, review of potential software solutions to the business and incident investigation.”
James credits his success as Compliance Manager to his “experience and tenacity to pursue procedural excellence with transparent accountability of all company members”. For anyone who knows James or has worked with him, they would certainly respect the truth in this statement.
When thinking about how the industry has changed in his time, James told us that, “since joining the industry in 2007, there has a been a marked increase in the focus on compliance and QESH management; from smaller progressions such as transparent waste management, through to legislation that recalibrates the construction industry holistically, such as the more recent Building Safety Act. With specific regard to the BSA, much as I understand the problems this has caused the Lift Industry and wider Construction Sector, I very much welcome the control this legislation places on both AL as a company and our clients.”
Reflecting on the most rewarding career achievement, James expressed that “Following on from the above, my most rewarding career achievement has been the development of AL’s IMS to the point of gaining Constructionline Gold Accreditation which includes for BSA compliance.”
Remaining with BSA compliance, James believes it to be greatest legislative risk facing our industry today. He believes this is a challenge as all companies are having to review and potentially adjust their means of doing business. He acknowledges “This has caused extensive questioning of both organisational and personal competency for all lift companies, including AL, to prevent delays to project commencement”.
When asked what’s a key factor in making a good working environment, James responded with “Promoting fairness and transparency. My long-term colleague, Keith Vines, established this firmly at the beginning of my lift industry career. I distinctly remember being at a meeting with a difficult client. Keith calmly acknowledged the situation and advised all members of our team to rise and leave the meeting due to the client’s behaviour. I had never felt as supported as in that moment. It’s vital to know that you are supported by your colleagues.”
Outside of work, James told me “I am happily married and a proud father of a thirteen-year-old son who has developed a love for both playing the guitar and saxophone as well as recently discovering an appreciation for The Cure – much to my delight! Aside from this, I have a massive interest in martial arts and continue to teach Wing Chun kung fu, which I have happily undertaken for the last 19 years. I have trained extensively in martial arts since 1999 under numerous masters, including full time at a Chinese school for many months in 2003, which was a real privilege. I have many other interests, particularly music, and a love of visiting country pubs near my home in Tonbridge.”
