The north of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is following in the footsteps of some of the biggest national and international construction companies, becoming the first energy distributer to register their sites with the highly regarded Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS).

The CCS is a non-profit-making, independent organisation founded in 1997 by the construction industry to improve its image.

NGN, which has recently won seven national awards for customer experience, has registered its major projects and larger gas mains replacement sites where the duration of work is scheduled to last more than six weeks. Once registered, each site is given a detailed inspection by a CCS Monitor who will assess and feedback on factors such as the appearance of the site and the environment as well as the welfare of the workforce and overall safety.  To date, NGN has had ten site Monitor visits to replacement and major project sites. A further four sites have been registered and are awaiting inspection dates and there are six more sites in the pipeline for registration later this year.

Two of NGN’s schemes, Victoria Place in Carlisle and a gas holder site in Bishop Auckland have also been put forward for award consideration, the results of which will be announced at the end of February. NGN’s highest scoring site to date, Belvedere Street in Workington, will be eligible for the CCS 2016 awards.

Ian Whitehead, programme manager at NGN has been leading the scheme for the company. He said: “”We’re committed to continually improving our customer experience for both members of the public and colleagues.  The CCS is helping us to do just that through the delivery of consistently well managed, efficient work sites.

“This year NGN plans to roll out the CCS to smaller gas mains replacement sites, and register a new company department ‘The Connections Operation’.  Our aim is to create an NGN standard site set up with on the ground site manager support, to ensure consistency across the board and shared learning.

“We are very pleased with the progress that we have made with CCS to date and we look forward to hearing the results of the awards at the end of the month.”

CCS Chairman Mike Petter added: “I am delighted that NGN have chosen to register their projects with the CCS and have pledged to play their part in improving the image of construction. Utility projects can have as much of an impact on its local environment as any other construction activity, so it is gratifying that NGN will be working with the CCS to ensure their projects will be attaining the highest standards of considerate construction.”

For more information go to www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk