Paul Bingham / Managing Director
BSc [Hons.] Environmental Science
Responsibility for a wide variety of aspects of a thriving specialist & technical access services company including contract management, health, safety, quality assurance, Rail & IRATA audits.
Continuing experience of the management of access work, initiation and monitoring of contracts, hazard analysis & risk assessment.
First trained as a rope access operative in 1987 & sat on the committee that designed the IRATA training scheme in 1990. Held many roles in IRATA including training assessor in 1991 to 2005, IRATA Chairman 1994, Executive Committee member for over 20 years and Health & Safety Chair from 2010-2017.
My close involvement in the rope access industry has included the development and production of the Edge Management & Impact videos used in training & management development for rope access technicians & companies.
- 01457 605964
- pwb@verticalaccess.co.uk
Andrew Shortt / Technical Director
BSc C Eng. [Hons] / IRATA Level 3 Site Supervisor
Technical Director in charge of the structural inspection, surveying, design in the delivery of geotechnical, drilling and installation contracts for Vertical Access Ltd.
Network Rail projects include geotechnical, de-vegetation & OLE installations contracts for J Murphy, CML, Sisk Rail & Buckingham Group.
Design & build contracts for Karbon Homes, Volker Stevin & Wates Close liaison with civil & structural designers including Coffey, GHA Livigunn & JBA Consulting.
25 Years experience of industrial rope access with Vertical Access Ltd, including structural & principal inspections and surveys on high rise structures, road and rail bridges, chimneys, shafts, culverts, fire escapes and roofs.
- 01457 605966
- andy@verticalaccess.co.uk
Joanne Stephinson / Operations Director
Over 20 years experience working for Vertical Access in a variety of roles. Became a director in May 2016 responsible for company operational organisation, logistics, procurement, accounts and personnel management.
Working closely with contract managers, administrators and site personnel to oversee the day to day running of the company. Controlling fatigue management & monitoring working hours.
Responsible for IT management & marketing.
Carry out or assist in internal & external audits.
- 01457 605963
- info@verticalaccess.co.uk
Ian Heginbotham / Rope Access
& Project Manager [Structures]
IRATA Level 3 Site Supervisor
Coming from a background as an arborist Ian joined Vertical Access in 1998.
With more than 20 years experience in all aspects of working at height including rope access and more than 18 years experience as a rope access and working at height site supervisor.
As one of the project managers for the structures division of Vertical Access Ian oversees contracts which are more intensive in the use of rope access including confined space access, installations, servicing and inspections.
Ian carries out design and installations of work at height fall prevention systems and bespoke work at height training courses to suit client needs.
In his spare time Ian enjoys fell running and climbing when he can, usually with a small child attached to him.
- 01457 605960
- ian@verticalaccess.co.uk
Chris Guest / Project Manager – Structures & Liquid Coatings
IRATA Level 3 Site Supervisor
With over 9 years’ experience working various sectors of industrial rope access Chris is responsible for the development and control of VAL structural maintenance and repair contracts. With more recent years the emphasis being the development of liquid roofing and industrial painting contracts.
Recent example projects:
- Heathrow Control Tower- Industrial Coatings
- Old Trafford – Roof repairs and liquid coatings
- Ethiad Stadium – Antennae Installation
- Manchester University – Concrete repairs
- Liverpool Lime Street – OLE bracket install
VAL Project Managers are responsible for pricing, planning and producing relevant health and safety documentation for each contract. A close liaison with VAL site managers ensures sites are managed safely and as efficiently as possible.
Chris is a keen climber (especially in winter!) and fell runner.
- 01457 605965
- chris@verticalaccess.co.uk
Hannah Beith / Office Manager
Over 12 years experience working for Vertical Access in a variety of roles now as the manager responsible for personnel competence management systems including:-
- Network Rail Personal Track Safety, Drugs & Alcohol Testing, Sentinel & CIRAS
- Co-ordination of personnel training including:- IRATA, PASMA, IPAF, NPTC
- Working in conjunction with the operations director to manage company operational organisation, logistics, procurement and personnel management
- Assist in internal & external audits
- Payroll and accounts payable
- Liaising with managers, administration and site personnel
- Responsible for vehicle servicing & daily checks.
- 01457 605961
- hannah@verticalaccess.co.uk
Karl Ashworth / Depot Manager
IRATA Level 2 Lead Operative / Scaffold Inspector CISRS / IOSH Managing safety / NEBOSH General Certificate / NEBOSH Diploma in safety, health & environmental management
Responsibility for the safe and efficient operation of the depot.
- Control and co-ordination of VAL depot operational procedures
- VAL Plant & equipment management, logging as new, pre use checking, logging in & out from site, quarantine procedures, carrying our LOLER inspections.
- Maintenance of VAL Plant & Vehicles
- Logging of machine manuals, service, repair systems & schedules basic servicing & repairs to general plant & equipment, control of externally sourced servicing
- PAT Testing
- Undertaking detailed health & safety inspections for complex and high risk sites
- Scaffold inspection checks
- karl@verticalaccess.co.uk
