Badge System Rationale
When we put together the badge system, we wanted to provide a framework for someone to demonstrate their competence and credibility.
Registered Badge Rationale
This is our entry level badge and the purpose of it is to ensure the assembler is at a base level. It is split up as follows.
European E Commerce Directive
Under the European E-Commerce Directive, it is a legal requirement to show the following in any form of advertising online: your trading name, your contact address, your telephone number, your email address, if you are VAT registered, your VAT number, and if you are a limited company, your company number at Companies House. Although the UK has now left the EU, this legislation is enshrined into law unless Parliament changes it.
Email Address Validation
We send an email to your email address to validate your account before you go any further.
Address Validation
The most common thing we see missing from tradesmen websites and online advertising is their address. It should alarm for anyone if a physical address cannot be easily found on a website and yo should not invite any tradesman round to your home if you do not know where he or she lives. This is basic common sense. We check their address, and it is displayed on their public page on our website. You can access this using their surname and reference number or by clicking on the badge on their website.
Character References
This is a simple honesty check, where three people are contacted via SMS to provide an online character reference. Whilst there is very little that can be done to confirm the independence of character references. If someone artificially creates these, then it can be used as evidence in future of an intent to deceive. We take it on trust that they are genuine.
British Standards Course
It is not illegal to sell furniture in the UK which does not conform to these standards, however the knowledge of them will alert any assembler to potential dangers when (s)he is employed to build furniture which has or has not been tested to British Standards. We focus on 5 standards which which are relevant to domestic furniture.
Stability: We run through the 8 key tests in BS ISO 7171:2019 which tests the stability of furniture. These tests are the result of investigating accidents people have had with furniture, to ty to prevent future accidents, and therefore provide a solid foundation to understand when an item ought to be attached to a wall.
Children's and Nursery Furniture: We run through the standards for cots, cribs, children's beds and bunk beds, as there are various things that assemblers need to be aware of. Most of them are covered by warnings prescribed in the instructions, however there is useful background information as well.
VIDEO
The video below is the first one of 6 which run through these standards and equip you with all the knowledge you need to assemble furniture safely.
Health and Safety
This course focuses on common Risk Assessments and Method of Work Statements relevant to people providing a furniture assembly service. It also runs through the need for Isurance and the types required, as well as other requirements such as RIDDOR, PAT Testing, RCDs and First Aid Kits.
VIDEO
The video below is the actual course, which you can watch in full, however you will need to register to sit the test and gain the relevant badge.
Waste Disposal
Disposing of waste legally must be done in accordance with the Waste Disposal Act which came into force in 2006, and prescribes how every business must dispose of waste, what licences are required and what documentation is required. This course provides all the relevant information for an assembler to be aware of their legal obligations in this regard, as well as the fines and custodial sentences they could face by breaking the law. We all have a responsibility to the environment and fly tipping is a huge problem, only by using an assembler who is aware of these issues can you be confident they will act responsibly.
VIDEO
The video below is the actual course, which you can watch in full, however you will need to register to sit the test and gain the relevant badge.