About McFadden Utilities
McFadden Utilities stands at the forefront of no-dig water infrastructure solutions, revolutionising the maintenance and installation of underground assets for major utility providers like Affinity Water and Thames Water.
With an unwavering commitment to service quality and safety, McFadden is not just adapting but embracing a bold digital transformation by partnering with FYLD since December 2023.
This partnership empowers McFadden Utilities to digitise workforce operations, simplify compliance processes, and enhance real-time visibility in the field.
Together, they are not only improving efficiency but also redefining what it means to deliver safety and excellence in the utility sector.
The challenge
Operating in high-stakes environments, McFadden Utilities needed to address several critical operational priorities to continue delivering top-tier service:
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Safety-first approach: Prioritising on-site safety was central to McFadden’s operations. The team needed a system that would enable real-time hazard identification and enhanced reporting, empowering field teams to respond quickly and prevent incidents before they happen.
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Operational efficiency: To reduce unnecessary costs and improve project timelines, McFadden aimed to manage costly overstays—fines ranging from £1,000 to £10,000—and address delays caused by requirements for traffic management, safety measures, and material availability.
Streamlining these processes was essential to keeping projects on track and ensuring timely delivery. -
Compliance: Previously dependent on paper-based risk assessments and un-timestamped images via WhatsApp, McFadden hurdles challenges in maintaining accurate, auditable documentation for regulatory compliance. Transitioning to a secure digital solution was essential for meeting compliance standards, reducing potential fines, and establishing reliable audit trails.
The solution
FYLD introduced key tools tailored to McFadden’s field operations, aimed at supporting both compliance and safety in real time:
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Video Risk Assessments (VRAs): McFadden’s teams now document site conditions via video rather than checkboxes, facilitating more thorough hazard identification.
This shift has led to a notable decrease in incidents from August to October 2024 compared to the previous year, even after accounting for unavoidable events like third-party accidents - underscoring the importance of proactive hazard identification and prevention. -
Enhanced compliance and evidence capture: With FYLD’s time-stamped photos and videos, McFadden’s teams capture an average of 3.6 pieces of evidence per job, which helps to evidence the timeline of the job, demonstrate the high quality of work, adherence to safety regulations and thus reduce the risk of fines and incidents.
This shift from WhatsApp to FYLD’s secure platform has proven critical, as previously non-timestamped images can lead to compliance issues and significant penalties. -
Remote supervision and interaction : FYLD’s command centre enables remote oversight, with over 9,500 manager interactions recorded to date.
Managers can supervise job progress in real-time, enhancing accountability and ensuring teams adhere to compliance standards even when supervisors aren’t physically on-site -
Reduction in overstay fines: In April 2024, McFadden introduced new digital permits via FYLD, enabling them to streamline compliance documentation and reduce overstays. This has contributed to fewer site delays, minimising risks and boosting productivity across McFadden’s operations
Achievements to date
Despite initial resistance to adopting a new digital platform, McFadden’s workforce quickly found FYLD more intuitive and user-friendly than anticipated.
With 34 teams actively using the platform, FYLD has played an instrumental role in McFadden’s compliance and safety strategy. Key achievements include:
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Enhanced compliance: FYLD’s digital audit trails and documentation support compliance goals, minimising regulatory risks and enabling consistent, timestamped evidence capture.
Over 17,606 pieces of evidence have been recorded, reinforcing McFadden’s compliance framework. -
Incident reduction: A significant decrease in incidents during August to October 2024, illustrating McFadden’s commitment to safer field operations.
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Improved operational efficiency : Reduced overstays and streamlined job processes have enhanced service quality, benefitting both McFadden and its clients.
Testimonial
“Since implementing FYLD, our approach to safety and compliance has greatly improved. By actively engaging with site conditions using the Video Risk Assessment tool, rather than just ticking boxes on paper in the Vehicle, we now have significantly increased visibility in real time of how our teams assess hazards and risks on individual sites. Which has helped us adapt and overcome any issue in a more streamlined manner. FYLD has been invaluable in keeping our sites safer, in streamlining compliance audits and helping us avoid costly fines.”
- Chris French, Health and Safety Manager, McFadden Utilities
