Hayley 247

"Chloe knew the system better than I did. She came down, talked me through it and helped us prepare, and she even came to the audit with me to make sure I was where I needed to be. We came out of it with four opportunities for improvement, and that was it.

"I was competent with ISO 9001, but less so with ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. She'd say, this is what they mean here, this is the information you need, go and check that. She wouldn't do the work for me, but she made sure I knew what needed doing.

"Without a lot of digging and maybe some training courses, I wouldn't necessarily know what the changes to the standards are. Equas give me the confidence that they'll change what needs to change to keep us compliant."

Christopher Haywood, QESH & Facilities Manager

The company

Hayley 247 provides specialist reconditioning and repair for all types of industrial gearboxes and pumps up to 50 tonnes, together with general machining and on-site services available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A recent acquisition added electromechanical services, from bearing changes on industrial motors to full rewinds.

Much of its work comes through the wider Hayley Group, a network of 54 branches across the UK. Equas supports its integrated management system for quality, environment, and health and safety across two sites: Dudley, with 85 engineers and staff, and King's Lynn, with around 10.

The challenge

When Christopher Haywood joined as QESH & Facilities Manager in November 2025, a full three-day recertification audit across ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 was just six weeks away.

His role covers legal compliance, safe working, environmental controls, incident investigation, KPIs and facilities, with no team reporting to him. He was confident with ISO 9001 but less familiar with ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, and needed to get to grips with an established system quickly.

Beyond the audit, the business needed dependable support to keep the system compliant as the standards change, with new editions of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 in 2026 and ISO 45001 also under revision.

The approach

Equas consultant Chloe Jones came on site to walk Christopher through the system: how it was structured, where the evidence sat and what the auditor would expect to see. She helped him prepare, then attended the audit alongside him.

Rather than taking the work off his hands, Chloe interpreted what each standard required and pointed him to what needed checking, building his confidence across all three.

Since recertification, Equas has continued to support Hayley 247 through internal audits and management reviews, keeping the system in step with each new edition of the standards. Christopher now works with Equas consultant Karen Francis as well as Chloe.

The benefits

• 0

  Non-conformities at recertification

• 4

  Opportunities for improvement, one fixed during the audit

• 3

  ISO standards maintained across two sites

Hayley 247 came through recertification with zero non-conformities. One of the four opportunities for improvement concerned unlocked access ladders: Christopher ordered locks, and they were fitted before the auditor had finished.

Holding all three certificates also makes tendering simpler, particularly for the water utilities Hayley 247 is increasingly bidding to serve.

"It makes tendering a lot easier when you can say we hold ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. They can get on with the nitty-gritty of the rest of the tender."

Christopher Haywood

Because Dudley and King's Lynn share a closely matched system, Christopher could cover maternity leave at King's Lynn and find his way around 90% of its system straight away. The business is already working towards the new editions, well ahead of the 2029 transition deadline.

Looking ahead, Managing Director Mark Brady wants every company in the 247 group to hold all three certificates, with a nominated QESH lead in each. Christopher's next step is to bring a sister company in Scotland, currently certified to ISO 9001, up to ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 within 12 months, with Equas's support.

Google review

"I've had an excellent experience dealing with Equas Compliance, particularly Chloe and Karen.

"Both have been professional, responsive, and extremely helpful throughout our interactions. Their communication has always been clear, and they have consistently provided support and guidance whenever needed.

"It's refreshing to work with people who genuinely care about delivering a high level of service and ensuring everything runs smoothly."

Chris Haywood