Plant Hire Controller

Luddon Construction; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Luddon Construction Ltd in Glasgow is seeking a Plant Hire Controller to oversee day-to-day coordination of plant, tools and equipment across projects. You will ensure the right plant is at the right site and manage hire costs and records using the inspHire system.

The role involves liaising with site managers, project teams and suppliers to maximise utilisation, maintain compliance with LOLER and PUWER, and provide accurate plant records and cost information for management review.

Qualifications

• Good standard of general education.
• Strong numeracy and literacy skills.
• Previous practical experience using the inspHire hire management system.
• Previous experience within a plant hire, construction, civil engineering or closely related environment.
• Experience coordinating the hire and off-hire of plant and equipment.
• Experience dealing with plant hire suppliers and site personnel.
• Experience maintaining accurate plant or hire records.
• Good working knowledge of plant and equipment commonly used within the construction and civil engineering industry.
• CSCS.
• SVQ/NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Plant Operations, Construction Operations or a related discipline.
• CPCS or NPORS knowledge/experience.
• LOLER and PUWER awareness or relevant training.

Responsibilities

• Liaising with site managers, contracts managers and project teams to establish plant, equipment and tool requirements.
• Using inspHire to manage plant and equipment records, hires, off-hires, movements, allocations and associated information.
• Ensuring information held within inspHire is accurate and kept fully up to date.
• Sourcing plant and equipment from the company’s own fleet wherever practical before considering external hire.
• Obtaining plant and equipment from approved external suppliers when company-owned equipment is unavailable.
• Booking and coordinating deliveries, transfers and collections of plant and equipment to and from construction sites.
• Processing hire and off-hire instructions promptly to prevent unnecessary charges.
• Monitoring hired plant and equipment to identify items that are no longer required or are being underutilised.
• Regularly reviewing plant currently on hire and challenging unnecessary or excessive hire periods.
• Maintaining accurate records of plant locations, movements, hire periods, suppliers and costs.
• Checking external hire charges and assisting with the reconciliation of supplier invoices against hire records.
• Monitoring supplier performance, including availability, service, response times and commercial competitiveness.
• Obtaining quotations and negotiating competitive hire rates and terms with plant hire companies.
• Maintaining good working relationships with external plant hire suppliers.
• Coordinating breakdowns and arranging repairs, replacements or exchanges with the company’s workshop or external suppliers.
• Working closely with the Plant & Transport Manager and other members of the department to maximise utilisation of company-owned plant.
• Assisting with the forward planning of plant requirements across company projects.
• Identifying opportunities to reduce external plant hire expenditure.
• Producing plant hire, utilisation and cost information when required by management.

Skills

InspHire experience

Numeracy

Literacy

Plant hire coordination

Supplier management

Site coordination

Record keeping

LOLER/PUWER awareness

Education

CSCS

SVQ/NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Plant Operations or Construction Operations

CPCS or NPORS knowledge/experience

LOLER/PUWER awareness or relevant training

Tools

inspHire

Job description

Established in 1975, Luddon Construction Ltd is one of the country’s leading privately owned construction companies. We are a successful and reputable civil engineering, building and surfacing contractor based in Glasgow, with operations and projects now spanning throughout the UK. With over 500 employees, we are well placed to apply our experience to demanding markets and provide integrated and practical solutions to our clients.

The Role:

The Plant Hire Controller will be responsible for the day-to-day coordination, control and administration of construction plant, tools and equipment across the company’s projects. The role is responsible for ensuring that the right plant is available at the right location and at the right time, while maintaining effective control of hire costs, utilisation, compliance and plant records. A key part of the position will be the effective use and administration of the company’s inspHire plant and hire management system. For this reason, previous practical experience of using inspHire is considered essential for this appointment. The successful candidate will work closely with site managers, project teams, suppliers, the Plant & Transport Department and workshop personnel.

Key Responsibilities:

• Liaising with site managers, contracts managers and project teams to establish plant, equipment and tool requirements.
• Using inspHire to manage plant and equipment records, hires, off-hires, movements, allocations and associated information.
• Ensuring information held within inspHire is accurate and kept fully up to date.
• Sourcing plant and equipment from the company’s own fleet wherever practical before considering external hire.
• Obtaining plant and equipment from approved external suppliers when company-owned equipment is unavailable.
• Booking and coordinating deliveries, transfers and collections of plant and equipment to and from construction sites.
• Processing hire and off-hire instructions promptly to prevent unnecessary charges.
• Monitoring hired plant and equipment to identify items that are no longer required or are being underutilised.
• Regularly reviewing plant currently on hire and challenging unnecessary or excessive hire periods.
• Maintaining accurate records of plant locations, movements, hire periods, suppliers and costs.
• Checking external hire charges and assisting with the reconciliation of supplier invoices against hire records.
• Monitoring supplier performance, including availability, service, response times and commercial competitiveness.
• Obtaining quotations and negotiating competitive hire rates and terms with plant hire companies.
• Maintaining good working relationships with external plant hire suppliers.
• Coordinating breakdowns and arranging repairs, replacements or exchanges with the company’s workshop or external suppliers.
• Working closely with the Plant & Transport Manager and other members of the department to maximise utilisation of company-owned plant.
• Assisting with the forward planning of plant requirements across company projects.
• Identifying opportunities to reduce external plant hire expenditure.
• Producing plant hire, utilisation and cost information when required by management.

Health & Safety Responsibilities:

Plant and Equipment Compliance

Ensure hired plant and equipment complies with applicable legislation, company requirements and industry standards. This will include, where applicable:

• LOLER certification.
• PUWER requirements.
• Thorough examination records.
• Inspection and maintenance documentation.
• Relevant safety certification.

Work with site management to ensure that plant and equipment is allocated only to appropriately trained, competent and authorised personnel.

Maintenance and Inspection Records

Ensure appropriate servicing, inspection and certification information is recorded and available. Equipment that is defective, unsafe or overdue for inspection must not knowingly be placed into service.

Defects and Breakdowns

Record and report plant defects, breakdowns and safety-related issues. Arrange for defective equipment to be isolated, repaired, exchanged or removed from site as appropriate.

Delivery and Collection

Coordinate plant deliveries and collections with site personnel and suppliers to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for safe loading, unloading and movement of equipment.

Site Requirements

Take account of site-specific requirements when organising deliveries and collections, particularly where access is restricted or additional controls are necessary.

Safety Culture

Promote high standards of health and safety and report unsafe equipment, practices or behaviours through the appropriate company procedures.

Person Specification:

Qualifications & Experience

• Good standard of general education.
• Strong numeracy and literacy skills.
• Previous practical experience using the inspHire hire management system.
• Previous experience within a plant hire, construction, civil engineering or closely related environment.
• Experience coordinating the hire and off-hire of plant and equipment.
• Experience dealing with plant hire suppliers and site personnel.
• Experience maintaining accurate plant or hire records.
• Good working knowledge of plant and equipment commonly used within the construction and civil engineering industry.
• CSCS.
• SVQ/NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Plant Operations, Construction Operations or a related discipline.
• CPCS or NPORS knowledge/experience.
• LOLER and PUWER awareness or relevant training.

Luddon Construction Limited
Registered in Scotland: SC057943