Caddick has appointed James Eastham as its new Head of Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality (SHEQ), a role that will enhance the business’ investment in safety, environmental performance, and employee wellbeing.
James joins Caddick from Sir Robert McAlpine, where he spent three years leading health, safety, and wellbeing in the North, before becoming Head of Health, Safety, and Wellbeing in May 2023.
Based at Caddick’s North West premises in Warrington, James’ remit will cover Caddick Construction Group’s operations across the North and Midlands, including the health and safety performance of Caddick Civil Engineering and the Group’s facade specialist, CCL Facades.
With 17 years of experience in the construction industry, James began his career as an apprentice joiner with Eric Wright Construction, where he spent 10 years before transitioning to health and safety in 2013.
In 2018, James moved to Mace, where he worked as Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Manager in London’s major projects division, overseeing high-profile developments such as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
As Caddick’s Head of Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality, James will be responsible for driving all health and safety functions forward as the business continues its expansion across the North West, North East, Yorkshire, and Midlands.
A key part of James’ role will be prioritising the company’s environmental performance, supporting Caddick’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 5% annually and achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2050.
James will also focus on employee wellbeing, with an emphasis on mental health, ensuring that Caddick proactively addresses the challenges of the construction industry and provides increased support for both employees and supply chain workers.
Of his appointment, James commented: “Caddick is really bucking the trend as a strong, stable and growing contractor, sitting on the fence between tier 1 and tier 2. What this means is the business can be agile as it grows, but also operate with the strength and capability of tier 1.
“As we grow, our work will become bigger and more exciting, and as we deliver this we need to focus on retaining quality as the business scales. That doesn’t mean over complicating our processes; we’ll keep things simple, but make sure we do high quality work, keeping everyone safe and well while minimising our impact on the planet.”
Paul Dodsworth, Group Managing Director of Caddick Construction Group, added: “We’ve had a very exciting two years as we’ve maintained a steady path of growth. Growing sustainably is the only way to preserve our standards in quality and safety, and this is something we’re proud to have protected as we’ve expanded into new regions and taken on some very ambitious and high-profile projects. Welcoming James to the team will see an even greater focus on safety but also boost our commitment to quality, our environmental performance and the wellbeing of our people.”
Main photo by Mario KlassenonUnsplash