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Hard Services

Coordinated from our National Operational Centre, our in-house technicians and engineers build, manage and maintain your critical infrastructure, keeping you safe, compliant and operational.

Hard Services expertise and experience for all sectors

OCS Hard Services has a long-standing history and proven expertise in providing a wide range of hard services to a broad range of sectors, offering reliable facility management solutions based on years of experience.

Capital Projects

Planned & Preventative Maintenance (PPM)

Reactive Maintenance & Minor Works

Tower Painting

Vegetation Management

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OCS Hard Services division in numbers

We’re on a mission to make people and places the best they can be and we understand the important role that technical and hard services has to play in achieving this.

  • 150 years' experience

    124yrs

    Experience in technical services and innovation

  • Technical Inspections

    250000+

    Technical inspections completed every year

  • Reactive work

    240000

    Reactive work orders carried out each year

  • Technical Engineers

    3000+

    In-house technical and engineering colleagues

Planned, reactive maintenance and minor works delivered

Planned preventative maintenance is our scheduled checks and servicing of equipment and systems to prevent breakdowns before they happen. A planned and proactive approach to maintenance is the best way of keeping everything operating efficiently and reducing the likelihood of unexpected failures.

Reactive maintenance with fast response to issues as they occur. If a piece of equipment fails or a system breaks down, reactive maintenance diagnoses and fixes the problem. It’s about quick response and effective repair to minimise downtime and restore functionality as soon as possible.

Minor project works are generally less complex than capital projects and can be completed quickly. They include a broad spectrum of activities such as lighting upgrades, boiler replacements, air conditioning installations and small fit out works. Minor works are essential for keeping the facility functioning, and if they grow in size, scope and complexity, our Capital Projects team are ready.

Capital projects to transform spaces and enhance value

Capital Projects involve large-scale construction and renovation, focusing on enhancing facilities for long-term use – this includes building new structures, significant refurbishments, and integrating advanced technologies, aiming to make facilities adaptable for future demands.

These projects extend beyond regular maintenance, involving comprehensive planning and execution for sustainable development. Whether making a building more energy-efficient or redesigning spaces, we focus on forward-thinking and practical improvements.

While Capital Projects are more extensive, they complement our maintenance work, providing a holistic approach to facility management. Maintenance ensures day-to-day functionality, while Capital Projects prepare facilities for long-term viability and future challenges.

Tower (Pylon) painting

We are a leading provider in the UK for painting and minor maintenance services of overhead line towers (pylons) in the electricity transmission and distribution sector. Our services play a crucial role in extending the lifespan of these assets, thereby helping to reduce the necessity for expensive replacements.

Key customers include National Grid Electricity Transmission, Scottish and Southern Energy Networks, and Scottish Power Energy Networks.

  • Manual and mechanical preparation of steelwork
  • Application of customer-specified paint
  • Muff Painting (concrete pile caps)
  • Replacement of tower safety signs and Identification plates (SSIP)
  • Repair and Maintenance of anti-climb devices (ACD)
  • Tower condition assessment surveys

Vegetation management

We have over two decades of experience in vegetation clearance around powerlines and infrastructure, ensuring safe electrical continuity throughout England and Wales. Our team handles projects of varying scales, from a single tree to an entire forest. Specially designed equipment, our teams’ expertise and best practice ensures safe and environmentally considered results in this high-risk environment.

  • Arboriculture surveying
  • Vegetation risk modelling
  • Land-owner consultation and negotiation
  • Arboriculture works, manual or mechanised
  • Site evaluation and planning
  • Site clearance (vegetation) including processing and removal of arisings
  • Herbicide application, including near waterways
  • Mechanical vegetation clearance
  • Timber felling and removal

Best practices, compliance and resilience to deliver the best outcomes

Our compliance services ensure that all aspects of your facility’s operations meet the required legal and regulatory standards – a service that’s crucial in managing risk, upholding safety, and ensuring the smooth functioning of your facility. We conduct assessments and regular audits to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, environmental laws, and industry-specific standards.

Our team stays up-to-date with the latest regulations and best practices, providing expert guidance and support – everything from fire safety compliance and electrical and structural integrity checks to environmental assessments. Good compliance offers peace of mind, knowing that you’re compliant with current regulations and is prepared for future legislative changes, ensuring safe, legal, and efficient operation.

Accreditations & Certification

We prioritise safety and our industry-specific training, association, accreditations and certification enable our teams to deliver consistency, compliance and best practice – recognised through industry awards.

OCS QHSE Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Our hard services encompass a wide range of technical and infrastructure-related services, including mechanical and electrical maintenance, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems, plumbing, building automation and structural maintenance.

  • We have a proactive maintenance approach, conducting regular inspections, predictive maintenance, and implementing industry best practices to ensure optimal functionality and minimise potential issues that may cause disruptions.

  • Yes, we handle situations promptly. We provide immediate response and support for critical systems to minimise downtime and ensure the continued operation of essential services.

  • Absolutely. We specialise in assessing energy usage, identifying inefficiencies, and recommending tailored solutions to improve energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and lower operational costs for your facility.

  • Our services strictly adhere to industry standards and comply with relevant regulations. Our team is trained and certified to ensure that all maintenance work meets compliance requirements for safe and efficient operations.

  • Yes, we have extensive experience in managing complex technical systems and executing large-scale projects for commercial properties. Our expertise enables us to handle diverse technical challenges effectively.

  • Certainly. We have a proven track record of successful hard services implementations across various industries, and can provide references or case studies demonstrating our expertise and the quality of our services. Please get in touch – we’d love to share them with you.

  • Yes, we work on a range of government, judicial, police and healthcare buildings within the public sector, providing HVAC, mechanical, electrical, fire safety building fabric and specialist services.

Hard Services + ESG

We support our Hard Services customers in achieving their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals through a broad range of proactive initiatives.

Implementing energy-efficient systems and practices

Install and maintain water-saving devices and systems

Utilise sustainable and green materials in maintenance and repairs

Ensure facilities meet or exceed environmental and safety regulations

Provide eco-friendly waste management services, including recycling

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Hard Services + Technology

Our asset-focused Computer-Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) system, serves as the heartbeat of our operations. We’ve designed a system that facilitates service provision, tracking 500,000+ planned and reactive tasks annually. Data drives our processes and approach for customer success. We provide a range of technical input and output-based maintenance solutions that comply with industry standards, such as SFG20.

CAFM technology streamlines operations, reduces costs, and improves the efficiency and effectiveness of facility management.

Platform for conducting and managing audits, ensuring compliance with relevant standards, and identifying areas for improvement.

Instant communication between facility managers, colleagues, and customers, enabling rapid response to requests, incidents and feedback.

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Facilities services designed for your organisation

Need more than Hard Services? Discover more about our six core service lines and integrated solutions.

Contact your Hard Services team

We’re ready to help you deliver the best experiences, practices, productivity, resilience and outcomes. We look forward to connecting with you.

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Hard Services News & Insights

Find out more about OCS and the world of Hard Services.