Posts

About Start Software

Start Software is an award-winning developer and leading publisher of asbestos software, systems for the legal services industry and more.

Want to know more about asbestos software Alpha Tracker? Alpha Tracker is the most used asbestos software in the UK, Australia & New Zealand with more than 60m items of asbestos data stored.

Our legal services software Alpha Legal helps will writers, accountants, solicitors, IFAs and estate agents to communicate securely with clients. Read about developments here on the blog.

Or need help with Alpha Anywhere or Alpha Transform projects or software development? You'll find useful info here.

No more European Asbestos Forum... welcome the Global Asbestos Forum. Big change after 10 years of EAF success

That's another EAF Conference wrapped-up after celebrating 10 years of sharing information, data, and fellowship amongst the asbestos community.

President Yvonne's final announcement was that the European Asbestos Forum will now become the Global Asbestos Forum, finally recognising the worldwide reach of her asbestos foundation.

The Brussels conference was as lively and interesting as ever, and thanks again to Mesothelioma UK CEO Liz for presenting some of our "Damage" statistics in her enthralling and powerful talk.  We produced the update using the latest asbestos data from Alpha Tracker.

Here are some of the highlights:

Brussels at Christmas takes some beating

Meso UK Liz talking about asbestos in UK schools and hospitals

The Alpha Tracker "Damage" November 2024 update was on every table

Professor Roger Willey from ACS Risk and his enthralling presentation

The most moving moment - a tribute to Helen Bone

In the middle - Sam Collins (BOHS/IATP), Philip Hibbs (Hibbs Associates), Roger Willey (ACS)

Roger and Alpha Tracker's Robin

It wonderful to meet so many Alpha Tracker asbestos software users from around the world.  What a wonderful opportunity to talk asbestos in great company, with excellent food and a drink or three.

Next stop Brussels! The update to our "Damage" report is on its way

Robin is on the Eurostar, taking an update to our "Damage" report to the EAF Conference in Brussels. The report update takes recent data from asbestos surveys and reinspections from asbestos software Alpha Tracker and examines the current condition of asbestos in UK schools and hospitals.

The report update is heading to Brussels (with Robin!)

We'll be sharing the data and report update with Mesothelioma UK's CEO Liz DarlisonLiz is talking to the conference about asbestos in schools - so the update will be timely and relevant.

Melika is back! You'll be speaking to her on the Support Desk when you call

Melika has returned to us after her work experience month and has started her career with us.  We were delighted to offer her a job as she impressed us so month during her first spell in our Telford software development office.

Melika Smith, our new trainee

Melika will take on a variety of roles, gaining hands-on experience in how we run our business and develop software for our clients. She'll apply her coding training as she progresses toward becoming a full-time developer.

Melika's a fascinating person to talk to and has arrived in Telford via Glasgow, Turkey, and many other place inbetween! So do get chatting if you call and she answers the phone.  You can't miss her, she's the only one with a Scottish/Turkish accent!

Head-spinning announcement coming soon! It's all about our new Lab Sample Exchange. Might turn things on their head!

We've just recorded an interview with another software company about the launch of our Lab Sample Exchange - and their identity might surprise you!

Our collaboration might turn the asbestos lab market upside down!

I've squeezed 3 different "head-spinning" puns into this blog post... that's more than enough! Watch out for the full announcement shortly...

We are taking an update to our "Damage" report to the European Asbestos Forum Conference in Brussels this week

It's 18 months since we first issued our "Damage" report about the condition of asbestos in UK schools, hospitals and homes (see https://alpha-tracker.co.uk/damage).

We've checked the latest asbestos stats from Alpha Tracker to create an update ready to take to the European Asbestos Forum Conference in Brussels later this week.


Overall, the situation is just as bad as it was in 2023. In hospitals, half of the asbestos
samples reinspected in the last two years still show signs of damage. In our schools, almost
all of the asbestos re-checked by specialists shows sign of deterioration. This simply is not
good enough and reflects the appalling state of the UK public infrastructure.

There are signs of improvement, though. Some of the most dangerous asbestos materials
have been removed since the original surveys were undertaken, showing that some sensible
prioritisation is happening.

We launched the original report with MPs from all parties

We have a new government in the UK with new priorities and a different approach to public
health. We’ll be sharing these results with MPs to encourage them to take asbestos-related
disease seriously. We have lost more people to asbestos in 2024 than in any previous year
– and this simply cannot be allowed to continue.

Kim has been visiting AMC Asbestos in York to deliver one of our Alpha Tracker clinics

Alpha Tracker specialist Kim has been in York this week visiting asbestos consultancy AMC Asbestos.  She has been delivering one of our Alpha Tracker clinics, helping our clients to get the most from their Alpha Tracker asbestos software.

We think it's the first time that a dog has joined one of our training session! 

We had a paw-sitively great Alpha Tracker training session this week
—our furry trainee didn’t miss a single bone of information!

AMC Asbestos have now completed more than 30,000 asbestos surveys - congratulations to them!  Find out more about AMC here https://www.amc-asbestos.co.uk/ or contact Kim to arrange your own Alpha Tracker clinic via our normal website: https://alpha-tracker.co.uk/

Blog Archive

Show more