Prestige Meets Excellence: Elliott Group's Safety Leadership at The Belfry

Metrics that Matter

For decades, The Belfry Resort in Birmingham, UK, has carried a global reputation for excellence. No stranger to golf enthusiasts, it’s the only venue to have hosted the Ryder Cup four times and has welcomed the British Masters too.

So, when Elliott Group – one of the leading contractors across Ireland and the UK – embarked on a massive refurbishment project to upgrade all 270 bedrooms, build a luxury new leisure centre, and overhaul the reception lobby, the stakes could not have been higher.

To meet this moment, Elliott turned to HammerTech for an efficient, and user-friendly site safety intelligence platform that would maintain safety amid high foot traffic, active hotel operations, and tight timelines.

Matthew O’Dowd, HSEQ Director at Elliott Group, shared his perspective on the significance of the project: “For us to be working with the Belfry is huge for us in the UK, and we feel it fits with our brand.”

Project Snapshot

• Location: The Belfry Resort, Birmingham, UK

• Scope: 270-room refurbishment, new leisure centre, reception upgrade

• Project Timeline: January 2023 – March 2025

• Project cost: €29.5 million

• Key Outcomes: Streamlined worker inductions, enhanced safety visibility site-wide, significant time savings

Embracing a 'Zero-Risk' mindset

Safety has always been a non-negotiable at Elliott Group – a principle that resonates from leadership to site teams.

“For us, safety is a core value. Darragh [CEO, Republic of Ireland] and Noel Elliott [CEO, United Kingdom] drive it. It feeds down into the board of directors, and that feeds down into the site teams and across the business,” Matthew explains.

This vision has crystallised into the company’s ‘Zero Risk’ tagline, the brainchild of Darragh and Noel, says Group Quality & Environmental Manager, Laura McCooey.

“They do not want anyone to take risk under the Elliott Group names,” she adds.

The hunt begins for a fast, reliable safety system

“For the last few years, we had been using a different online induction system,” O’Dowd recalls. “As the company grew, it became clear that we were outgrowing our previous system. After a few meetings with the HammerTech team, what stood out to me was their engagement and support—nothing was an issue.

“Once we brought it to site, it was immediately clear how essential the system was going to be for us. One of the biggest draws for me was it's user-friendly interface, not just for the safety team but for everyone on every level of the project.”

Matthew O'Dowd, HSEQ Director at Elliott Group

We’re all looking for the fastest and most reliable way to do things, and HammerTech delivers on both.”

Elliott’s Safety Vision in Action

Turning an iconic property like The Belfry into an active construction zone – while the Golf Resort maintained seamless operations – requires meticulous planning.

“[HammerTech] saw the vision we had and the practicalities that we needed to overcome,” says Christy Burke, HSEQ Manager at Elliott Group.

“The mornings are the busiest time on site, and to be able to get the inductions onto HammerTech and get that going online has really been a game changer for our guys out on site.”

With a digital system in place, workers can complete inductions and sign onto RAMS (Risk Assessment Method Statements) ahead of time, slashing morning bottlenecks. Facial recognition at turnstiles – powered by Irongate  – verifies that each worker is appropriately briefed and registered, speeding up inductions by up to 65%

“Someone goes up to a turnstile, scans their face, they’re inducted, they’ve signed onto the RAMS, they’ve been briefed on the safe systems of work,” Christy explains. “They’re allowed through the turnstile and get on with their work.”

According to O’Dowd, this transition away from the old system means teams can now focus on high-value tasks rather than duplicate paperwork. This means less admin and better clarity on who’s on-site and their credentials.

"I can see a long relationship with HammerTech"

This ongoing investment in safety through HammerTech is a testament to Elliott Group’s ‘Zero Risk’ commitment and highlights how construction upgrades – including streamlined site safety – can seamlessly occur on an iconic venue when the right tech is in place.

And beyond the immediate gains in time savings, digitalisation of paperwork, and improved compliance, Elliott believes this shift will transform how they deliver projects to every client moving ahead.

“I can see a long relationship with HammerTech,” O’Dowd says, noting Elliott’s growth beyond the Belfry as it continues to drive safety excellence one digital induction, one turnstile scan, and one streamlined paperless process at a time.

Want to learn more about how HammerTech can transform your safety operations?
Visit https://www.hammertech.com/en-gb/ for more information.

About Elliott Group 

Established: 1927

Elliott Group is one of Ireland's leading construction firms, with over 90 years of experience in delivering high-quality projects across residential, commercial, hospitality, and healthcare sectors. Known for its strong safety culture and commitment to innovation, the company is dedicated to providing excellent customer service and maintaining high standards on every project. Elliott Group embraces new technologies to drive efficiency and enhance project delivery.

For more details, visit Elliott Group.