Plant machinery training is vital to the safe and efficient running of any building work. It ensures that you know how to use the machinery in question. It makes sure that you are in compliance with the law. And, above all, it makes sure that you and the people around you are safe.
Read on for our short guide on plant machinery training in law and practice.
What Licence Or Certification Do You Need To Operate Plant Machinery?
The law may surprise you when it comes to using most construction vehicles. Unlike, for example, a driver’s licence, there are no government-issued licences for vehicles at work.
So then, does this mean that you can just jump into plant machinery and drive one without any training whatsoever?
Absolutely not.
While there is no government licencing system the laws behind plant machinery training are clear. They are covered in The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998:
9.—(1) Every employer shall ensure that all persons who use work equipment have received adequate training for purposes of health and safety, including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment, any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken.
(2) Every employer shall ensure that any of his employees who supervises or manages the use of work equipment has received adequate training for purposes of health and safety, including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment, any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken.
What Does This Mean?
It means is that formal training and certification in the use of plant machinery is commercial. You will need to find reliable plant machinery training in order to ensure that you are properly trained to your employer’s satisfaction as well as your own.
Who Decides Whether A Plant Machinery Trainer is Trustworthy?
Your employer.
As stated in the above legislation, it is the employer who has a duty of care for their employees. They are the one responsible for deciding whether an employee’s training is sufficient. Their choice of plant machinery trainers affects the safety of the employee, their co-workers, and bystanders as well.
Because of this, most construction employers will be very discerning regarding the training their workers have. They may even order an employee who is already trained to retrain with certain machinery under a trainer they trust. They are entitled to do so because, as mentioned, they are the ones who are legally culpable for their employers’ training.
Contact Us For Reliable And Accredited Plant Machinery Training
Whether you’re an employer looking for a reliable company to train your firm or an employee just starting out, we’re here to help. At SR Training Commercial Ltd, we specialise in plant machinery training, including the use of excavators, dumpers, forklifts, and more. Our expertise is certified and accredited via multiple awarding bodies, including LANTRA, NPORS, and the EASI.
For more information on our training courses and what we can do to help prepare construction workers for use in heavy machinery, contact us today.