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Same standards for kit operators
12:43 30 Aug 2002
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by Paul Howard
Moves to establish common standards and a single competence card for plant operators received a boost on two fronts last week.
The Certificate of Training Achievement (CTA), the largest training scheme for plant operators, has announced the changes it will make as it moves to become competence-based.
At the same time, the National Plant Operators Registration Scheme (NPORS) and agriculture training body Lantra signed a 'memorandum of understanding' with the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) to pave the way for agreed standards for the CSCS's proposed plant operator card. The CTA has not yet signed a deal with the CSCS, but has said that it will affiliate.
The new CTA scheme will see competence assessed on a five-year basis either via an assessment with a CTA-approved trainer or through the completion of a logbook. The other compulsory element of the new card is passing the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) health and safety test.
The introduction of the logbook is designed to make the CTA scheme compatible with NVQ Level 2 in specialist plant and machinery operations, and achievement of NVQ Level 2 will be compulsory for newcomers to the scheme.
The development of the scheme follows widespread industry calls for training programmes and card schemes offering more than simply evidence of training, with NVQs the preferred denominator of competence.
The CTA competence card will come into effect on 1 January 2004 to coincide with the Major Contractors Group (MCG) deadline for compulsory competence cards on its sites. At the same time the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) plans to launch a plant operator card.
Confusion remains, however, as to whether or not NPORS cards will now be accepted on MCG sites. The deal with CSCS allows all current NPORS cards to be replaced with interim cards endorsed by the CITB in a specific attempt to address this issue.
"As far as we're concerned, the CITB endorsed interim card will allow our card holders on to MCG sites tomorrow, although practically it will take a couple of weeks for people to get hold of them," said NPORS chairman Chris Jones.
However, MCG spokesman John Bradshaw said it had not yet taken a decision on whether the cards should be allowed on site.
The CTA card is the only general pant operator card currently accepted on MCG sites.
Moves to establish common standards and a single competence card for plant operators received a boost on two fronts last week.
The Certificate of Training Achievement (CTA), the largest training scheme for plant operators, has announced the changes it will make as it moves to become competence-based.
At the same time, the National Plant Operators Registration Scheme (NPORS) and agriculture training body Lantra signed a 'memorandum of understanding' with the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) to pave the way for agreed standards for the CSCS's proposed plant operator card. The CTA has not yet signed a deal with the CSCS, but has said that it will affiliate.
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The new CTA scheme will see competence assessed on a five-year basis either via an assessment with a CTA-approved trainer or through the completion of a logbook. The other compulsory element of the new card is passing the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) health and safety test.
The introduction of the logbook is designed to make the CTA scheme compatible with NVQ Level 2 in specialist plant and machinery operations, and achievement of NVQ Level 2 will be compulsory for newcomers to the scheme.
The development of the scheme follows widespread industry calls for training programmes and card schemes offering more than simply evidence of training, with NVQs the preferred denominator of competence.
The CTA competence card will come into effect on 1 January 2004 to coincide with the Major Contractors Group (MCG) deadline for compulsory competence cards on its sites. At the same time the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) plans to launch a plant operator card.
Confusion remains, however, as to whether or not NPORS cards will now be accepted on MCG sites. The deal with CSCS allows all current NPORS cards to be replaced with interim cards endorsed by the CITB in a specific attempt to address this issue.
"As far as we're concerned, the CITB endorsed interim card will allow our card holders on to MCG sites tomorrow, although practically it will take a couple of weeks for people to get hold of them," said NPORS chairman Chris Jones.
However, MCG spokesman John Bradshaw said it had not yet taken a decision on whether the cards should be allowed on site.
The CTA card is the only general pant operator card currently accepted on MCG sites.
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