Plant accidents top CPCS agenda

Trevor Gamble, the new chairman of the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) management committee, is to use his position to focus on reducing deaths and serious injuries involving plant. “If our workforce is trained and qualified, this can be achieved,” he said.

Figures from the TGWU indicate that between 2001 and 2005, 17 people were killed and more than 900 injured in incidents involving construction plant. “We need to know the background to these statistics,” said Gamble, who wants to work with the Health & Safety Executive to discover whether it was plant operators or other site workers that were killed or injured and the level of training the operators had received. 

If the incidents were caused by inadequately trained operators, Gamble said this will be reflected in the training development. “What we all want and need is a national standard,” he said. However, he admitted that it is not possible to include categories for every type of plant.

In a separate move, 500 of the 3,200 red CPCS cardholders who need to upgrade to blue cards this year will be surveyed to determine if anything is preventing them from gaining an NVQ and upgrading. Over the next three years, 64,000 operators need to convert to blue CPCS cards, but Gamble believes a lack of support from employers or agencies may prevent individuals from upgrading.

Gamble will be hosting CPCS industry meeting roadshows throughout July, August and September. And this year, closed afternoon sessions will allow any of the 1,100 training providers to air their views. For more
information visit: http://www.citb-constructionskills.co.uk/cpcs.