Quick hitch blast for CPCS

Following a death involving a bucket becoming detached from a quick hitch at Drax Power Station, Selby, last month, training provider Mick Norton has blasted the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) management committee for not instigating changes to the training and testing regime to cover the correct use of these devices.

Advice issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that 13% of excavator accidents are attributed to buckets becoming detached from quick hitches and that CPCS training does not cover quick hitches so the card does not demonstrate competence in this area. While the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) and the Off-Highway Plant and Equipment Research Centre (Operc) have also published guidance, the lack of training by CPCS leaves employers and contractors to devise their own competence tests.

Trevor Gamble, chairman of the CPCS management committee, said: "We have advised trainers and training providers of issues surrounding the use of quick hitches and as things stand that is as much as we can do." He confirmed that quick hitches will be covered more thoroughly by the proposed technical test, which will come into effect when wholesale changes are made to CPCS next year.

Meanwhile, there is much concern and confusion in the industry. Norton said two agency operators holding CPCS cards were turned away from sites because they couldn't operate quick hitches correctly.

Gamble said: "This is a big issue and it is on the agenda for the CPCS board meeting in December, but the number of different makes and types of quick hitches means training will be far from simple."

He added that the issue highlights the problem of the lack of ongoing learning in the plant industry: "Even if we changed the training today, experienced operators using the log book would never be tested again or undergo further training."