UK Contractors Group introduces a supervisor training standard

UK Contractors Group member companies are to adopt a new training standard to ensure that supervisors working on their sites can demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to supervise their workers effectively.

Stephen Ratcliffe, Director of UKCG said: “UKCG has identified the need to tighten up the competence of supervisors to help improve health and safety performance. This standard is the means by which members will tackle the issue.

“There are a number of training courses available that will deliver training to the standard. However, it is not our intention to recognise or accredit particular courses. It will be down to individual members to decide on appropriate training. What we have done today is announce a common standard which all our members will adopt.”

The new standard will take effect from 1 January 2010. Supervisors must have the ability to demonstrate that they have satisfied the following criteria:

• they have sufficient knowledge of health and safety gained at a construction specific course of at least two days duration.
• they have sufficient skills to be an effective supervisor of their workers. They will need to demonstrate having attended training which includes anunderstanding of behavioural issues, leadership and effective intervention skills. This training must include delivering effective presentations (e.g. tool box talks), role-play, have a form of testing, and successful candidates must be issued with a certificate to demonstrate a suitable standard has been achieved.

Employers are free to choose how, and from where, training is sourced and delivered. UKCG does not intend to issue a definitive list of recognised courses. The final arbiter of whether a course is suitable will be the Principal Contractor.

The UK Contractors Group (UKCG) represents 29 leading contractors operating in the UK on construction specific issues.