Posted By Mitch
Pete,

Sounds like you have already researched a perfectly reasonable argument against this decision, is there any appeal process/route you can take?

Posted By Helen C
Hi there

This is a question I am encountering on a regular basis at the moment.

The new requirements do not require you to get training they do however require you to have your staff independantly assessed as competent in accordance with the National Standard.

This is great and should save a lot of companies a lot of money in the longer term, as operatives no longer (strictly speaking) have to be retrained, instead they are simply re-assessed as competent every 3 years.

Unless you're used to the new system is it complicated but in a nutshell,

For entries into NC1's your staff will have to have a City and Guilds 821 assessment, this is usually carried out in 1/2 to 1 day.

For entries into NC2's NC3's and often NC4's your staff will require a City and Guilds 822 assessment. This is usually carried out in a full day and involves a written test (on confined spaces and first aid) and a practical confined space entry.

There are also other assessments for supervisors (972), top men (825), entry into confined spaces using rebreathers for escape (823), use of BA in hostile environments (826), use of BA as a means of escape (824)......etc

The real beauty of this system is that it should illiminate or at least reduce the number of cowboy confined space trainers out there that have come into being in the last few years.

There are only a few companies in the country at the moment that you can go to for assessments.

If you need any further help or advice on this, please give me a call, I'd be happy to help. I am currently advising one of the water companies on their implementation of this system.

Oh yes....another thing to note, not all companies have decided to adopt this system,

Helen
01925 244144