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Sarah Yates  
#1 Posted : 27 November 2023 13:16:18(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Sarah Yates

Hi Can anyone help 

If you have a prodiction mamager who has worked on building sites for over 30 yrs, has experience using hand held tools, such as saws, drills ect 

Can this person train our opertaives in house on how to use these tools even if he does not have the prrof such as certificates or signed off training himself to prove he is a competant person. Does his experience trump a qualifivcation?

Kate  
#2 Posted : 27 November 2023 13:21:59(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

I'm always pleased when competence is defined as KATE - knowledge, ability, training and experience.

There is no Q in KATE (however many qualifications I have).

You need a competent trainer who may or may not have a formal qualification.

thanks 2 users thanked Kate for this useful post.
Sarah Yates on 27/11/2023(UTC), HSSnail on 27/11/2023(UTC)
Pirellipete  
#3 Posted : 27 November 2023 14:13:40(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Pirellipete

As I understand things, competence is defined as, "....by virtue of training or experience" so he has the experience.

The issue of certification has come about, IMO, due to Insurance Company's making demands on industry over and above legislative requirements so they have a loophole in which to avoid paying claims, (again, purely in my personal opinion, Insurance Company's exist so Health & Safety People have someone to hate as well)

thanks 1 user thanked Pirellipete for this useful post.
HSSnail on 27/11/2023(UTC)
Kate  
#4 Posted : 27 November 2023 14:24:06(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

Competence is defined in various alternative ways,  But bear in mind that it's not enough to be competent in the activity that you are training people to do.  You also need competence as a trainer.  It's no good being highly skilled in an activity if you lack the ability to convey the content of the training in how to do the activity.

HSSnail  
#5 Posted : 27 November 2023 14:39:29(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

Originally Posted by: Sarah Yates Go to Quoted Post

 Does his experience trump a qualifivcation?

As others have said, neither trumps the other - if something goes wrong you still have to show compitance, I have seen some trainers with a hat full of qualifications that i would never let near a group of trainees, and some people with no formal qualifications that i would trust with my life. Gone are the days when the HSE would approve trainers (Fork lift trucks and 1st aid spring to mind) so now even if you go for outside accreditation you may have to prove why you thought the trainer compitent. 

A Kurdziel  
#6 Posted : 27 November 2023 15:05:58(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

All a training qualification means is that someone has done a course and can demonstrate that they can deliver a piece of training on a particular topic to a specific group of people. This might be suitable for your employees in your workplace doing a task for your employer, but the piece of paper does not guarantee that.  You will need to make a value judgement on that and it could be  that someone  with 30 years of experience on the tools can deliver better(or is that more suitable)  training than a external provider.

chris42  
#7 Posted : 27 November 2023 15:52:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris42

I agree with the others, but the person may be great at using the tools, however do they have training skills. Just because you can do something and do it well, does not mean you can train others! I’m not saying don’t do it, but consider that point first. Perhaps find a way to evaluate or record training content.

Just saying

Chris

Holliday42333  
#8 Posted : 27 November 2023 16:09:16(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Holliday42333

The other thing to be careful of with experience is making sure that that experience translates into actual safe practice.

I am reminded of a case of a LinkedIn post from a company in-house training team showing the 30+ year veteran fitter and known technical expert in the task instructing apprentices in pump overhaul.

When asked why none were wearing the correct gloves, the response was along the lines of “because I’m teaching them how to do stuff in the real world not all that H&S bovine excrement (not his exact words”

Two days later came a message from one of the apprentices parents most upset at the chemical burn to the hands their child seemed to be suffering from.

thanks 2 users thanked Holliday42333 for this useful post.
Kate on 27/11/2023(UTC), peter gotch on 28/11/2023(UTC)
haulfryn  
#9 Posted : 27 November 2023 16:27:10(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
haulfryn

Yes you can get your guy with 30+ years to do the training.  I would document the training for each piece of equipment / activity in a toobox talk.  Then get the trainee to sign and date it.  Make sure you include things like carry out a visual inspection of equipment for signs damage, wear the correct PPE such as eye protection, ear defenders when using a drill, include instructions on how to change drill bits and check for signs of damage etc.  Also include pictures of good and bad practice.  You don't always have to get a third party in to undertake the training.  

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