Altrad - Asbestos Training

HERTEL

Hertel is a leading international, multi-disciplinary, industrial services company. It supports its customers with access solutions, insulation, corrosion protection, mechanical and specialist services. Hertel is working for customers in the Oil and Gas, Process, Nuclear and Energy industries.

TASC provides UKATA initial and refresher training to licenced asbestos operatives, supervisors, licenced scaffolders and management to Hertel personnel working at the Capenhurst uranium processing plant.

This relationship has developed into a productive and positive one since TASC started providing training approximately three years ago. Hertel used another training provider before this period and when they found the company was unable to meet the exacting standards of Hertel they decided to change training provider. Hertel selected TASC based on its excellent industry reputation and high training standards.

All of TASC’s clients work in a safety critical environment and the Hertel staff are no different; however, they have the additional associated hazards related to operating within the nuclear industry. The rail industry is also required to meet exacting standards not only due to asbestos but through the additional controls set by the rail industry.   Some of this work is not asbestos-centric but the disciplines taught in TASC, equip the staff with the knowledge and standards required to adapt to differing environments.

Hertel asbestos staff carry out individual priced contracts that vary in complexity. Management and supervisors are taught the 19 modules listed in HSG 247 with greater emphasis on the regulations specific to asbestos and general H&S legislation. The courses include knowledge of the different asbestos surveys and their uses, asbestos contaminated land and Duty Holder responsibilities.

ALTRAD NSG

As part of the parent company, Altrad NSG provides stand-alone or integrated solutions including scaffold, insulation, painting and rope access.

TASC has been working with Altrad NSG for over five years and provides UKATA licenced asbestos manager training to the Managing Director, Health & Safety Officer, Site and Compliance Management. It provides licenced asbestos scaffolding courses for operatives, supervisors, company auditors and asbestos awareness courses to remaining operational staff. TASC also undertakes on-site asbestos auditing of scaffolding operations, many of which are Control of Major Accident Hazard (COMAH) sites.

TASC works closely with the senior management team at NSG providing specific advice regarding licenced asbestos removal contractors (LARC) procedures, processes and legislation to ensure that the LARC meets all regulatory standards thereby protecting NSG staff from hazards. This is similar to rail staff involved in infrastructure improvements where asbestos has been identified or suspect.

Setting the standards for the rest of the company, all of the senior management team (SMT) attends an initial asbestos manager’s course. The SMT comprises Managing Director, H&S Officer, compliance and site managers, who all subsequently attend annual refresher courses. All refresher courses must satisfy requirements within Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and be based on a training needs analysis (TNA).

Unique to TASC, the TNA is determined by utilising our cloud-based computer management and testing program where a measure of current knowledge is gauged through testing the trainee’s knowledge of CAR 2012, ACOP L143 or the appropriate H&S guidance manual. The system can be used remotely providing the trainees have access to a computer, if not, a paper-based test is carried out. The identified gaps are then used as the basis for the refresher training coupled with updates on legislation and technical innovations.

After the mandatory part of the course and the TNA has been carried out, TASC’s 2018 Manager Update is delivered. This has been developed by TASC to provide its clients with added value and additional context to their training. It comprises:

• A technical update of air extraction silencers and the control of negative pressure within an enclosure
• The 5-yearly review of the Control of Asbestos Regulations which was completed in 2017
• The results of a survey to Asbestos Analysts which was carried out by the HSE and relayed to TASC by Dr Martin Gibson of the HSE.

Then, dependent on knowledge deficiencies highlighted at the TNA, an open floor discussion or fault-finding module follows. Finally, any knowledge gaps highlighted at the TNA is re-tested utilising the computer testing program and specific to the individual. This has assisted Altrad NSG in demonstrating their competence and the award of the maximum asbestos licence of three years recently.

To ensure security of qualifications, each individual who successfully completes any of the courses is photographed and this is then downloaded onto the UKATA certificate generator where a unique certificate, with picture is raised. Identity size cards can also be produced at an additional cost.