The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) has added a safety module to its supervisor training programme that has remained among its most popular courses for more than 15 years.
The Giving Supervisors the Edge training programme is part of the ECITB’s offering of supervisor and leadership courses, which have been developed and adapted in partnership with engineering construction companies to ensure they meet the ever-evolving needs of the industry.
The new, fourth module – ‘Supervising for effective on-site safety’ – is a two-day course covering the responsibilities of a supervisor and the elements needed in setting a team to work safely.
On completion of the course, learners will be able to prepare a site-based work team to work safely through activity briefings, leading and monitoring the team and individuals. They will also learn tools for risk assessment and control measures for hazardous working environments and simultaneous operations.
Steve Franklin, ECITB Head of Products, said: “Effective supervision, chargehand and leadership skills are vital to the successful running of engineering construction projects and effective delivery on site.
“Adding this vital, new safety module further enhances the tools, techniques and training our supervisor course provides to help increase confidence, effectiveness and team respect in the workplace, which ultimately leads to more effective team management and delivery.
“This module identifies the actions that need to be taken to set teams safely to work, from creating method statements and risk assessments to ensuring all required safety precautions are in place and communicated to the team.”
Supervisor development
The training programme focuses on the most important areas for supervisor development, as perceived by employers.
The supervisor training’s four modules, which can be delivered both in-person or via a virtual classroom, together provide practical knowledge and skills for those moving into supervision or for those looking for a refresher. They can be used optionally to build on initial training through the ECITB’s Chargehand or Leading a Team Safely courses.
Those that complete all modules gain the ECITB’s silver card for supervision and while completion of all four is recommended, this is discretionary and they can be completed in any order. Completion of the new Module 4 will replace the requirement to achieve the IOSH Managing Safely certificate to obtain the silver card.
The three pre-existing modules are ‘Taking the Lead’, ‘Achieving Performance’ and ‘Sustaining Success’.
Among the 12 areas covered by the new supervising for effective on-site safety module are supervisors’ roles and responsibilities; management of safety, health and environment within the workplace; legislation, legal duties and control of hazards; accidents, incidents, near misses and reporting; post-work briefs; and lessons learnt.
Specific ECITB-approved training providers are licensed to deliver the programme. These are ACTTnow, Rewards Training and STC Insiso. Several engineering construction companies are also licensed to deliver this training internally.