Is your Workforce Competent?
03/01/2012
This Autumn the MPA released their Safer by Competence Policy. This policy is drawn from a number of sets of regulations including ‘Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999’; ‘COSHH 1999’ and ‘The Quarries Regulations 1999’.
Some definitions provided by the HSE:
• Competence is defined as: “The ability to apply knowledge, understanding, practical and thinking skills to achieve effective performance to the standards required in employment. This involves solving problems and being sufficiently flexible to meet changing demands”
• “To demonstrate competence, an operator must have defined the competencies required for every employee taking into account the requirements of the National Occupational Standards; have undertaken an analysis against those benchmarks to identify any gaps in an individual’s competence, and be able to demonstrate that they are working actively to fill those gaps under appropriate supervision”
• “Although there may be ways of assessing competence other than by achieving NVQ/SVQ/QCFs, they must be capable of meeting the National Occupational Standards”
How do I prove competence?
The MPA has stated that in the majority of circumstances the most logical and straightforward ‘route to competency’ is to use the formal qualifications route, i.e. vocational qualifications such as NVQ or QCF. The advantage of these qualifications is that they are relevant to the employee and are based on the National Occupational Standard for the specific job roles; they are also transferable to different sites or employers.
Serac UK are happy to discuss the range of qualifications that we offer that are relevant to the different job roles within the industry. Please call 01263 710070 or click here to submit your enquiry
When do I have to be competent by?
1. Directly employed Management & Supervisors subject to the Quarries Regulations
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Ensure 100% Engaged now
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Qualifications to be 100% achieved by 30 June 2012
Suitable qualifications may include the Safety Health and Environmental QCF and NVQs (SHE Qualifications).
2. Directly employed Operatives & Maintenance personnel subject to Quarries Regs.
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Qualifications or ‘other route’ – to be 100% engaged by 30 June 2012
Suitable qualifications may include Mobile Plant QCF, Processing Operations QCF and Weighbridge QCF.
3. All Directly Employed not subject to the Quarries Regulations
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Qualifications or ‘other route’ – to be 100% engaged by 30 June 2013
Suitable qualifications may include LATA (Laboratory and Associated Technical Activities) QCF and Weighbridge QCFs.
4. All Contractors and Sub-Contractors
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Qualifications to be 100% engaged by 31 December 2013