Health & Safety Training
Investing time and resources in training and education of personnel is increasingly recognised as good management practice as it helps to ensure that staff realise their full potential as well as fulfilling compliance obligations. In a highly competitive market place, members of the Irish Concrete Federation are continuously seeking to improve the efficiency of their businesses and the Federation assists members with cost-effective, quality assured training programmes that support good management practices in all areas of Health & Safety.
Training & Education Courses
Contractor Safety Passport
The Contractor Safety Passport (Quarries) was introduced to Ireland in 2004 by the Irish Concrete Federation through consultation with its members and leading trainers in the industry. Fatalities and injuries were seen as ‘unacceptably high’ and a proactive programme was developed with EPIC, the industry’s National Training Organisation in the UK, the Safety Pass Alliance, the UK’s leading passport providers and of course the Irish Concrete Federation.
The “Contractor Safety Passport” is one day* Quarry Safety Awareness Training Program, designed to provide safety training dealing with industry specific issues for all quarry employees as well as managers and employees of contractors prior to entering premises operating in the Quarry industry. This standard has been adopted by the Quarry and Aggregate sector since 2004.
Target Audience
Employees of Quarries and all managers and employees of contractors, who are required to enter a Quarry site.
Pre-requisite
All candidates must possess a valid FÁS Safe Pass Card* to complete the 1 day training program. The FÁS Safe Pass Card demonstrates that candidates have attended training on basic health and safety which covered topics which would be relevant to both the construction industry and the quarry industry.
Why the need for the program?
It is important that all contractors and quarry employees have a basic knowledge of health & safety to make them aware of the inherent dangers in the Quarry industry in order to reduce the risk of injury to themselves or to other persons.
How does it work?
There are two types of course: ‘Public’ courses for companies that have small numbers of employees to train and and ‘In-Company’ courses which have varied start times to suit the company’s needs. All courses have a maximum of 20 candidates.
What do I need?
Candidates need to be in possession of the following for all courses: PPS number, two passport photos and valid safe pass card or completion certificate from a recognised trainer for the safe pass course. All courses are delivered in English and pre-booking is required to ensure availability.
To download the Contractor Safety Passport Training leaflet Click here
Quarry Skills Certification Scheme
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Quarries) Regulations 2008, were published on the 14th of February 2008. They became effective on the 1st of May 2008. Contained in the regulations is the Quarry Skills Certification Scheme (QSCS), which lists 15 areas that require FETAC level 5 certification and issue of a QSCS ‘Ticket/Card’.
Education for Industry
Degree in Quarry Management (B.Eng)
Background
The Irish Concrete Federation recognised the need for the development of management skills in the quarry and aggregate sector and initiated contact with the Department of Civil, Construction and Mineral Engineering in Athlone Institute of Technology in 2002. Up to this point no Quarry Degree programme was running in Ireland. The course was designed with industry specific objectives in mind and it has been a major success over the last five years.
Participation
Over forty students have been registered in the Degree Programme during this period. With the advent of the new Safety Health and Welfare at Work (Quarries) Regulations 2008 more responsibilities now rest with the Quarry Operator. Regulation 6 makes it quite clear that such a person must be ‘competent’ to carry out the functions of ‘Quarry Operator’.
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