THE Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced that the next phase of plant training standards will be rolled out in June.
The standards have been developed in collaboration with industry working groups, comprising employers, training providers, and federations, and are designed to change the way plant training and testing is delivered.
CITB said the changes will ensure employers see a return on their investment by producing ‘competent, work-ready’ plant operators who have received training from experts, including learning about new technologies and the eco operation of plant.
To support employers pursuing training, CITB added that it offers several ways to help registered employers cover the cost of this standardised plant training. First, there are CITB Short Duration Grants, which vary based on the plant category and experience level, ranging from £250 to £880. Companies can also book training through the CITB Employer Network, where CITB will pay 70% of the course cost.
Following updates to the phase one standards in December 2024, the next tranche of 19 standards will be released next month. This change will see all CITB-funded training for excavators, dump trucks and telescopic handlers standardised.
Christopher Simpson, head of quality and standards at CITB, said, “These changes will help standardise and improve the quality and consistency of plant training; increase the amount of plant training that takes place before testing; and increase the number of people trained in plant operations, particularly new entrants to construction.”
Alasdair Reisner, chair of the Plant Sector Representative Organisation (PSRO) and CEO of CECA, added, “The PSRO – consisting of seven major construction plant-user federations – was set up by employers and their representative bodies to drive consistency for operational standards and certification through card schemes. The PSRO has worked with CITB throughout the process of developing these new training standards and supports their use within the construction sector.”
Phase two of the new training standards will cover:
- Excavator 360 Below 10 Tonnes: Tracked Training
- Excavator 360 Above 10 Tonnes: Wheeled Training
- Excavator 360 below 10 Tonnes: Wheeled Training
- Excavator 360 Above 10 Tonnes: Lifting Operations suspended loads Training
- Excavator 180 Below 10 Tonnes: Lifting Operations Training
- Excavator 360° Lifting operations – Suspended loads
- Excavator 180° Lifting operations – Suspended loads
- Excavator 180 Below 5 Tonnes Training
- Excavator 180 Above 5 Tonnes Training
- Forward Tipping Dumper: Tracked Training
- Dump Truck: Articulated Chassis, Up To 15 Tonnes Training
- Dump Truck: Rigid Chassis, Up To 15 Tonnes Training
- Dump Truck: Rigid Chassis, Up To 50 Tonnes Training
- Dump Truck: Rigid Chassis, All Sizes (Wheeled) Training
- Dump Truck: Rigid Chassis, All Sizes (Tracked) Training
- Telescopic Handler: Suspended Loads (Non-Rough Terrain) Training
- Telescopic Handler: Industrial Telescopic Training
- Telescopic Handler: Up To 9 Metres Training
- Telescopic Handler: All Sizes Including 360 Slew Training
