Training for competence
Safety in lifting operations ultimately comes down to people, their knowledge and their skills. Matt Barber, LEEA Director of Membership argues that training must provide competence.
LEEA is passionate about training, which the Association provides directly, both face-to-face and through elearning via the Internet. It also supports members when they train their customers – the end users. Training makes people more employable but our industry does not just have jobs, it has careers, and when they are employed, we want people to have the training that leads to a successful career, so the training is designed to support professional growth.
Expert-led training, hands-on assessments and globally recognised certification is a great way to kickstart a lifting career. LEEA’s Training Academy empowers individuals and organisations with the knowledge and tools to deliver safer, smarter lifting operations across industries. With tailored programmes and globally recognised qualifications, our training helps teams perform with greater confidence and consistency.
Members can train their teams their way: in-person, on-site, or online. They can build a qualified workforce with LEEA diplomas and TEAM cards, which give proof of industry-recognised competence, including on UK construction sites.
The Academy offers access to a full suite of training, from basic rigging to advanced equipment inspection. It supports Continuous Professional Development through CPD for member employees. With comfortable classrooms, a workshop and breakout areas, the purpose-built training centre in Huntingdon has been built and developed to prioritise the learning experience.
But training is more than simply attending a classroom and achieving a formal qualification – there should have a culture of competence associated to it. So while LEEA training involves a knowledge test to show a trainee knows certain key elements, it primarily ensures they are competent, rather than simply being able to recollect knowledge. Imagine somebody who passes their driving test by doing everything required but then starts driving erratically as soon as they’ve torn up their learner plates.
You must be skilled to work in this industry. Employers need to think about what a member of staff would look like if they were outstanding versus where they are at the moment. This effectively requires some kind of an audit because people tend to see skills gaps in others but not in themselves.
LEEA is in the process of putting together a competency audit so we can help our members understand what they can reasonably expect from a member of staff and to identify the gaps in that person’s competence. Then, support can be provided with bite size training that is free or more in-depth, paid-for training. This is a commitment to ongoing technical competence in the industry. It doesn’t matter if you knew a standard 20 or so years ago – the important thing is do you know what you are doing today and what you will be doing tomorrow.
Crucially, our best guess is there is there is a direct correlation between training and amended, ie, safer behaviour. Safety in lifting operations ultimately comes down to people, their knowledge and their skills.
The greatest stability comes from building on solid foundations. For those wanting to develop their competence with a solid understanding of lifting operations, whether they are starting out or expanding their knowledge, LEEA’s Foundation Certificate offers a globally recognised introduction to the sector. Aimed at a beginner’s level. It covers common types of lifting equipment used across the industry and basic knowledge of key topics.
The 3-day instructor-led course is perfect for beginners and covers a solid understanding of lifting equipment and its applications; awareness of legislation, regulations, and industry standards; risk identification and control in lifting operations; an introduction to equipment verification and rating processes and provides a strong foundation for progressing to advanced LEEA qualifications. In person courses are regularly held at LEEA’s Huntingdon Training Centre and, particularly if you are based outside of the UK, LEEA also offers the same course virtually (via Zoom) and e-learning.
For more information on this course and others that will help minimise lifting operation risks across industries and help individuals build competence and confidence to apply their skills effectively in the workplace, visit leeaint.com/courses.
