Skip to main content

CPA publishes new ‘Competence to Operate Construction Plant’ guidance document

A new Strategic Forum Plant Safety Group guidance document on ‘Competence to Operate Construction Plant’ has been published by the UK-based CPA (Construction Plant-hire Association). The new ‘Competence to Operate Construction Plant’ document aims to clarify methods for employers to manage, develop and record employees' competences to operate all types of plant. The HSE and CITB were key participants, alongside a wide range of other organisations. The guidance covers management of training and management o
May 19, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
A new Strategic Forum Plant Safety Group guidance document on ‘Competence to Operate Construction Plant’ has been published by the UK-based CPA (Construction Plant-hire Association).

The new ‘Competence to Operate Construction Plant’ document aims to clarify methods for employers to manage, develop and record employees' competences to operate all types of plant. The HSE and CITB were key participants, alongside a wide range of other organisations. The guidance covers management of training and management of experience as well as management of competence.

Launching the new guidance publication, the CPA stressed how construction plant, in particular mobile plant, has the potential to cause fatalities and serious injury. Consequently it is essential that people who operate construction plant are competent to do so. The duty to ensure that plant operators are competent rests with their employer and the process of ensuring competence requires cooperation between employers, training providers and operators, all of whom have a significant part to play in the process.

Heather Bryant, HM Chief Inspector of Construction and Chair of the Health and Safety Executive’s Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC), said, “The advice in this document is straightforward, comprehensive and easy to adopt. It has been prepared by industry representatives to demonstrate realistic means of complying with legal duties. However, following the guidance is not compulsory and may go further than the minimum you need to do in order to comply with the law.  I thank those who have been involved in its preparation and commend the guidance to anyone who employs people who work with construction plant and those with an interest in such matters.”

Achieving the necessary competence to carry out a particular task is a four stage process: Selection, Training and Assessment, Developing Competence and the final stage, Life Long Learning. Each of these stages is explained in detail in the CPA document.  

Kevin Minton, Director of CPA, said, “The new guidance was written to help promote understanding and sharing knowledge in an area which is often seen as difficult to discuss. I thank those industry bodies and individuals that were involved in its preparation – the strength of the guidance is founded on their experience and cooperative input.”

“Competence to Operate Construction Plant” is available for free download from the CPA website at %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal http://cpa.uk.net/sfpsg/#Competence Website: http://cpa.uk.net/sfpsg/#Competence false http://cpa.uk.net/sfpsg/#Competence false false%>

Related Content

  • E&E Event 2018 in Berlin: an asphalt industry fit for purpose
    May 15, 2018
    The provisional programme is now available for this year’s Euroasphalt and Eurobitume Event in Berlin. June 14-15. The focus of E&E 2018 will be on the preparations needed by the asphalt industry to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the future. Important strategic issues will be explored, some of which were highlighted in the E&E Congress 2016. These include the increasingly stringent economic aspects of supply and demand, the growing environmental issues over highway construction and use, health
  • Stationary asphalt plant focus for Intrame
    January 6, 2017
    Intrame is displaying its stationary range of asphalt plants with a particular focus on the control system technology. The company’s control systems allow the plant to work in fully automatic, semi-automatic or manual mode whilst providing supervision and control by means of a general use PC. The programming is totally open allowing continuous updating to improve plant operations. Systems also ensure automatic regulation of the burner with recording of the temperature of the aggregates at the dryer’s discha
  • Stationary asphalt plant focus for Intrame
    April 18, 2012
    Intrame is displaying its stationary range of asphalt plants with a particular focus on the control system technology. The company’s control systems allow the plant to work in fully automatic, semi-automatic or manual mode whilst providing supervision and control by means of a general use PC. The programming is totally open allowing continuous updating to improve plant operations. Systems also ensure automatic regulation of the burner with recording of the temperature of the aggregates at the dryer’s discha
  • PPRS Nice 2018: Time running out for Early-bird rates!
    December 11, 2017
    This Friday is the last chance to benefit from early registration rates for PPRS Nice 2018 – the Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit – in March. Early-bird rates will be available until midnight on December 15.