Water-safety training for the construction industry
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Employers in the construction and maintenance sectors are now being offered innovative training partnerships to safeguard employees who work in or around water.
Most people in the construction industry relate the term Health and Safety to hazards such as Asbestos, Manual Handling, Machinery Work equipment and Working at Heights.
However, for projects near, on or in water, the water itself is a very real hazard – the severity of which can be overlooked or misunderstood, with fatal consequences.
Apart from the cost of human suffering, uninsurable prosecution costs under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act for work-related drownings over the past two years exceed £500,000. Additional costs include private actions, negative PR, legal and insurance costs.
These tragic events occurred despite the fact that all established health and safety laws and regulations apply as much to water-based environments and activities as they do to any other construction activity. In fact Regulation 35 of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 deals specifically with Prevention of Drowning.
The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK), the drowning prevention charity, now offers its flagship occupational water-safety training programme, the National Water Safety Management Programme (NWSMP) on a licensed `training partnership’ agreement. NWSMP is a suite of interlinked training awards which offers a flexible approach to water safety training. Courses have been specifically designed to help employers protect employees working near, or close, to water.
Cliff Nelson, Course Programme Manager at the RLSS UK, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the construction industry. Most of the challenges presented by construction around water can be overcome with simple, straight-forward controls, underpinned by effective water-hazard awareness – which is what NWSMP delivers.”
The NWSMP is progressive and begins with a half- day general Water Safety Awareness module and can progress, depending on the specific environment and planned work activity, through to River, Still-water, Beach and In-water Rescue or Aquatic First Aid. Special ‘bolt-ons’ are available which include Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Lifejackets.
The training is designed to make sure people who might be exposed to water-based risk have a clear understanding of the nature of that risk along with a firm grasp of simple, effective prevention and response measures.
A key issue is that, unlike in a controlled swimming pool environment, open water may be cold, murky, deep and very fast flowing. It can also be very difficult to find an exit route once submerged in it. In addition, when somebody finds themselves in water unexpectedly, their water logged clothing can hinder their movement and ability to keep their head above water. Typically, construction workers can be wearing steel toe capped shoes and heavy PPE which adds to the risk of drowning once the water is entered.
David Talbot, Head of Outdoor Education and Work Based Learning at TQ Pearson, said: “I believe that the National Water Safety Management Programme is an essential training programme for anyone in the construction industry.
“Not only is it geared towards those working directly in, or near water such as banksmen or plant operators, but is also relevant to anyone in the industry who may come into contact with water, such as those in the building construction maintenance services or line managers. The course reduces risk at all levels and I cannot recommend it highly enough.”
Course attendees are awarded a certificate on completion and the employer investing in this valuable staff training is awarded a plaque, provided by the RLSS UK, highlighting the organisation’s commitment to staff development and the maintenance of a safe, working environment.
Cliff Nelson added: “Sadly, drowning remains a very real danger. Each year 450 people lose their lives in a water related incident, many of these fatalities could be avoided with better safety precautions and knowledge of how to effectively deal with an incident when it occurs.”
The NWSMP is currently delivered at a number of training venues across the UK. The cost of individual awards range from £80 to £150, although within the partnership scheme, significant cost reductions can be achieved. For more information on the programme, its content and the various modules available email contact RLSS UK Occupational Safety Advisor, Damian Hall, on 07855 844598, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.rlss.org.uk
For more information on the Royal Life Saving Society, the drowning prevention charity -
Visit their website at www.rlss.org.uk
Follow us on Twitter - @RLSSUK
Visit our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/RLSSUK
Call - 01789 773994
Or visit them on stand P720 at this year’s Leisure Industry Week which is being held at the NEC arena, Birmingham, from September 24-26.