For some time the recycling industry has been devoting resources for the development of health & safety advice and guidance. This has certainly increased awareness and re-vitalised the industry’s commitment to improve its safety performance.

 

As part of this on-going initiative an investigation into the standard of plant and machinery operator training demonstrated that the majority of the training schemes currently available have been designed to meet the needs of the construction, agricultural, warehousing and distribution industry.   Much of the training delivered to the recycling industry has been a derivative of these schemes, carried out by instructors who have little understanding of how the industry operates.

 

The Recycling Industry Plant Operator Training Scheme was established to improve the standards of both general health & safety and operator training for all types of fixed or mobile plant and machinery used within the recycling industry.. Training standards have been developed to take account of and meet the training needs of the industry whilst ensuring the requirements of legislation and guidance are complied with.

 

The objective of the scheme is to standardise training across the industry and to provide employers within this industry the opportunity to obtain valid certification for all their employees.

 

The benefits to recycling companies are:

 

• Operators may now be trained and certificated with the minimum disruption to work schedules.

• Qualified and registered instructors conduct all training.

• Examinations and assessment are carried out to  approved standards.

• Standards of training are common across the industry.

• The standards of training and competence are set by the industry.

• The training standards have the support of the HSE.

• Companies will be able to provide tangible evidence of their employees competence to their insurers.

 

To view the list of plant and machinery covered within the scheme please click here.