EBC Under Construction II13th November 2009, London

Eur Ing Kevin Fear, BSc(Hons) CEng MICE MIHT MIOSH - Head of H&S Strategy

ConstructionSkills

• We are the Sector Skills Council and the Industry Training Board (ITB) for the construction industry – we work in partnership with employers and Government

• As an ITB, we collect a levy and offer training grants

• We develop and sell products and services to the construction industry

• As an SSC - we represent the whole industry – all crafts and trades to professionally qualified staff

• We work to deliver right skills, right place at the right time

Introduction

• Competence– What is competence?– Why is it important ?– How can competence be assessed in the UK?

Competence is required by law

• Borehole Sites and Operations Regulations 1995 - sufficient

training and experience or knowledge and other qualities

• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 - combination

of training and experience

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 -

sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other

qualities

• Quarries Regulations 1999 - sufficient training, experience,

knowledge and other qualities

Construction (Design & Management) Regs 2005

Regulation 4 – Competence • No person shall appoint a CDM duty holder unless he

has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the duty holder is competent

• No person shall accept an appointment unless he is competent

• No person shall instruct a worker for design or construction work unless the worker is competent or under the supervision of a competent person

Definition of competence (mine!)

Ability to do a particular thing

• Skill• Knowledge• Attitude (or

understanding)• Training • Experience

Route to competencecompetence incompetence

conscious 3 - conscious competence

2 - conscious incompetence

unconscious 4 - unconscious competence

1 - unconscious incompetence

Standards of competence change over time

• Tacoma Narrows suspension bridge torsional failure.

ACoP Appendix 6 Development of competence

Why is competence important?

• Rita Donaghy enquiry for DWP - Phase 2 Report – underlying causes of construction fatalities - Review and sample analysis of recent construction fatal accidents, July 2009

• Details of 28 construction fatal accidents• The method adopted was developed from the Human Factors

Analysis and Classification system• There was an association with training deficiencies in 11

deaths (39%, more than 1 in 3)• It was concluded in 7 deaths that inadequate experience also

contributed to poor competence or suitability (25%, 1 in 4)• So, 18 deaths (64%, just under 2 in 3) associated with

competence

Occupational Competence:

• The National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) are based upon standards written in partnership with employers and industry. They are made up of:

• Core skills and knowledge• Specific skills and knowledge related to the occupation• Combined together through understanding acquired

through experience

The core knowledge and skills units include a mandatory element common to all Craft, Trade and Operative NVQs :

• VR01: Conform to General Workplace Safety• VR02: Conform to Efficient Work Practices• VR03: Move and Handle Resources

ConstructionSkills’ work with industry

• Work with Industry to establish occupational standards, including those for H&S (National Occupational Standards, NOS)

• Develop and deliver vocational qualifications based upon the NOS (National Vocational Qualifications, NVQs)

• Train workers for then assess their retained knowledge and skill in a working environment

• CSkills’ H&S test helps establish a common benchmark for basic H&S knowledge

• SMEs need competent workers as their business performance depends on fewer individuals

•

Training/Learning

Occupational experience

Occupational skill

Occupational knowledge

• Core skill

Application of skill

Application of knowledge

• COMPETENCE

Core knowledge

Conclusion

• Competence is required by law and to ensure that workers are effective and safe

• Standards change over time• National vocational qualifications offer one

of the few assessed routes to competence• Competence is essential for SMEs as the

performance of their businesses depends on fewer individuals

EBC Under Construction II13th November 2009, London

Eur Ing Kevin Fear, BSc(Hons) CEng MICE MIHT MIOSH - Head of H&S Strategy