Over the last six months, in collaboration with approved providers and industry stakeholders, Energy & Utility Skills has conducted an in-depth review of its Utility Excavations scheme.
The review involved all five registration categories for Utility Excavations training and the new scheme is now ready and available from today [4 October].
Along with improved standardisation across the scheme, other improvements include consolidating categories of training to be delivered as a single training programme, as well as creating one standard for all three support systems (timber, steel, and proprietary) to remove duplication of training and assessments where they cover the same content.
New guidance has also been issued concerning site requirements and equipment (including PPE). The new scheme introduces maximum cohort sizes, minimum learning hours, and renewal programmes to give greater consistency of training for every individual across the UK.
In response to feedback from industry, the name of category one now includes direct reference to HSG47, making it clearer that this category incorporates the relevant requirements of this HSE guidance document for locating utility services.
Providers looking to deliver this training scheme should contact our Quality Team, who will be able to guide you through the application and approval process.
Existing providers already delivering the older Utility Excavations scheme will be given a mapping document, as part of the new self-assessment report (SAR) to help bring everyone into the new standards. There will be a turnaround period of six months to gain approval in delivering the new scheme, which will involve submission of this report.
The self-assessment reports will need to be submitted by 3 March 2022, or approval for delivery of the Utility Excavations scheme will be removed.
Want to deliver this scheme or find out more?
Contact Quality@euskills.co.uk