Quick tips for quarry managers to check competency cards

• 
• 7th December 2007
• Quarrying
 

There have been some accidents investigated by HSE recently where operatives involved in the accident have held competence cards.  When HSE investigated further they found that the competence card seemed to have a questionable value because it was not issued by a credible body.

If you are offered a competence card try to look for the following:

1. Who issued the card and are there sufficient details of the issuer to allow you to trace them and talk to them?

2. Has the company issuing the card any credibility in your industry? ie is it accredited by EMP - the accrediting body for the industry, or does it hold a recognized name like Epic?

3. Does the card or the issuer's website state:

• Full details of the training the cardholder did
• Full details of any assessment of competence which the cardholder undertook
• If relevant, details of how the competence is benchmarked to the national occupational standards for that particular occupation

NB if it's not on their website then phone them and ask about these details

4. Is the card relevant to this industry? ie a CSCS card might be for a piece of Mobile Plant but does there need to be some CPD to make the competence relevant to a quarry rather than a construction site?

5. How old is the card and is it still valid? If the card is a few years old you might want to question what CPD has taken place since then to maintain competency.

6. Can the issuer validate that the card is not a forgery by checking the candidate's name and details on the card against their own database?

Lots of training companies issue cards these days but you need to feel confident about accepting them. HSE has a considerable amount of guidance on their website regarding competency and, as a manager or supervisor, you need to be completely clear that the card you are looking at matches that guidance (http://www.hse.gov.uk/quarries/competence.htm. 

A final point to remember: just because an employee or a contractor has a valid competence card it doesn't remove the need for appropriate supervision.

EMP Awarding Body Ltd
Knowledge Centre
Wyboston Lakes
Wyboston
Beds
MK44 3BY
UK

T: 01480 479267