UK Scaffolding training providers are adapting to a ‘new normal’ after cautiously reopening their doors post lockdown.
Scaffolding training is now underway at over 18 locations around the UK, with many more to follow suit in the coming weeks. Providers are showing real resilience after swiftly adapting to overcome government restrictions.
The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) has been working tirelessly with training providers throughout the lockdown to get them back open and COVID ready.
Before reopening, CISRS has said that all centres were required to submit detailed risk assessments and method statements with supporting documentation and photographic evidence showing restrictions and precautions put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19, whilst delivering training.
Providers had to cover each step of the training experience from arriving at the centre, moving around the site, getting to classrooms, practical training areas, welfare facilities and getting back home safely.
Although, the reduced centre capacity restriction is causing a strain for a number of providers the industry demand for CISRS training is unfaltering.
So much so, Scaffmag understands that several scaffolding training providers are laying on extra courses in particular short duration ones like COTS and CPD.
David Mosley, CISRS Managing Director said: “The Coronavirus pandemic has hit the whole industry hard; scaffolders, employers, clients as well as the training providers. There is still a lot of uncertainty ahead, but the sector has responded very positively and looked for ways to move forward in safe and productive manner.”
Centres that are currently open are initially dealing with courses which were cancelled due to the lockdown, but are also slowly taking general bookings.
Dave Mosley added: “We appreciate that we are not out of the woods yet and that the ongoing commercial uncertainty may prove fatal to some centres, which will be a real blow for the industry.
“That said the response to date from providers has been excellent, the feedback from the delegates has been very positive and the demand for training continues, as such we will press on with training following all the relevant procedures and like everybody else aim to get through this safely.”