CISRS grants accreditation to first training centre in Africa

CISRS has granted training provider accreditation to the first CISRS Overseas Scaffolder Training Scheme (OSTS) training centre in Africa.

The newly accredited training centre in Ipara Ogun State, Nigeria has been set up by Simian Skills and Falck Prime Atlantic.

Falck Safety Services (trading under the Falck Group of Companies), is the world’s largest provider of safety training for the offshore industry. Each year, they provide safety training to more than 320,000 employees from shipping companies, military defence units, the aviation industry and the oil industry – and now CISRS OSTS scaffolding in Nigeria.

The creation of the first CISRS OSTS training centre in Africa
began in 2013, when Simian Risk first spotted the demand for a recognised qualification via international oil companies and the Department of Petroleum regulators in Nigeria. Simian had received many enquiries from African-based companies and individuals wanting to come to the UK and Dubai to undertake CISRS courses.

Simian contacted CISRS Scheme Manager, Dave Mosley who worked closely with them, advising Falck of what would be required in order to comply with CISRS scheme rules.

Construction of the facility began in the autumn of 2015 and was
completed in time for a successful accreditation audit visit in February 2016.

CISRS Scheme Manager Dave Mosley said: “CISRS are very pleased to be working with Simian Skills and Falck Prime Atlantic on this historic project and proud to have granted accreditation to the first training centre of its kind in Africa. It’s an excellent facility, and we wish them the greatest success and hope that it will improve the safety and standards of scaffolding within the region, whilst also offering a potential career opportunity to many Nigerians for years to come.”

The first CISRS OSTS Level 1 course has since been completed at the centre with all delegates passing the courses and now in the process of obtaining their CISRS OSTS cards. CISRS currently has around 4000 OSTS cardholders globally.

Simian Risk Operations Director, Ian Fyall; said: “We are thrilled to be involved in the creation of the first OSTS training provider in Africa – which is absolutely superb and a real feather in the cap of Simian Risk, Falck Prime Atlantic and CISRS. It’s been a long process to get to this point, but we are immensely proud to have done this and are confident the centre will be a roaring success in the region – helping to drive up scaffolding standards.”