The Oldbury-based health and safety training provider can now deliver PASMA courses covering the assembly, use, inspection and dismantling of aluminium scaffold towers.
The investment includes a dedicated training area at the company’s new centre and the recruitment of 3 specialist PASMA instructors.
PLT Training already delivers IPAF training for mobile elevating work platforms. The PASMA approval means the company can now cover 2 of the main equipment types used for work at height from the same training centre.
Operations director Kath Lang said the company’s move to its new premises had been central to securing accreditation.
“Relocation to our new training centre has been fundamental in the PASMA accreditation, giving us access to high-spec classrooms, the latest equipment and additional space to run the courses,” she said.
“To secure the internationally recognised standard, we had to be approved by a panel of associate members and successfully complete a full audit of our premises, while demonstrating that we have the industry knowledge in place.”
The company can initially deliver PASMA Low-Level Access, Towers for Users and a combined course covering both disciplines.
Towers for Users covers single-bay mobile access towers that can reach heights of up to 8m outdoors and 12m indoors.
PLT Training plans to add courses covering towers on stairs, towers with bridges and linked towers during the next 12 months.
The company said the courses are aimed at scaffolding contractors and other businesses whose employees regularly work at height, as well as schools, colleges and sports organisations.
PLT Training already works with Omega Scaffolding, Pro Scaff and Midland Metro. It estimates the expanded training offer could generate up to £500,000 in new contracts during the coming year.
“We have created 3 new roles for specialist PASMA instructors already and expect this to double as existing clients and new customers take advantage of our under-one-roof offer,” Lang said.
The new training centre supports more than 10,000 learners each year and has 6 purpose-built areas covering forklifts, work at height, manual handling, first aid and confined-space training.
PLT Training was founded by Nicc Bennett almost 20 years ago. The company now delivers more than 150 courses from its Oldbury centre and at more than 1,500 client sites across the UK.
