CPA Bulletin

36 CPA Bulletin > August 2022 www.cpa.uk.net TRAINING: 3 In most cases for plant-based NVQs, there is a requirement for candidates to be directly observed carrying out workplace functions by the assessor. The evidence is then mapped against the NVQ content and if met, the qualification is effectively awarded. NVQs are achieved over a period of time and do not require formal attendance at say, a college or training provider. However, although training contributes to competence, training by itself is not evidence of competence. Card Schemes and Competence Recognition Since 2014, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) produced an industry card scheme specification criteria that required all card schemes in construction to carry the CSCS logo. This required participating schemes to only issue cards for an occupation/role based on an NVQ level 2 as a minimum, as well as on receiving health and safety training/assessment. However, as explained in the previous article, some CSCS-logoed plant-card schemes such as IPAF and ALLMI currently offer alternatives to an NVQ. Card schemes themselves do not directly measure competence but only specify what evidence must be supplied to them to indicate that occupational competence has been achieved and maintained. What this means is that once the individual has attained the NVQ, that the card scheme can issue a CSCS-logoed card bearing the occupation, role or plant category as applicable. An NVQ however can only be issued once and does not need to be renewed but can be updated if additional units are added e.g. adding another plant category. What this also means is that the competence performance, benchmarked by the NVQ, may lose its relevancy if new and/or changed circumstances subsequently apply to the individual’s work. Furthermore, where skills are not applied in the workplace for long periods, then ‘skill-fade’ may occur, such as a plant operator having a number of categories of plant on their card but not using one or more for a long period of time. In a bid to ensure that competent performance was still maintained, CPCS introduced back in 2003 a number of measures for card renewal after five years. This included a logbook system whereby the card holder recorded a minimum of operating hours on each machine as well as being signed off as competent by the employer. CPCS further added a technical theory test in 2014 to ensure that, on renewal, key safety knowledge was held on each category. NPORS, as the other CSCS-logoed general plant operator card scheme, also now has a logbook process for card renewal purposes. However, occupations issued directly by CSCS such as plant mechanics, crane installers and hire desk operatives only require the attainment of the NVQ and without the additional renewal requirements stipulated by the plant operator card schemes. Employer Responsibilities Despite NVQ and card scheme attainment and renewal requirements, the card schemes themselves can only provide a broad indicator of proven occupational competence. Official guidance such as the Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2007 (CDM) says that sole reliance for competence should not be placed by the employer just on industry cards. The employer should establish that the cardholder has the right qualities for the given role or activity by carrying out, for example, individual assessments to establish whether any additional training is needed. This supports the employer compliance requirements under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 for the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision. Official guidance and the various reports on competence also say that competence should be seen by employers as a long-term issue and who remain responsible for the management of the learning journey, even though all or part of each stage may be contracted out to the training provider and qualification provider network. Workplace competence can also only be ensured through appropriate supervision, safe systems of work and provision of appropriate and sufficient resources. Support for Employers The actualities and applications of occupational competence, as described, can be complex although CPA provides additional guidance, help and support to their membership in navigating the many facets required for the management and implementation of the learning journey. One of the elements on the feedback from the training support survey was that some members had difficulty in understanding the requirements of each card scheme to inform choice as they’ve limited time to spend understanding the differences between them. In a bid to provide some clarity, the PRSO was formed under the CLC cards scheme criteria with the aim that card scheme delivery methods incorporated sector-specific requirements to aid consistency, clarity and confidence in each scheme. On this basis, the plant occupations competence framework obliges card schemes seeking to hold the CSCS-logo to meet a minimum delivery specification to provide this consistency and be more transparent about their delivery processes. The PSRO framework publication further provides employers with a guidance specification, which identifies the processes for managing the attainment and maintenance of competence for plant-based occupations and roles. The PSRO framework can be downloaded free of charge at www.psro.org.uk . The Plant Safety Group has further written a publication outlining the competence requirements for plant operators, supporting the category-specific safe use publications. It can also be downloaded from www.cpa.uk.net under the Plant Safety Group publications page. In summary, this article due to limited space, is only able to provide an overview on competence and carding, but where CPA members seek further specific advice and guidance on competence requirements for particular occupations or roles, they are welcome to contact Peter Brown at peter @ cpa.uk.net or Rob Squires at rob @ cpa.uk.net.