SPA The SPA Extractive/quarry products/mineral processing, Safety Passport Course

Course details

The Safety Pass Alliance (SPA) purpose is to design and implement Safety Passport Training Schemes and to effect their delivery through a national network of accredited training providers. Working with industry, the SPA is committed to providing a nationally recognised standard of health and safety training assurance.

Introduction

At the heart of the SPA Safety Passport scheme is the core day, which involves training in seven key areas, to a level which everyone will understand. A delegate’s understanding is assessed by multiple-choice questions and achievement is rewarded by the issue of a credit card sized “Safety Passport”.

Through liaison with employer associations, trade unions, National Training Organisations (NTOs) and other relevant bodies, the SPA has designed and developed additional training modules tailored to different work sectors. One such development is within the Quarries sector. These additional modules enhance the awareness of workers to their own related industries.

People who are in possession of a Client Contractor National Safety Group (ECITB/SCATS) safety passport valid for at least one month from the date of the SPA examination will not be required to attend day one of the SPA course. They will still be required to successfully complete day two. In such circumstances the CCNSG passport details must be enclosed with the candidate registration form and the passport itself brought in on day two of the SPA passport course for inspection and photocopying.

Course Content

The minimum course content is contained within the course training specification. The course takes two days to deliver, and includes a test at the end of each module. The course covers eleven modules:

• Introduction to health and safety law, including safe systems of work 
• Workplace safety including access/egress, emergencies, vehicles and equipment 
• Fire Precautions and Procedures 
• Accidents –prevention and reporting and First Aid Procedures 
• Hazardous substances -COSHH and PPE 
• Manual Handling 
• Noise 
• Health and Safety in Quarries 
• Lifting Operations 
• Excavations and Confined Spaces 
• Working at Heights

Retraining is required every three years. BSS are approved course providers for Extractive and Mineral Processing Industry, (Quarries) and all of our instructors are either NEBOSH Diploma or National General Certificate holders and practising safety professionals. Furthermore, they are all train the trainer qualified.

In-house courses are available for a maximum number of 16 persons per course, a suitable venue to be provided by the client. For further details please contact BSS.

Testing

At the end of each module, candidates must sit a 10 question multi-choice examination paper. Over the entire course they must achieve a minimum 80% in order to pass. In addition in each core module there are “key” questions which the candidate must answer correctly, failure to answer a key question will result in module failure. The papers are marked and the candidates informed of the result. Incorrect answers will be discussed with the candidate.

Should a candidate fail a module they may re-sit the module exam (maximum 4 attempts).

Candidates with dyslexia or any similar learning disability can be accommodated so long as the employer notifies BSS of any such problem at least two weeks prior to course commencement.

Subject to successfully passing this test, British Safety Services (BSS) will issue a credit card sized certificate (passport) upon course completion. The certificate is the property of the employee - not the contractor. The certificate contains the delegate’s name, expiry date of the passport (which is 3 years from the date of passing the test), and a card number.

Following completion of the course, BSS will send a completed Safety Training Record Form to the SPA for entry onto their national database.

Method of Payment

Companies sending delegates on the course are required to pay course fees prior to attending the course. The maximum number of delegates is 16 per course.

How is it received?

The course itself involves a significant amount of trainee participation. The content is something that most contractors know something about and some a great deal. Lively discussions normally ensue.

In presenting the course, the trainer will talk with the trainees rather than at the trainees, giving the continuous message “if it looks unsafe, then it probably is unsafe, so do something about it”.