Confined Space Training

As all those who know me will tell you I am passionate about confined space training and rescue, insisting on delivering programs that are fit for purpose. This led to Ashfield Safety Hire being the first authorised C&G 6150 training scheme provider in Ireland. That of course was way back in 2014 and now there are a few more out there. But our goals are still the same as they always have been, To deliver training that will ensure competence with certificates only awarded when the candidates truly have demonstrated that they have understood what the training is all about. Otherwise what value does that piece of paper your are holding truly have.

Over my many years in this industry I have seen various forms of training and unfortunately I still come across some that make me shudder. Training where the whole emphasis is purely designed to teach the candidate for the questions they will get asked with little or no understanding of how or why this comes about. Understanding that the low oxygen alarm on your gas detector is at 19% and that muscle fatigue can start at 17% is just one of those small points. But then relate this on a high risk course to the fact that when using full breathing apparatus we use 4% of the oxygen from our supplied breath, so that means our expelled air is 17% oxygen. If the orinasal part of the face mask is not working correctly and there may be a build up of carbon dioxide in the mask where the breath is not being evacuated effectively. This then makes the wearer much more likely to check that the exhalation flaps are working correctly.

The problem is imparting all of this information takes time, which is why C&G are very specific about the number of hours that need to be given to the training. These structured times are still more than difficult enough to ensure that all of the knowledge that is required is delivered to the candidate, especially if that candidate has never received confined space training previously. But despite all of this we are still constantly asked if we can deliver these courses in less time than stated. The answer to this of course will always be no, or from us in any case.

We have to remember that competently trained staff offer all sorts of advantages to their employer. They generally work quicker because their understanding is greater and this in turn leads to safer work being conducted. It also means that they will identify potential problems before they happen. This again makes a far more effective workforce that deliver a quality service. So if you are the training specifier and are not questioning what you are getting for your money and how it is helping then are you really doing what is fit for purpose. As with the majority of things in life if this is not questioned it usually does not present itself until something goes wrong. Of course by then it is too late, so assessment of what you are getting should always be the first course of action.

Training that it is overseen by a recognised body means that it has been written by a group that have assessed what is required. That doesn't always mean that it is fit for purpose for what you require. Or that the training standards will be the same for which ever Company offers that particular training event, even though in an ideal world they should be. So do your homework and try to seek out genuine recommendations from others who have taken the courses that you trust and respect. I often get told that because we do confined space training for and rescue for mainly the water industry that our training would not be fit for purpose because they are a brewery, industrial or oil and gas. But this is of course simply not correct so long as the enquirer states the industry they are in and gives specifications and a brief of what they have on their site from the out set. How to define a confined space does not alter no matter what the industry, a 300 meter long tank still is classified in the same way as a 3 meter deep manhole although the equipment required to tackle it may be vastly different. So to conduct the practical training as if it was a 3 meter deep manhole would not be fit for purpose and this is where trust in the training provider is paramount. If the training is viewed by the provider as nothing more than an invoice value then it is unlikely that you will get what you need. But a good provider after listening to your scenario will either be happy to state how they can offer a truly meaningful course that delivers competence or openly state this is outside of their scope. If they can't do what you are after they usually know a reputable company who could and would have no hesitation in supplying those details.

So having just assessed yet another high risk water industry course I am again looking through all of our feedback forms before we hold our standardisation meeting. The fact that they have all stated that, the training has altered their view of how they work and taught them a far greater amount than they had learnt previously, doesn't mean that there isn't still room for improvement. New methods and equipment that offer better safety solutions are constantly being brought out and as the training provider it is our duty to ensure that we have them first. Only when this is done can we truly stay at the head of the game and ensure we carry on getting good feedback and sleep soundly knowing we have offered the best we can to ensure our clients die of old age and not as a statistic. Ashfield Safety hire because every life is important and on some things you only get the one chance at getting it right. https://www.ashireland.ie/contact.htm