
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
14 | UP TO SPEED TRAINING & ASSESSMENT
The general public, however, expect the
roads that are maintained on their tax
money to be fit for purpose and safe.
Meeting public demand –
making our roads safer
To achieve this, the entire industry
is fighting a continuous battle to
meet public expectations up and
down the UK. Although this is led by
government-appointed departments,
local authorities and organisations such
as Highways England, it cannot be
won alone.
They require the expertise and efforts
of a massive network of specialist
contractors, civil engineers and
subcontractors to work tirelessly, often
in high-risk situations, during unsociable
hours and at all times of the year.
To ensure they’re appropriately
equipped to carry out this work, the
government has National Highways
Sector Schemes: certifications for
working on British highways. Across 20
distinct programmes – at the time of
writing – these schemes cover activities
ranging from fencing, landscaping
and vehicle safety restraints to
road surfacing, marking and traffic
management.
These schemes ensure that work is
carried out to the highest standards
of professionalism by properly trained
staff while also emphasising the
importance of health and safety.
How did we get involved?
Initially, we focused on providing
training in National Highways Sector
Scheme 12, which covered temporary
traffic management operations: the
provision of temporary roadworks to
provide physical segregation between
workers and the travelling public,
ensuring minimum risk for all parties
involved.
Through further consultation, however,
we have grown through diversification
into other areas of the highways
sector and have incorporated other
generic and specific skills required
by highways workers. We now offer
training in National Highways Sector
Scheme 10B for permanent vehicle
restraint systems, first aid, health and
safety, construction and “rural skills”,
which covers the maintenance of
embankments and verges near roads
and pavements.
We have developed a reputation
throughout the industry for our
outstanding focus on safety and
professionalism. Consequently,
we have been commissioned by
some of the country’s largest traffic
management specialists to produce
tailored, specialist training packages
that meet the specific needs of the
client, which may well not be otherwise
covered by an NHSS certification.
A stark change in recruitment
Historically, the recruitment process
for the industry was carried out over
a beer in a pub, or simply by knowing
someone else who worked on the
roads. In modern times, however,
with legislative changes demanding
it, we’ve had to move towards a
We are a leading NHSS
12 training provider
The entire
industry is
fighting a
continuous
battle to meet
public
expectations
up and down
the UK
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