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Rising to the LP Gas Training Challenge

By Ian Oultram, managing director, UK Energy Training

A revised training scheme could provide confident, competent lpg operatives without the hassle or need for several days off work every five years. In fact, this is such a simple formula, why hasn’t it been tried before?

Most people would agree that, for gas work falling within the scope of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998, a gas operative registration scheme, coupled with regular work inspection, has been instrumental in helping to reduce the number of incidents in the natural gas industry. However, it is wholly unsupported that proportionate levels of incidents occur within the lpg industry – in fact our industry has always actively promoted and supported operative training and education.

It cannot be understated that it is due to the efforts of both large and small lpg gas companies, with the assistance of the national trade body UKLPG, that our industry has such an impressive safety record.

Ours is a specialised industry, especially when compared to the work activities of the 100,000+ natural gas registered operatives. A house is a house all over the UK, and the requirements for working in one will not change much from one to another. Just compare this to the 9,000 or so lpg registered operatives and the diverse range of tasks that they undertake. Almost without exception, operatives will specialise in a particular area of lp gas work, i.e. vessel installation, touring caravans, holiday park homes, boats, and not forgetting work in houses.

It is normal practice for lpg gas operatives to work solely within their chosen sector and not deviate outside of it. This begs many questions of the existing competence requirements, not least, why shouldn’t lpg assessments mirror the task?

Our industry is so different to that of the domestic natural gas operatives; we can easily subdivide our requirements within very clear-cut guidelines. The electrical industry does not require electrical contractors to be competent across all areas of electrical work, just the areas they are engaged in, so why has our system not evolved this way?

The change from CORGI to the Gas Safe Register may offer our industry a new opportunity in the shape of the Health & Safety Executive’s stated aim for the new registrar to provide new routes to registration. I have been involved for some time in campaigning for a change of direction, away from solely assessment-based competence.

I believe strongly we need a return to a more training based ideology. This, coupled with an initial evaluation of an operative’s competence, will ensure the operative is not only competent, but also confident in the work he is undertaking.

Lpg operatives could undertake annual training updates

I believe there should be no requirement for an operative to prove his competence every five years; a more flexible and robust solution would be for operatives to undertake annual updates. This type of update training is common in many other industries and professions.

The title Continuing Professional Development (CPD) says it all, keep the person up to date with the changes on a regular basis and not make him repeat everything every five years.

These updates could be in the form of one day every 12 months to attend an update forum where operatives can be informed of changes to legislation, British and European Standards, lpg Codes of Practice and, most importantly, be informed how to implement them in real-world situations.

Too often, those people working at the sharp end are left wondering if the changes affect them or their work, and just what they can do to comply with any new requirements. One day per year would enable not just new information to be disseminated, but also the answering of any questions or queries about current practices.

A by-product of these annual forums would be the opportunity for attendees to discuss matters with their peers – this type of discussion always features when lp gas operatives get together in our training centre. Lastly, to maintain proof of their continued competence, an evaluation of their understanding of the new materials would be undertaken, with the results forwarded to a certification body and ultimately the Gas Safe Register. This would ensure that everyone was up to date and compliance with the requirements of the CPD would ensure they remained registered.

To summarise, a revised scheme such as this could provide a confident, competent lpg operative, without the hassle or need for several days off work every five years. Couple this with associated reduced costs and less time away from the workplace and employers would also benefit. In fact, this is such a simple formula, why hasn’t it been tried before?

Fresh challenges are faced by most industries on a regular basis and the training industry is no different. In the next few weeks, Lord Gill’s report into the ICL Plastics incident will be published; it is widely expected to recommend that all underground metallic lp gas pipework be inspected and replaced as necessary, all within a five-year timeframe.

It is estimated that the total requiring replacement will run into many tens of thousands. The existing workforce will be unable to complete anywhere near the levels required within such a relatively short space of time. The need to bring on suitably qualified lpg gas operatives to undertake the excess is a substantial challenge that I believe the training industry will undoubtedly rise to.

Contact UK Energy Training on 08456 442 039 www.ukenergytraining.co.uk