MEDIA RELEASE
DATE18 | 10 | 2019
Image supplied
Caption Pic 1 - Safety Awareness course - class-based water jetting training. Pic 2 - practical water jetting training.
Raising the Bar on Water Jetting Training Standards
- Industry body makes important water jetting training rules
- All introductory water training must include a practical skills assessment
- Changes will "raise the bar" on water jetting training standards
- They are part of a goal to continuously improve water jetting safety
The Water Jetting Association is changing its rules to establish a new standard in water jetting training. Under new protocols, all introductory water jetting training must include a practical skills assessment.
Currently, water jetting operatives must attend a one-day water jetting Safety Awareness course to be registered on the Water Jetting Association's (WJA) international operator database.
From 1stJanuary 2020, they will have to complete the Safety Awareness course, which is class-based, and then at least one relevant one-day ‘hands-on' application module that teaches practical skills.
This will give water jetting operatives a minimum of two days of structured and assessed training, including one day of practical training, before they can register with the WJA and receive their WJA certificate and photo id card.
The improved training standard, approved by the WJA's Ruling Council, will apply to all service sectors, including industrial cleaning, maritime de-fouling, drain and sewer cleaning, manufacturing, hydrodemolition, water jet cutting, and surface preparation.
The WJA is the representative body for the water jetting industry in the UK and is the leading provider of high-pressure water jetting training courses. It is introducing the changes following a period of consultation with members and stakeholders.
John Jones, Vice-President of the WJA and Chairman of its Training and Safety Committee, said: "We aim to continuously improve the safety and effectiveness of water jetting.
"This new approach raises the bar for water jetting training both in the UK and internationally. Most contractors already book their staff on the Safety Awareness course and multiple practical courses to cover the specific skills they need for the water jetting work they do. These changes enshrine this best practice in association rules.
"We are also aligning the WJA with the highest expectations of companies that use water jetting services. They want to be sure their worksites are as safe as possible. Introducing a mandatory practical application module for new trainees is an essential step to help achieve this."
All WJA high pressure water jetting training is delivered by WJA-registered training providers and approved instructors. Courses are accredited by City & Guilds of London Institute. They can be delivered externally or as part of a company's in-house training programme.
WJA Director David Kennedy said: "Making practical application training mandatory will help operatives to fully-comprehend the high level of risk associated with water jetting. Until you hold a water jetting lance or hose and feel how it responds under pressure you won't fully grasp what has been taught in the classroom.
"By upgrading our training rules in this way, operatives will have a strong foundation upon which employers can continue to build competence through in-work training and supervision. This can only be good for water jetting safety and operational effectiveness."
Practical application modules available are: Drain and Sewer Cleaning, Surface Preparation, Tube and Pipe Cleaning, and Hydrodemolition.
As is currently the case, operatives will have to continue to sit the Safety Awareness Refresher course every three years to maintain their registration, while practical modules will only have to be completed once. However, the practical module will have to be retaken if WJA registration lapses.
Registered operatives who have not yet attended a practical module will have to do so, but only on the date they attend their next Safety Awareness Refresher course. People can take the Safety Awareness course on its own and be issued with a non-operational WJA registration card.
The WJA's training is underpinned by its Codes of Practice - Blue for high pressure and ultra-high-pressure water jetting and Red for use of water jetting in the drains and sewers. These are accepted as setting internationally recognised standards for best practice in water jetting.
Ends
For more information about this release please contact:
Andy Comber
T:01952 883526
M:07889 630440
About the Water Jetting Association
The Water Jetting Association©(WJA) is a UK-based membership organisation made up of contractors, manufacturers, and equipment hire specialists.
It is committed to supporting the highest possible safety and technical standards for water jetting, including ultra-high-pressure water jetting, high pressure water jetting, pressure washing, and drain and sewer cleaning.
The WJA has developed two Codes of Practice for water jetting - the ‘Blue Code' for high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure water jetting, and the ‘Red Code' for use of water jetting in drains and sewers.
Both WJA Codes of Practice, developed with the assistance of industry-stakeholders and support from the UK's Health and Safety Executive, are recognised as setting important industry standards in the UK and internationally.
The WJA provides water jetting training, delivered via registered training providers and approved instructors, both in the UK and internationally. It also contributes to the development of legal and regulatory systems for water jetting governance.
Address: The Water Jetting Association,Thames Innovation Centre, Veridion Way, Erith, Kent. DA18 4AL. Tel: +44 (0) 20 8320 1090 Email:info@waterjetting.org.uk