What Does Accredited Training Courses Mean?

So who decides what constitutes a ‘suitably qualified and competent authority’? Well, when it comes to training fork truck operators and instructors it’s the Health & Safety Commission and they have appointed six accrediting bodies to choose from; AITT, ITSSAR, RTITB, CITB, NPORS and LANTRA.

So if you’re recruiting staff how do you know that their qualifications are relevant to the job you want them to do? And it’s important that you do know as legislation places the onus firmly on the employer to check that employees are suitably trained.

In 2000, the accrediting bodies got together under the chairmanship of the Health & Safety Executive and came up with the ABF2000 forklift test. This established a standard test for all operators to take at the conclusion of their training course and was a welcome initiative that has been universally adopted.

There have been efforts to try and establish a standard scheme but these have been more about accrediting bodies finding additional sources of income rather than a desire to deliver what industry wants and needs, i.e. a secure, standard and interchangeable certificate or licence to operate that is easily recognisable and which an employer can accept at face value.

The HSE is currently trying to bring more standardisation to the system and they like to receive proper feedback from industry. If you have an opinion that you would like to share, then e-mail Mentor at HSE@mentortraining.co.uk.