Since August Select Training Academy has provided dynamic training courses at the Hinkley Point C (HPC) construction project on the north coast of Somerset, the first in a new generation of nuclear power stations in the UK providing low-carbon electricity for around six million homes.
So far, the Academy has delivered IPAF 3a and 3b category training, which was shortly followed by working at height courses. Then, since September, they began to roll out the NOCN-SiteRight Enhanced Slinger Signaler cohorts. A dedicated crane has been installed and the courses are proving to be successful following excellent feedback from Tier 1 contractor Bylor, a joint venture between Bouygues Travaux Publics and Laing O’Rourke. Operations Manager Francois Swanepoel has been a key player in establishing this training offering on site at HPC, which will ensure that all Slinger Signallers will carry out their role to the highest standards in the industry.
The NOCN accredited Enhanced Slinger Signaller training has received high praise since courses began running in September 2020. Select Plant Hire noticed that the complexity of lifting had changed significantly since the original Slinger Signaller course had been developed, and that many Signallers were having to learn on the job. So, with support from its industry leading Slinger Signallers, Select Plant Hire developed a more enhanced training which complements and enhances the skills taught in the original course.
All courses and modules on the Select Training Academy are designed to upskill slingers and increase lifting standards across the industry, improving safety, competency and efficiency. Even the COVID pandemic couldn’t stop the training, with it now being run to coincide with restrictions implemented by the English Government.
Dene Pettinger, Select Training Academy Manager says: “We are very pleased with the progress Select has made at Hinkley C. We continue to review current training methods and develop new courses to suit the ever-changing way construction projects are delivered, ensuring operatives are trained to the highest standard and not just in possession of a card.”
Enhanced Slinger course delivered across Laing O’Rourke which started in April 2019, and with the help of Peter Knights, Lifting Solutions Product Leader, Select Plant Hire has recently opened a dedicated training centre at St Neots, Cambridgeshire. Select is viewed as a pioneer in leading the way for future crane operations – if you would like to find out more, please get in touch with the team by emailing [email protected].