GRITIT, the UK's leading winter gritting and snow clearance firm, today launches a training programme, accredited by Lantra Awards, to show businesses how they can safely carry out routine winter maintenance procedures in-house. The course is designed to help businesses adhere to health and safety legislation that will mitigate financial and physical risk during adverse weather conditions.
Drawing on the company's vast experience in the gritting sector, GRITIT - working in collaboration with Lantra Awards - has developed a programme comprising four modules depending on the level of training required:
Module A - 'Manual Gritting and Snow Clearance' - trainees will learn how to read a weather forecast in order to know when to apply de-icing salt to their sites, how to apply de-icing salt manually using a pedestrian spreader, and how to clear snow using a manual snow plough
Module B - 'Mechanical Gritting' - trainees will learn how to operate different spreading equipment that is either towed or mounted to the back of a vehicle
Module C - 'Mechanical Snow Clearance' - trainees will learn how to mount and operate a vehicle mounted BOSS snow plough
Module D - A combination of all modules
"As far as we're aware this is the first training of its kind in the industry and it arrives at a significant time," explains Nikki Singh-Barmi, Managing Director of GRITIT. "The research we conducted in association with the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) into the impact of winter on UK businesses found that 41% of individuals responsible for gritting in-house in UK businesses receive no training and only 6% have a health and safety process, even though 38% of respondents reported two or more 'slip and trip' incidents in 2012. These were the most common causes of major injuries to employees and, including falls from heights, accounted for two million lost working days in the UK from 2010 to 2013[1]. However with the correct training, UK companies can safeguard their businesses by ensuring staff are qualified via our Lantra Awards accredited course in winter gritting and snow clearance."
Nikki continues: "Lantra Awards is a nationally regulated and recognised body that enables companies like us to deliver first class training. This training, galvanised by our unrivalled experience in the sector, enables us to empower UK businesses and ensure their employees are fully trained in gritting and snow clearance. Taking the course will also help improve business continuity, reduce costs and mitigate potential liability claims."
GRITIT will offer the training throughout the UK at their sites. For large group bookings, training will be offered at a company's site. Upon completing the training participants will receive a Lantra Awards accredited certificate that acknowledges their new expertise.
Visitors to Facilities Show 2014 (17-19 June 2014, ExCeL London) can meet with GRITIT (stand Q1220) to discuss what training modules are right for their respective businesses. Visitors will also be able to receive a copy of GRITIT's 'Guide to Winter Preparation' developed in association with the BIFM and in response to the aforementioned research. Aimed at those responsible for an organisation's winter maintenance, the guide outlines all the key findings while providing essential tips and actions to help visitors implement a more resilient winter maintenance plan.