PASMA training surge

22 April 2021

It’s an ill wind, as they say.

PASMA (the Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association) says that its training courses have been proving popular throughout the furlough period. Employers have taken the opportunity to upskill workers while they are unable to do their normal job.

The UK government’s guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme states that workers can take part in training while furloughed.

Now, as restrictions start to ease across the UK, the association believes that demand could grow further. If certification cards have lapsed over lockdown, or new workers are using scaffold towers without having one, they can act quickly and get accredited.

PASMA offers a range of courses on the safe installation and used of scaffold towers and podiums, delivered by a network of accredited training centres who have strict Covid-19 prevention measures in place.

Steve Booker, MD of Kentec Training, one of the approved locations, said: “We had a safety consultant visit our London and Kent (pictured) training centres and implemented his recommendations straight away. Masks have been mandatory for all delegates since last summer and after initial shortages last year, we could swim in hand sanitiser now!

“Our centres are deep cleaned every morning, we’re doing temperature checks on delegates and our staff are having regular lateral flow tests, as extra precautions. We also contact delegates 48 hours before the course to check they haven’t had any symptoms or been in contact with anyone who has.”

• An earlier blog post reported how Kentec Training and its sister business, Kentec Hire Services, bounced back sharply following the first lockdown and have performed strongly since. Read the story here.