NRSWA training will have you fit for purpose

The New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) of 1991 was instigated to maintain the health and safety of all those working on highways and roads within the UK during highway construction projects. It also addresses the health and safety of road users while the projects are going on, ensuring that traffic is suitably and safely diverted, and that vehicle users and pedestrians are not put at risk.

The NRSWA training scheme has been set up to ensure that those working in this area adhere to NRSWA regulations and Approved Codes of Practice to ensure people working in road building, maintenance and street working jobs are kept up to date with what they need to know. NRSWA training courses lead to City and Guilds qualifications for street works.

If you are putting your staff through the NRSWA training scheme, it is important to know what parts they need to obtain. Courses are available for both Operative and Supervisor level, and not every module will be suitable for all members of staff. The two jobs can be very different so it makes sense that different training schemes will be in place.

Supervisor Courses

These are designed for those who will be leading a team of NRSWA operatives. The team leader must have the knowledge and skills to effectively get the project completed whilst maintaining the safety and well-being of their workers and other road users.

Operative Courses

Operative level NRSWA courses are designed for team members who will be executing the supervisor’s instructions and completing the work on roads or highways. The aim of these courses is to encourage awareness of health and safety and to demonstrate how the operative and supervisor work together to keep the team safe.

A Modular Approach

The NRSWA course scheme is modular, with each qualification being made up of one or more units. To achieve any one qualification the supervisor or operative must attain the correct number of units. This is especially relevant if you are looking to get a Street Works card.

Street Works cards are awarded only on the completion of a minimum of one qualification. This means no matter how many units you have, you must have the correct configuration of units to gain a card. Training courses are often set up to accommodate this, as training providers understand the system and have the success of their candidates in mind.

However, if you are still feeling a little baffled on how to navigate NRSWA qualifications, here is a quick look guide on how the system works:

• There are 6 possible qualifications for both supervisors (S1 -S6) and operatives (O1-O6). These qualifications cover the same six topic areas such as excavation in the road/highway; however, the supervisors’ course is directed towards the monitoring of the tasks, rather than the tasks itself.
• For each of the six qualifications there are number of units each candidate must achieve. For example, the O6 Signing, Lighting and Guarding qualification (O - for operative) requires the completion of the 002 Signing, Lighting and Guarding course. The S6 monitoring of Signing, Lighting and Guarding qualification (S for Supervisor) requires the completion of the 010 Monitoring Signing, Lighting and Guarding unit.

Many of the units are easily available throughout the UK, especially operatives 001-006 and 009 and supervisors 001, 010, 014 and 016. Candidates will have to travel to a recognised provider training centre to complete the course as it needs to be completed at an accredited site.

If it is not possible for your staff to attend a NRSWA training course locally, it may be possible for an accredited trainer to come to your premises or local region and provide units or learning modules there, but the site venue must meet minimum requirements.

If you need further assistance with deciding which NRSWA courses are suitable, please give us a call on 01933 233884 (Monday to Friday - 8:00am to 5:30pm). or email to [email protected]. Our online search facility will show all available NRSWA courses in your location here: https://www.bookmycourse.co.uk/courses/nrswa_88/