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  Graeme Brown January 16, 2017 at 8:59pm

  I am sure the courses are excellent but quite expensive. It would however in these letigious times be an effective way of proving staff have been trained to a set standard and remove a small risk of injuries compensation.
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    Richard Gadsby > Graeme Brown January 16, 2017 at 9:09pm

    Maybe however if you injure someone they will still need compensation tickets or no tickets.
    The bigger question for me is insurance. Are you covered without tickets? I've never been asked for them by my insurance companies over the years
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  Graham Taylor January 17, 2017 at 9:21am

  Extra training can't do any harm but they aren't cheap................ when you add on a days wages as well, things get pricey. Are the courses really necessary though?  These operations are really quite straightforward and with some "on the job" training to start with, there really shouldn't be a problem.
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  Gary RK January 17, 2017 at 9:24am

  For non-ticket items, implement short weekly Tool Box Talks by a competent person, document & have each of the guys sign-off a sheet and hold on employee file. Shows due diligence and provides protection that you've let an untrained person loose with dangerous gear.
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  Ben Jakes January 19, 2017 at 9:07am

  What load of bull. You should send them for the NPTC Level 2 award in post evacuation rectal hygiene whilst you're at it.

  As an employer, I'm not interested in guys who flash bits of paper at me. That just shows you're really good at passing a test. I want someone who is quietly competent, and I'm sure most customers are the same. If I went to see a customer and made a big thing of my guys having 'mower qualifications' I'd fully expect to be laughed off the premises.
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    Gary RK > Ben Jakes January 19, 2017 at 11:00am

    Perhaps show some mutual respect to others who answer ?
    
    No one is suggesting we all get Quali'd up and show to clients, more that good training (either formal or via Toolbox talks etc ) takes a business forward and protects everyone in respect of ELI such that staff are fit / qualified to use equipment.

    It's easy to make dismissive comments when you hide behind a non-de-plume so prospective clients can't see who you are or your business name Rubens ?
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      Richard Gadsby > Gary RK January 19, 2017 at 11:37am

      Maybe true but there seems to be an endless box ticking environment. The pedestrian mower ticket is a prime example. I would be surprised if the number of adults in this country that have used a mower is 99% of the population and done so without hurting themselves in any way. To do yourself or anyone else damage with one you need to be stupid or unlucky.
      I think that people do need a reality check into the fact that what we do is not brain surgery or rocket science!
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        Gary RK > Richard Gadsby January 19, 2017 at 11:59am

        If an employee hurts themselves, a member of the public or property your liability will be determined by your business practices and whether the person is competent at what he was asked to do.
        
        99% of people do not use equipment 5-6 days a week, so the likelihood is reduced.
        
        Subscribe to HSE accident notifications and you'll see how many 'stupid or unlucky' accidents occur.
        
        Also, an employee can come after you for damages if he injures himself and you can not show he was adequately 'trained' and in the litigious world it happens.
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          Richard Gadsby > Gary RK January 19, 2017 at 12:32pm

          Try telling the customer that you won't pay to replace the patio door glass you broke with a stone from the mower because you ticked the training boxes so you are therefore not liable. The same could be said for taking someone's eye out with a stone with the strimmer or dropping a tree on a house that's fell the wrong way.
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            Gary RK > Richard Gadsby January 19, 2017 at 1:33pm

            I'm not saying that ! Take a step back and think of the business issues and just not from a ST's prospective.

            
            A contrived example - One of your guys breaks a £2000 patio door set. It's a lot of money so you look to utilise your liability insurance. The insurers perform due dil and they find out the guy is not competent and they refuse the claim. Who pays ? YOU

            That's why you either do tool box talks or certified training. It either helps stop it happening or, if it happens you're covered the business.....
            
            Graham - suggest you check out the syllabuses and maybe you'd get a better understanding of what is covered.....